Brand enthusiasts and influencers are some of the most valuable people a company can align itself with. This is because as organic reach on the networks that businesses rely on (read Facebook) continues to decline, these valuable assets can share a brand's messaging without being tied down to the same restrictions as companies. Further, what they say is often seen as more trustworthy than anything a brand can share.
For these reasons, Schaaf-PartnerCentric's new brand influencer outreach service REACH is an interesting one to watch. The U.S.-based affiliate marketing agency provides Web retailers with placements on influencer websites, blogs or social media profiles.
The way it works is rather than reward influencers for the conversion of a sale, REACH tracks and reports engagement metrics like the number of shares or comments for each placement.
"We wanted to offer a service that would facilitate stronger brand engagement and provide merchants with guaranteed placement on popular influencer websites or social media profiles," says Stephanie Harris, CEO of Schaaf-PartnerCentric. "Merchants will benefit not only from targeted exposure, but they can also establish valuable, long-term marketing relationships with true brand enthusiasts," she adds.
It should be noted that REACH can be embraced by any Web retailer, not just Schaaf-PartnerCentric clients.