The Influencer Strategy that Every Marketer Should Steal from Lee Odden

Here’s the thing: we can't deny that there is more content out there than ever before. But I don’t think the challenge this creates for marketers is any more unique than it was 3 years ago or 3 decades ago.

Some say that we are in the midst of the content shock era — but I'm convinced that after the shock wears off, we'll adapt. Because that's what we do to survive, as humans and as marketers.

My definition of “adapting,” revolves around observation, testing and non-stop iteration to find new ways to reach a desired audience and drive business results. And one way to do that involves something I learned from Lee Odden called "participation marketing".

We've all experienced marketing tactics and strategies that were once super effective but then lost their mojo for one reason or another — think banner ads in the mid 90's, or post Y2K, when SEO in the form of keyword-stuffing and black hat tactics was the strategy d'jour for getting your website and blog to dominate in the world of search. Now, though, that kind of one dimensional marketing effort just doesn't cut it. The market is demanding that we think out-of-the-box, and create well-mapped out, comprehensive — "marketing strategies" to make our marketing not only gain the attention of the search engines but more importantly, connect with our target audience through the entire consumer journey. Think marketing chess as opposed to promotional checkers.

And as TopRank Online Marketing CEO Lee Odden says, "if you can’t tell the difference between a simple tactic and a robust strategy, you need some help with your digital marketing". It's become very clear that there is no free lunch.

That's why Participation Marketing is so exciting. It's a little bit beyond the comfort zone of most marketers looking for quick hits. It's the next iteration of Content and Influencer marketing which has been written about in almost every marketing publication in the western hemisphere, and any marketer who hasn't been living under a rock or a management dictatorship has seen it's effectiveness first hand.

The formula is simple:

You + Brand Partner + Influencers + Co-Created Content = Participation to Reach Newly Expanded Audience

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