The Internet has allowed anyone’s opinion to go around the world in a fraction of a second. It is like a loudspeaker that allows the messages that people emit from social networks and media such as blogs or the press, to be broadcasted throughout the globe. Among all this noise that is generated due to the multiple sources from which conversations arise, there are people and organizations that make their voice rise above all else, and their brand and vision is followed by large masses of people. Therefore, whoever achieves this is said to be an opinion leader.
What Is An Opinion Leader?
An opinion leader is a person or organization that has a strong influence with the ability to polarize the vision of segments of the population on a certain issue, and their way of thinking or acting. An opinion leader is someone who builds trust. From his position, he launches messages and these are accepted by groups of people who take them as a reference to act and make decisions. The key opinion leader knows how to unlock actionable insights and strategies to improve the business model using various data sources. With so much data around, not everyone can meet the challenges. Some will fail to focus on how to retrain the different algorithms that exist on various digital platforms, but a good opinion leader will. The RACE Framework is one tool that can be used to accomplish successful results and to keep pace with the changing expectations and needs of the company.
Role Models
Opinion leaders are role models for people and can emerge from many backgrounds. There are opinion models that emerge from the world of sports, television, or the mainstream media, also from the world of culture, such as film or music, where there are even opinion leaders who are confused with the characters they play.
LinkedIn Influencers
There are social networks, such as Linkedin, that have a selection of opinion leaders so that users can follow the referenced characters that best align with similar vision and goals. The affinity that each person finds with the leader will be key to becoming a follower within the social network. For example, on Linkedin you can follow important figures, all of the opinion leaders, such as Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Microsoft, Barack Obama, President of the United States, Guy Kawasaki, an expert in technology, among many others.
How Can An Opinion Leader Help My Business?
Opinion leaders have always existed and many companies have benefited from their ability to convey messages and convince others. Opinion leaders can be used to influence diverse topics, in the areas of business development, communication, and advertising, and even internally, among the company’s own employees. A company can rely on an opinion leader to move a communication campaign and get the people on whom the transmitted message impacts have a vision about the product or service that leads them to make a positive purchase decision or to change their perception of the brand image.
Acting As A Catalyst
The opinion leader can also help the company in developing a business, for example by introducing it to potential investors or potential customers. An opinion leader can “open a door”, acting as a catalyst, being key for a business to be activated. An opinion leader also serves to promote internal projects in companies. For example, when looking to motivate staff, or increase productivity, there are companies that show their employees ways and examples to take as a model, and imitate their best practices. If you are ready to compete on the digital platform, you need to be a key opinion leader like NetBase Quid. If you are not, then they will guide you toward the success of your business, using the right tools to improve your bottom line.
