Defining a social network is nowadays more important than ever, since the rapid developments of social media and networking websites.

We live in a society where it is more important ‘who you know’ than ‘what you know’, thus websites encourage their users to build up followers, friends and contacts. These social media developments made businesses establish networking strategies that influence the choice of users. The trick is that you want to connect users to your brand. So users that want to be associated with you as a brand can be called ‘your social network’.

Determine a social network is done by mapping and measuring flows between interactions and personal relationships on the online channels that are offered. Offering users a website or other application which enables them to communicate with each other by posting comments, reactions and/or images and messages with information creates a data set of information that can help companies to segment a their social network.

By knowing what people like, who they follow and what their opinion is about several subjects, it is desirable to create a profile of people that could match the target audience of your brand. Thus by analysing your target audience and previous customers can help to select the best influencers that match your brand. As result form selecting the right influencers and connect them to your brand, it enables greater reach due to a similar target audience.

Connecting influencers to your brand can help to get more followers, likes and subsequently more customers. With the advent of social media and internet it seems that consumers are almost blind to advertisements. So when it comes from a “real person” it seems more trustworthy. After all, someone you can identify with, you believe rather than a company advertisement. 

Influencers have the ability to change behaviours and can influence purchase decision making in a given context. These influencers have earned followers and engagement of an audience by producing content on particular topics. Thus connecting a business goal to this particular topic could create a perfect match. This beneficial relationship creates more impact on individuals than just regular advertisements.

Top 3 influencer marketing campaigns:
1. Sprint – with Lele Pons
2. H&M – with Ela Velden
3. Naked Juice – with Kate La Vie

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When you as a company decide to start with influencer marketing, remember the five steps action plan.
1. Define online audience
2. Discover right influencers
3. Monitor influencer opportunities
4. Take action and engage
5. Measure results
From: http://betabait.com/a-framework-for-influencer-marketing/