060 How to Build Real Relationships with Influencers on Facebook

Building real relationships with influencers on Facebook is more than just liking their posts or leaving the occasional comment. It’s about genuine interaction, offering value, and building a rapport that leads to long-term partnerships. Whether you’re looking to collaborate or just want to connect with influencers in your niche, the key is to approach these relationships authentically.

In this post, we’ll explore how to build real, lasting relationships with influencers on Facebook without coming off as transactional or overly eager.

1. Engage Authentically with Their Content

The first step in building relationships with influencers is to consistently engage with their content. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to do this. Simply leaving generic comments like “Great post!” or “Love this!” won’t make you stand out. Influencers receive hundreds of these comments daily. To grab their attention, focus on thoughtful, meaningful interactions.

Leave Insightful Comments: Share your genuine thoughts on their posts. Mention something specific about their content that resonates with you or add to the discussion in a way that shows you’re engaged.
Be Consistent: Engage regularly, but don’t overdo it. You don’t need to comment on every post, but staying active over time helps keep you on their radar.
Share Their Content: One great way to build rapport is by sharing their content with your own audience. When you do, make sure to tag the influencer and mention why their content is valuable.

2. Offer Value First

If you want to build a relationship with an influencer, you need to offer value before asking for anything in return. This doesn’t mean offering something tangible—it can be as simple as helping them promote a project, offering your expertise, or even introducing them to people in your network.

Support Their Projects: Whether they’re launching a product, running a campaign, or promoting a cause, show your support by sharing their initiatives and encouraging others to check it out.
Provide Helpful Feedback: If you have knowledge or expertise that could be useful, share it. For example, if they’re working on a new project and ask for feedback, offer thoughtful, constructive input.
Highlight Their Achievements: Recognizing and celebrating an influencer’s successes goes a long way. Whether it’s a shout-out in your content or sharing their milestone post, this shows that you’re genuinely invested in their success.

3. Build Relationships Before Asking for Collaborations

One of the biggest mistakes people make is reaching out to influencers with a collaboration request right away. Influencers get bombarded with requests, so you need to stand out by first building a genuine connection. When the time comes for collaboration, it should feel like a natural next step, not an out-of-the-blue request.

Start Small: Begin with casual interactions, such as commenting on their posts, sending a friendly message, or engaging with their content regularly. Once a relationship is established, you’ll have a better sense of when (or if) collaboration makes sense.
Let It Happen Naturally: Don’t force the relationship. If the influencer is engaging with your content or taking notice of your support, that’s a good sign that a genuine connection is forming. Let the relationship develop over time.

4. Be Honest and Transparent

Authenticity is key when building relationships with influencers. Be upfront about your intentions, whether it’s to learn from them, collaborate, or simply connect. Influencers appreciate honesty and are more likely to engage with you if they feel you’re being transparent.

Avoid Hidden Agendas: Don’t reach out under the guise of friendship only to quickly pivot to a sales pitch or collaboration request. Be clear about what you’re hoping to achieve, but don’t push your agenda too soon.
Be Yourself: Don’t try to be someone you’re not to impress an influencer. Show your personality and let the relationship build organically.

5. Don’t Take It Personally

Not every influencer will respond or engage with you, and that’s okay. Influencers are often busy managing their own content, collaborations, and followers. If you don’t get an immediate response or they don’t engage back, don’t take it personally. Keep supporting them, but don’t overextend yourself trying to win them over.

Stay Persistent (but Polite): Keep engaging with influencers you admire, but avoid spamming or overloading them with messages or comments.
Move On When Necessary: If an influencer doesn’t engage back after a while, it’s okay to focus your efforts elsewhere. There are plenty of influencers who would appreciate your engagement and support.

6. Leverage Facebook Groups

Facebook groups are a great way to connect with influencers in your niche. By participating in groups where influencers are active, you can engage in discussions, share your insights, and build relationships in a more natural, communal setting.

Join Relevant Groups: Look for Facebook groups related to your industry or niche. Many influencers are active in these groups, sharing their content and insights.
Participate in Discussions: Engage in group conversations where influencers are participating. Share your own thoughts and ideas to contribute to the community without being self-promotional.
Offer Help Where You Can: If an influencer or other group member asks for advice or feedback, offer your help. This builds goodwill and positions you as someone who adds value to the community.

7. Build a Community of Your Own

Another great way to connect with influencers is by building your own community. When you have a thriving audience, you’ll naturally become more visible to influencers, who may want to collaborate with you in the future.

Create Engaging Content: Focus on creating content that resonates with your audience. When you build a community around your content, you increase your chances of connecting with influencers who share similar interests.
Host Events or Collaborations: Consider hosting events like live Q&A sessions or webinars and invite influencers to participate. This provides a platform for collaboration and helps build real connections.

Final Thoughts: Building Relationships Takes Time

Building real relationships with influencers on Facebook isn’t about quick wins—it’s about creating long-term connections based on mutual respect and shared value. Be genuine, offer support, and take the time to engage with their content and community. Over time, these relationships will grow naturally, opening doors for collaboration and partnerships.