The Do’s and Don’ts of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is taking the world by storm. Now more than ever, influencers have become the face of today’s most successful campaigns and brands. With their creativity and knowledge of the social media space, they have become an asset and are important to look out for.

Do you think you’re ready to utilize influencer marketing? Where are you looking to start? Since the concept of influencer marketing is relatively new, the experts at Find Your Influence have compiled a list of the important dos and don’ts to be mindful of when executing influencer marketing campaigns.

Keep These in Mind to Execute Successful Influencer Marketing Campaigns

1. Research influencers who are the best fit for the campaign. When first beginning an influencer campaign, it is important to do ample research on any influencer who could be a fit. Many influencers have a niche industry they focus their content on, whether it be fashion, beauty, science, or food & beverage. This could give the brand a good idea of who would partner well with the campaign based on the product or brand the campaign is for. For influencers who don’t have a niche, research could be done to see who they have worked with in the past, what type of audience they attract, and their values to see if they would be a good fit.
2. Be candid about the goals and expectations of the campaign. Once you find an influencer or influencers to work with, the brand should be upfront about what they want to accomplish from this campaign. In addition, influencers should share their goals when it comes to working with a brand. These open lines of communication will make working together a smooth process, and with clear goals established, the brand and the influencer can take the campaign in a direction that is desirable for both.
3. Appoint only one person to communicate with the influencer. Emails could be hard to manage when creating a campaign. Appointing one person from the brand to be the point of contact with the influencer is an easy way to avoid overflowing inboxes. This also avoids any confusion and miscommunication that could occur among the various people working on the campaign. This person can answer any questions, provide clarity, and be a helpful resource for the brand and the influencer.
4. Approach negotiations at a realistic angle. Keep in mind that influencers expect to be paid an appropriate amount of money for their time and the content they create. When doing research, take into consideration the various elements that go into an influencer’s rate and make sure negotiations are a fit for both parties. Remember that negotiations should not be changed throughout the process of creating a campaign, so make sure all parties involved are satisfied with the negotiated rate before heading to work. Influencers expect to receive a contract that holds both parties accountable to the terms.
5. Be mindful of time and effort. There are multiple people involved in creating influencer marketing campaigns aside from the agency, the brand and the influencer. Production companies are often hired to tackle the logistics of producing a campaign. Be conscious of the time and effort that goes into them and stick to plans as previously agreed upon. In addition, acknowledge the efforts made by everyone and have a positive attitude when working with everyone involved.
6. Don’t exclude micro influencers and nano influencers. Micro influencers and nano influencers have high engagement rates on their social media posts. Just because they have smaller audiences doesn’t mean they won’t be an asset to the next campaign. High engagement rates, relevance, and authenticity are most important when creating an influencer marketing campaign. Therefore, having micro influencers and nano influencers in campaigns is a great way for their audiences to get a real feel for the brand.
7. Don’t change plans last minute. As mentioned earlier, there is a lot of time and effort by multiple people into creating a campaign. Changing plans will disrupt the flow, delay the timing of release, and frustrate all the parties involved. Be sure to create a concrete plan before going forward with the production, and make sure everyone is in agreement with all ideas accounted for.
8. Don’t treat the influencer as an unpaid brand ambassador. Influencers build a career around making their content. They are not brand ambassadors, who will simply review and support products and services in exchange to keep them. Influencers expect proper payment for the hard work they do for campaigns. Remember to treat influencers as you would any valued partner and treat them with professionalism and respect.
9. Don’t be fooled by fake followers and engagement. Followers are easily accessible to buy on the Internet, and people like to take full advantage of it to seem more popular online. Be sure to research influencers thoroughly before reaching out to work with them. Also, make sure they are reliable and credible people to work with, and look into some other campaigns or brand work they have done in the past
10. Don’t be disorganized when managing influencer campaigns. There are a lot of moving pieces to an influencer marketing campaign, and it could be easy to lose track of different documents, emails, etc. The Find Your Influence platform is the industry’s first all-in-one influencer marketing solution that allows brands and influencers insight into metrics, track performance, launch campaigns, and report results.

Influencer marketing doesn’t have to be a headache. Considering the do’s and don’ts of influencer marketing  will allow both brands and influencers to work together to build a successful campaign. To simplify the process even further, contact Find Your Influence and request a demo today.

Freelance contribution especially written for Find Your Influence by Jordan Landsman.