The Rise of the Social Influencer: What Your Business Can Learn from Kylie Jenner

No matter what your feelings are about the Kardashian-Jenner clan, one thing is undeniable: their influence. While I am not a huge fan of the family, I am continuously impressed and in awe of their ability to capitalize on their popularity. Kim Kardashian rose to fame in 2007 and has managed to remain in the spotlight over a decade later. Even more impressive than Kim Kardashian’s reign is the amount of power that her little sister, Kylie Jenner, has. Kylie’s cosmetics line has earned her nearly half a billion dollars and is projected to reach 1 billion in revenue by 2022.

           Yesterday, Kylie tweeted about how she no longer uses the Snapchat app, which caused the Snapchat stock to plummet considerably. The amount of sway that 20-year old Kylie has is remarkable. How can companies best utilize the power and clout that social influencers have?

1.    While it is every company’s dream to have someone with Kylie’s influence on their roster, there are so many influencers in every genre-it’s just a matter of finding them. You can use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to find influencers in your industry. Instagram is probably the most user-friendly when it comes to sourcing influencers in your genre. Websites like Social Bluebook allow companies to see what they should be paying influencers. It’s also important to look at the engagement that an influencer has. Because it’s so easy to purchase followers in order appear as if you have influence, being able to view engagement is essential. Fake followers do not engage, so they’re easy to spot on an account like Instagram or YouTube.

2.    Once you have identified who some key influencers in your market are, rates should be negotiated and a clear understanding of what the company goals are must be identified. There should be quantifiable measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the influencer. Do you want to increase brand awareness? Influencers are great for that, but how are you quantifying brand awareness? If it is through the number of likes, comments, friends, subscribers, and followers that your company gains, this is easy to assess. Making sure that the company goals are quantifiable is a vital component for influencer effectiveness.

3.    Do not fall for the misconception that influencer marketing is only for younger audiences. Every industry has thought-leaders and influencers who can sway public opinion. Finding those influencers may be a bit challenging in some industries, but it is not impossible. The power of social influence cannot be overstated. You do not have to be a millennial or a generation Z-er to be persuaded.

4.    Be aware of what the thought-leaders in your industry are doing. Another way of saying this is making sure you have an “ear to the streets” meaning that you are abreast of what is going on in your industry. If for example, Snapchat is the primary vehicle for which you market your product, you may want to reassess whether to continue this practice after Kylie’s tweet, especially if your product is geared toward millennials. It is so imperative to be aware of what’s going on in your industry. Charles Darwin famously said “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” Companies must adopt this mindset and be malleable when it comes to change.

 Now more than ever, our society is obsessed with celebrity culture. Social media has made it so that anyone can become an influencer. This is one of the best times to use this influencer-driven culture to help expand your business. Take Kylie Jenner as a cautionary or inspirational tale of how one tweet from an influencer can catapult your business into unexpected territory.