Defining online influence for social media

The Importance of Being Influential

We’ve been contributing to the debate about the role of online influence this week. As part of our ongoing Connect team workshops, we’ve been exploring questions of relevance, metrics and ROI that can be attributed to this holy grail of the social landscape.

Although this debate is not new, the evolving social landscape has heightened the role of influence and influencer for brands and agencies alike. While many are laying claim to owning the winning formula, with no industry standard, influence remains an elusive force.

Central to this debate is: how do you define influence?

The industry is currently wrestling with this question. Recent contributions have been made by the CIPR which has created a panel of specialists to try and quantify influence and the implications for UK business.

The ever excellent Brian Solis is currently conducting a poll to clearly define this area, with the results being published later this month. We’re also waiting for the outcome of the Fast Company’s hotly debated Influence Project which, while being an exercise in popularity more than influence, has helped push the topic up the agenda and brought tiara-wearing Mari Smith to online prominence.

We’re monitoring this debate closely and our next session will cover the role and influence of the peer group vs. wider relationships on influencing action.

What are your thoughts on the importance and role of influencer for social media and marketing?