At the beginning of every year, marketers are scrambling to make sure their strategies are in line with ‘the biggest trends’ of the coming year. And this year is no different. The buzz around influencer marketing is echoing loud and clear - it’s THE it trend of the year.

Before you dive into this guide, let's make a couple assumptions: First, your brand is already using influencer marketing. Second, you're happy with where it's headed and are looking to scale this acquisition channel. That's where an influencer marketing platform enters the picture. 

In an age where marketing is increasingly driven by technology, searching for an influencer platform can be downright overwhelming. But asking questions is crucial to finding the right influencer marketing platform for your brand. The more you learn up front, the easier it will be to make an informed decision.

Are you simply dipping your toe into influencer marketing or are you ready for an influencer management platform to scale your program? Whether you just sent out your first tweet to an influencer you'd like to work with or you're searching for the perfect influencer marketing platform vendor partner, we can agree on one thing: The importance of including influencer marketing in your overall marketing strategy.

When most people think of a social media influencer platform, they assume it involves finding bloggers with massive followings and buying social endorsements from big celebrities. Research shows, however, that it’s more effective to build relationships with the right micro-influencers and invest in an influencer marketing platform that allows for end-to-end campaign management - not just parts and pieces.

So you've got an influencer marketing platform in place and you think your influencer marketing strategy is set to take your brand to the next level. Maybe it’s a campaign with a trending blogger with a very large following; maybe it’s a program with an industry expert going on a international speaking tour next quarter. But are they worth the fee? Will they help your brand speak to your audience in an impactful way? Will they care about your brand as much as you do?