BANGKOK, THAILAND — In an effort to support strategic, methodical decision-making in influencer selection for campaigns, communications consultancy company Vero launched a proprietary new tool called the TrueVibe Index to help assess, as objectively as possible, the key factors of success of a collaboration between brands and influencers. The TrueVibe Index algorithm allows Vero team members to score the fit between influencers and brands based on measurable criteria.
The index has been designed to gauge the relevance of influencers in the context of the brand’s cultural ecosystem and their unique communications task. Based on a score against six criteria, each with its own unique attributes and considerations, the TrueVibe Index helps to tier influencers based on brand fit.
“TrueVibe is a way for us to figure out which influencers would be the best fit for collaborations,” said Vero Strategic Planning Director Alyssa Rogier. “We wanted to create a tool that helped make influencer selection a data-led process and addressed different aspects that could determine a successful partnership. In developing TrueVibe, we made sure this was in no way a reflection on the quality of an influencer at any given point. It’s about finding influencers that are a good fit for a brief, a specific task, or a relationship with a brand in general.”
Rogier said that TrueVibe helps to ensure influencer selections make the most sense for the campaign scope and help protect against issues in the future related to influencer values.
“TrueVibe means we’re able to be more methodical when selecting influencers,” said Rogier.
Key features
TrueVibe works by asking categorized questions about influencers, resulting in a score of up to 30. Influencers who score 26-30 are considered an Ideal Fit, with Vero looking for alternatives for influencers who score less than 25, and not recommending those who score less than 20. This allows Vero to scientifically analyze each individual case. each individual case.
There are six categories in total. They explore influencer reach, interests, engagement, content quality, authority, and values. There is a focus on qualitative information, in line with the client brief or request.
Why has Vero developed TrueVibe now?
Influencers are part of almost every brief, adding value to brands in many ways. TrueVibe helps Vero to ensure communications recommendations are based upon empirical data and analysis that is qualitative and quantitative. TrueVibe uses data and analytics to understand the industry brands are in, their competitors, and their audiences, to come to an informed strategy and approach.
“We are also seeing more and more concerns around when relationships between brands and influencers are less than an ideal fit,” said Rogier. “TrueVibe is designed to look at all aspects of what determines a successful collaboration, including making sure that values between brand and influencer are aligned, and that past experiences don’t negatively impact future campaigns. If you want to have someone represent your brand, communicate on your behalf, engage with your audience on your behalf, you need to make sure that they’re a good fit, that they represent your brand appropriately.”
Building relationships between influencer and brand
When working with influencers, brands often hand over a lot of responsibility. As an outsider to a brand, influencers are asked to represent brand message through content, as well as engage with potential followers of the brand. Vero champions brands through the power of earned; building authentic and genuine relationships with influencers is a key part of this.
“TrueVibe helps us to make sure we’re pairing the right influencer with the right brand, so that influencers become natural advocates and so that everybody has a great experience working together,” said Rogier.
Looking forward
Influencers don’t seem to be going anywhere. “I think it’s just going to keep growing and evolving. The relationship between influencer and audience is so much closer than brand and audience right now. For audiences, there’s a growing thought that brands aren’t someone audiences can have a relationship with – which is where we come in. We want to help brands connect with and build better relationships with their audiences, leveraging the power of influencers and earned media,” added Rogier.
For influencers, their entire business model is based on building relationships with audiences. Commenting, engaging, listening, adapting. “It’s easier to feel a connection when you can see the person behind the account – when they have a personality and a story that resonates. They somehow speak to you, your interests, and reflect your values. And you’re much more likely to follow an influencer’s recommendation because of this,” said Rogier.
Vero developed TrueVibe to connect influencers with brands, effectively building an authentic relationship with consumers.
