Identify Influencers using the TAAW

Using the TAAW to Identify Influencers: Workflow

These steps should be used to create an OML (Order of Merit List) of influencers for Influence. If the intention is to provide strawman profiles on what influencers should be without specific names and comparisons, follow Steps 1-3. When creating an OML of influencers, Steps 4-5 should be repeated as necessary to identify suitable candidates.

The goal of these influencers should be to be influential to the target audience. If this linkage isn't there, then the influencer can not be fully assessed.

Step 1: Assess Audience Influence Sources

• TAAW Sections: Step 5 (Determine Susceptibility) and Step 6 (Determine Accessibility)

• Questions:

  • Who does the target audience (TA) already listen to or follow for information?
  • What existing organizations, key communicators, or influential figures currently influence them?
  • How does the TA engage with these figures or organizations, and what topics are most influential?

• Outcome: Identify existing influencers and organizations that the TA trusts and engages with. This insight helps define credibility standards and engagement styles for creating a strawman influencer profile.

Step 2: Define the Target Audience (TA)

• TAAW Sections: Step 1 (Identify and Refine Target Audiences) and Step 3 (Identify Conditions)

• Questions:

  • What is the demographic profile (age, gender, location, socioeconomic status)?
  • What platforms does the TA use most for information and engagement?
  • What motivates the TA and drives their behavior?

• Outcome: Clearly understand the primary TA's demographic profile, platform preferences, and motivators. This data will help refine the influencer criteria to align with their needs.

Step 3: Identify Influencer Traits

• TAAW Sections: Step 2 (Determine Achievability), Step 3 (Identify Conditions), and Step 5 (Determine Susceptibility)

• Process:

  • Determine TA's Preferred Communication Style:
    • Analyze which tone, language, or visual style is most effective among the TA.
    • Review previous successful campaigns to understand effective messaging.
  • Examine Influencer Behavioral Styles:
    • Identify behavioral patterns such as humor, empathy, and authority that resonate well with the TA.
  • Assess Expertise and Credibility Factors:
    • Determine what authority or expertise the TA values, such as academic qualifications or professional experience.
    • Check past public interactions for evidence of authenticity and reliability.
  • Assess Influencers' Willingness to Partner with Advertisers:
    • Determine past advertisement campaigns that influencers participated in.

• Questions:

  • What linguistic, cultural, or behavioral styles does the TA resonate with?
  • What tone or content style does the TA respond to positively?
  • What expertise, authority, or credibility do they trust in communicators?

• Outcome: Create a strawman profile of an ideal influencer, detailing the characteristics, communication styles, and values that will resonate with the TA. Emphasize traits like credibility, tone, and platform suitability.

Step 4: Search and List Potential Influencers

• TAAW Sections: Step 6 (Determine Accessibility)

• Process:

  • Find Prominent Public Figures and Micro-Influencers:
    • Utilize social media listening tools or marketing analytics to identify figures with a significant following among the TA.
    • Consider mainstream celebrities and niche community influencers.
  • Assess Engagement Metrics:
    • Measure followers, likes, comments, shares, and mentions across platforms relevant to the TA.
    • Check the consistency and positivity of engagement to determine active participation.
  • Use External Data Sources:
    • Employ third-party data sources or marketing agencies specializing in influencer research.
    • Utilize influencer databases that provide filters for location, niche, and engagement rates.

• Questions:

  • Who are the prominent public figures or micro-influencers within the TA's networks?
  • What engagement rates do these influencers have on relevant platforms?
  • Are there third-party analytics tools or data sources available to identify niche influencers?

• Outcome: Generate a preliminary list of influencers based on follower count, engagement rates, and platform suitability. This provides a starting point for further evaluation.

Step 5: Evaluate Criteria Fit

• TAAW Sections: Step 4 (Identify Vulnerabilities) and Step 7 (Develop Arguments and Recommend Psychological Actions)

• Questions:

  • Does the influencer have a substantial and active following among the TA?
  • Is their content aligned with the TA's interests, values, and cultural context?
  • Does the TA perceive the influencer as credible and trustworthy?

• Outcome: Refine the list to those influencers whose messaging aligns with the TA's vulnerabilities, interests, and cultural context while maintaining credibility and high engagement.

Step 6: Score and Rank Influencers

• TAAW Sections: Step 7 (Develop Arguments and Recommend Psychological Actions)

• Questions:

  • What is the engagement rate and follower count on each platform?
  • How consistent is the influencer's messaging with desired behavior change?
  • Does their content align with the TA's linguistic and cultural preferences?

• Outcome: Develop a scoring matrix to rank influencers based on engagement, messaging alignment, and cultural suitability. The scoring will prioritize those who align with campaign objectives.

Step 7: Provide Influencer OML

Example Influencer Comparison Table:

Weights are judgments based on the mission, the area, and the TA. These can be done with any weighing concept, including linear (1, 2, 3), logarithmic (1, 3, 5), or decimals (.3, .5, .02).

Example below uses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. A larger number means more significance. This should be analyzed per each country or TAAW and adjusted as needed.

Criteria	Weight	Smith	Rahman	Garcia	Lee	Haddad
Reach of TA	5	9 (1.2M)	6 (500K)	8 (750K)	5 (300K)	7 (900K)
Engagement Rate	1	8 (6.5%)	5 (3.9%)	6 (4.3%)	7 (5.1%)	9 (8.2%)
Preferred Platforms	0.1	9 (IG, TikTok)	7 (Twitter, LI)	8 (YT, IG)	6 (FB, IG)	9 (TikTok, IG)
Content Style	0.1	8 (Workout)	8 (Tech)	7 (Vlogs)	8 (Food)	9 (Travel)
Frequency	0.1	10 (Daily)	6 (Bi-weekly)	7 (Weekly)	10 (Daily)	10 (Daily)
Tone	0.05	9 (Motivational)	7 (Analytical)	8 (Friendly)	7 (Honest)	8 (Adventurous)
Expertise	0.1	10 (Certified)	9 (Consultant)	7 (Beauty)	10 (Culinary)	8 (Travel)
Trustworthiness	0.1	10 (High)	9 (High)	7 (Moderate)	10 (High)	8 (Moderate)
TA Alignment	0.05	9 (Fitness)	8 (Tech)	7 (Youth)	9 (Food)	9 (Adventure)
Cultural Suitability	0.05	9 (High)	7 (Moderate)	7 (Moderate)	9 (High)	9 (High)
Overall Score	1.0	8.9	7.2	7.0	8.2	8.3

Factors Considered

Relevance to Target Audience: Must have a substantial and active following among the target audience. Their content should resonate and align with the interests, values, and cultural context of the audience.

Credibility and Trust: Should be seen as trustworthy and authoritative. Their message should carry weight due to perceived expertise, authenticity, or reliability.

Alignment with Desired Behavior: The influencer's existing behavior, messaging, and personal brand should align with the objectives and desired behavior changes.

Reach and Engagement: Should possess a significant number of followers (or targeted reach within a niche). Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares) should be high, indicating active participation from their audience.

Consistency: Must regularly produce content that supports the desired objectives. Their messaging should remain consistent and not contradict the intended objectives.

Platform Suitability: Their primary social media platform should match the one most used by the target audience.

Potential Partnerships: Willingness to produce their own ads. Past partnerships or collaborations can indicate flexibility and openness.

References

• Ware III, Charles M., and Aaron Siebenaller. "IDENTIFYING INFLUENCERS FOR PSYOP." NPS, 2021.
• Wingate, Alexander R., Kyle M. Gerik, and John A. Benson. "ANALYZING KEY COMMUNICATORS." NPS, 2022.