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Types of Influencers
Academics and marketers have been talking about influencers for more than five decades, going back at least to 1955 when Paul Lazarsfeld and Elihu Katz wrote about a “two-step” communication process in their landmark work, Personal Influence (Free Press). Their concept, which has stood the test of time, is that some people have a disproportionate degree of influence on others and can be effective communications channels.
Like word of mouth marketing itself, influencer targeting can come in many forms -- differences in who they are, how they are reached, and what they are called. While it would probably be impossible to inventory every conceivable type or name, what follows is a framework that demonstrates the diversity of targeting options for influencer marketing. Whether aiming at the highest ranking, formal, or institutional leaders, prominent talking heads in the media, grassroots influencers on the internet, or influencers in your neighborhood, all types of influencers can provide the basis for an influencer marketing strategy.
In the table below, we identify five broad categories of influencers based on varying degrees of formal/institutional roles to less formal influencers whose value stems from more personal characteristics -- social networking, personality, and inclination to share opinions. Numerous researchers and marketers have developed names -- some trademarked -- for the various influencer types.
| Category |
Who they are |
Channels of Influence |
What they are called (Partial list) |
| Formal position of authority |
Political/government leaders/staff Business leaders |
Laws & regulations
Decision & spending authority
Top-down directives
|
Opinion Leaders
Decision makers
C-suite
|
Institutional/recognized
subject matter experts & advocates |
Academics/scientists
Industry analysts
NGO leaders
Consumer activists |
Academic journals
Traditional media
New media
Social media |
Experts
Mavens
Analysts
Critics
|
| Media elite |
Journalists
Commentators
Talk show hosts |
Traditional media
New media
Social media |
Talking heads
Columnists
Politicos
|
| Cultural elite |
Celebrities
Designers
Artists
Musicians |
Traditional media
New media
New styles/products
Social media |
Trendsetters
Fashionistas
Taste makers
Creators
Starters
|
| Socially connected |
Neighborhood leaders
Members of community groups Online networkers
Business networkers |
Personal relationships
Email lists
Social gatherings
Social networking websites
Social media
|
Mavens
Starters
Connectors
Soccer moms
Spreaders
Hubs
Alphas
|
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