If today’s brands want to succeed, they have to be in the conversation, and influencers make that happen. The Age of Influence is an essential guide for marketing professionals and business owners who want to create and implement a highly effective and sustainable influencer marketing plan.We are in the midst of an unprecedented digital transformation and tapping into this change is vital to any brand in today’s climate. Social media has democratized authority and influence, and information is created and consumed in ways that are constantly evolving.In The Age of Influence, Neal Schaffer, an internationally recognized social media marketing expert, explains how that shift plays a significant role in online marketing in the Influencer Era. Influencer marketing is about establishing relationships, turning fans into influencers and leveraging that influence to share your message in a more credible and authentic way. This is a handbook for anyone who wants to successfully spread a message in the age of social media.Schaffer teaches entrepreneurs, marketing executives, and cutting-edge agencies how to:Identify, approach, and engage the right influencers for their brand or product.Determine what resources to put behind influencer campaigns.Manage the business side of influencer marketing, including tools that will help measure ROI.Develop their brand’s social media voice to become an influencer in its own right.This book is the definitive guide to addressing the issues disrupting marketing trends, including declining television viewership, growing social media audiences, and increasing usage of ad-blocking technology.