Perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of social media is the anomaly of influencer endorsements.

The average, individual content share nets a few dozen impressions on an average day, a few hundred on a good day, etc. But influencers (thought leaders, subject matter experts, celebrities, etc.) have input that matters more on social media platforms than that of everyday peons. And their sharing of your content could net a reach totaling in the millions.

So what happens, really, when you get an influencer endorsement?

When Craig Newmark from Craigslist was kind enough to Tweet out my website (replete with resume), I had another window into the analytics of “influencer” endorsements. Overnight, the page received 320 views; more than 7 times the daily average.

And when Steve Case ReTweeted a Tweet, it netted over 5 million impressions.

Not bad. This is why people pay celebrities for social media endorsements. But how can us mere mortals harness this knowledge? For businesses, it should be a clear endorsement of advocacy programs.

Because CEOs. and serial entrepreneurs aren’t the only influencers out there. Each sector has its own white whales, and the more niche they are, the easier they typically are to reach.

***

Want to take advantage of your own influencer interactions? Here’s a few tips:

1. Always take screenshots or captures when someone truly awesome shares your content. Social feeds are always moving, and this is gold when it comes to demonstrating ROI.
2. Make a note after the influencer interaction and schedule a special analytics delve a month out. Look at the reach that comes from influencer interaction – it’ll make for a great pairing with the screenshot.
3. Kick the influencer a very public, earnest thank you. They didn’t have to share your content, and it’ll help develop the relationship. It could pave the way for future discussions.