A social media influencer is anybody who has established credibility on social media. These kinds of people have large audiences, so targeting them will almost always help you grow your own online audience. On the surface, that sounds like a simple plan. All you need to do is target those people who have large followings on Twitter and Facebook, and you should be just fine, right? Well, it’s not that easy. Different things appeal to different audiences, so not all of your biggest influencers will be appropriate to every campaign you run. If you want your influencer marketing campaign to be successful, you need to choose the right influencers. Here are some tips that will help you with that.

Look at Age and Gender

Since like attracts like, social media influencers often develop followings of people much like themselves. Middle-aged women who run mommy blogs will attract other middle-aged women, and young male gamers will attract other young male gamers. Find out what kind of audience your services will likely attract, and find an influencer that falls into that demographic. The key here is to think about your audience and potential clients. You might be tempted to just focus on one influential person, but that’s just one person. They are one of many people you want to attract to your campaign. Focus on the big picture.

Look at Total Reach

Reach refers to the number of people who saw a piece of content, whether they found it on their Facebook feed organically or it showed up as part of an ad. While an influencer’s total reach shouldn’t be the only reason why you would target them, it is something that shouldn’t be ignored. Take a look at the number of people who have seen something that an influencer has posted if you want to get an idea of how influential they are.

Choose the Right Platforms

There are several social media platforms out there that go beyond Facebook and Twitter. Depending on what your product is and who you want to reach, you might be better off looking for influencers on Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, or one of the many other social media sites on the Internet. You will probably want to stick to established networks that already have plenty of users, but you don’t need to limit yourself to them. Take a look at the audience you want to reach, and see what kinds of networks they are using. Chances are that there is a huge influencer on these networks that will help you grow your audience into something bigger than you could imagine.

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LinkedIn, the must-have social network for working professionals, unveiled impactful changes to its site earlier this year. Many of the changes are simple fixes aimed at improving user experience. Yet there have also been several more drastic updates that will surely broaden the ways in which the site is utilized. Below, you will find the main ways that LinkedIn’s design overhaul has changed the site.

Homepage

LinkedIn’s largest design change is centered on its homepage. One of the first things that you will likely notice about the site’s new home screen is its uncanny similarity to Facebook, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

For starters, the site’s appearance is remarkably cleaner and more straightforward. Another much appreciated update is correcting the inconsistencies between the desktop and mobile homepages. The upgrade also makes it easier to share articles, photos, and updates by centering these options on the center of the homepage.

Search

The site’s search function is now largely different from what it was before. The slightly confusing advanced search options were removed, placing a more streamlined method to search for specific keywords in its place.

New options also now make it easier for recruiters to find potential candidates. By selecting the “Let recruiters know you’re open” button, you’ll be able to signal to recruiters that you’re activity looking for new opportunities.

Messaging

Although upon first glance the messaging portion of the site may seem unchanged, LinkedIn’s newest messaging feature makes it easier than ever to successfully network online. New additions include examples of ideal responses, making it simple and quick to tailor the perfect message to a recruiter. In sum, the new messaging section is considerably more intuitive and allows for room to increase the success rate of

Activity Log

The latest update to the site’s activity log also draws parallels to one of Facebook’s most favorable features. LinkedIn’s activity log stores all your movements on the site, conveniently storing every article you favorite, profile you connect with, company you search for, and more. It’s a great way to keep track of any research you may be conducting on a company or amazing articles you have recently read.

Contact Blast Creative today for all of your Social Media needs.

The post Linkedin’s Top Design + Development Changes in 2017 appeared first on Website Design and Marketing.

LinkedIn is one of the most effective ways to connect online. Whether you are a job hunter, employer, salesperson or businessperson, you can find people who have your interests and answers to your questions.

But how do you make the connection? What do you say? You’re not alone in your fear when it’s time to ask advice or find out about job openings.

To help break the ice, LinkedIn is now offering conversation starters. These are suggestions for ways to open your message.

Click the Light Bulb

Open the app to write a message to your contact. Click on the light bulb icon that appears within the message area. Voila! A set of suggested opening remarks will appear.

The tips are personalized for each member, based on your profile and history. They aren’t just one-size-fits-all message starters. LinkedIn suggests picking the opener that fits your current contact the best and your normal style. Then rewrite it to match how you speak and write.

3 Types of Starters

There are three types of conversation starters:

Updates on your professional life: You can report your current activities to your correspondent or your impressions of recent news or articles. Did your contact recently get a promotion? Congratulate her! Is it an anniversary, either work or personal? Give them a pat on the back. Everyone likes milestones recognized and celebrated.

Shared background: Doo you see that both of you have a company or school in common? Open with a brief reference to your shared history. Perhaps they are in a hobby group where you have experience. Give them some input about what you’re doing with these skills and interests. It establishes common ground, making it easier to get the conversation going.

Contacts in common: Do they know someone you have met? Mention it in your opening remarks. This will help establish your bonafides and your work and personal history. People like to communicate with people with a shared history and similar roots.

The Benefit of Conversation Starters

The goal for these conversation tips is to make messaging more casual and less pressured. According to Mark Hull, the director of product management at LinkedIn, they noticed that many members had lots of connections, but seldom sent messages.

Though it is simple to message someone that you contact often, it can be intimidating to approach someone you don’t know or someone you’ve lost contact with.

The aim is for members to feel more comfortable approaching new contacts and those you haven’t traded messages with in a long time. A quick note, using one of the tips. takes the pressure off. Members say the tips make it easier to start casual conversations, and to send a quick message more often.

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