Influencer marketing has become a popular way for brands to reach their target audience and increase their visibility. With the rise of social media, influencers have emerged as powerful marketing tools, with their ability to connect with their followers and promote products and services. However, like any marketing strategy, there are certain dos and don’ts that brands should keep in mind when working with influencers. In this article, we’ll discuss the most important ones.
Dos:
1. Choose the right influencers: When selecting influencers to work with, it’s important to choose those who align with your brand values and target audience. Look for influencers who have a genuine interest in your products or services and whose followers are likely to be interested in them as well.
2. Set clear expectations: Before starting a campaign, make sure you and the influencer are on the same page regarding the goals, deliverables, and timelines. Be clear about what you expect from the influencer and what they can expect from you.
3. Provide creative freedom: Influencers have built their following based on their unique voice and style. Allow them the creative freedom to promote your product in a way that feels authentic to them. This will result in more genuine and engaging content.
4. Track and measure results: Use tracking tools to measure the success of your influencer marketing campaign. This will help you understand what worked and what didn’t, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Don’ts:
1. Be too controlling: While it’s important to set expectations, it’s equally important to allow influencers the freedom to create content that resonates with their audience. Avoid micromanaging their content and let them do what they do best.
2. Overlook disclosure: Influencers are required to disclose any sponsored content, according to the FTC guidelines. Make sure the influencer is aware of this and is following the rules.
3. Ignore authenticity: Influencer marketing is successful because it feels authentic. If an influencer is promoting a product that doesn’t align with their values or feels disingenuous, their followers will notice and the campaign will be less effective.
4. Forget to build relationships: Influencer marketing is not a one-time transaction. Building relationships with influencers can lead to long-term partnerships and more successful campaigns in the future.
Dos:
5. Choose the right platform: Different social media platforms are better suited for different types of content and audiences. For example, Instagram is great for visual content, while Twitter is better for short-form content. Make sure you choose the right platform for your campaign and target audience.
6. Offer incentives: Offering incentives to influencers can help motivate them to create high-quality content and promote your product more effectively. This can include things like free products, exclusive discounts, or even monetary compensation.
7. Collaborate with influencers: Collaborating with influencers can lead to more creative and engaging content. Consider working with influencers on a co-creation basis, where both you and the influencer work together to create content that aligns with your brand and resonates with their audience.
8. Engage with followers: Influencer marketing is not just about promoting your product, but also about engaging with your target audience. Encourage influencers to engage with their followers by responding to comments, hosting Q&A sessions, or even running giveaways.
Don’ts:
5. Choose influencers based solely on their follower count: While it can be tempting to work with influencers who have a large following, it’s important to remember that follower count doesn’t always equate to engagement or influence. Look for influencers who have an engaged and active audience, rather than just a large number of followers.
6. Ignore negative feedback: Influencer marketing can be a double-edged sword. While it can be a great way to reach your target audience, it can also result in negative feedback if not executed properly. If you receive negative feedback, address it promptly and professionally.
7. Use the same influencers repeatedly: While building relationships with influencers is important, it’s equally important to keep your campaigns fresh and engaging. Using the same influencers repeatedly can lead to a lack of authenticity and engagement.
8. Forget to measure ROI: Measuring the return on investment (ROI) of your influencer marketing campaign is essential to understanding its success. Make sure you track metrics like engagement, reach, and conversions to determine the ROI of your campaign.
Dos:
9. Use micro-influencers: Micro-influencers are influencers with smaller followings (typically between 1,000 and 100,000 followers) who have a highly engaged audience. Working with micro-influencers can be a cost-effective way to reach a targeted audience and generate more authentic content.
10. Create a long-term strategy: Influencer marketing should be part of a larger, long-term marketing strategy. Consider working with influencers on an ongoing basis to build relationships and create more impactful campaigns over time.
11. Use data to inform your strategy: Use data to inform your influencer marketing strategy. This can include data on your target audience, the performance of past campaigns, and the effectiveness of different types of content.
12. Be transparent: Transparency is key when it comes to influencer marketing. Make sure that influencers disclose sponsored content and that your brand is transparent about its relationship with the influencer.
Don’ts:
9. Use influencers who don’t align with your brand values: It’s important to choose influencers who align with your brand values and messaging. Working with influencers who don’t align with your brand can result in a lack of authenticity and engagement.
10. Ignore your target audience: When selecting influencers and creating content, it’s important to keep your target audience in mind. Make sure that the influencers you work with and the content you create resonates with your target audience.
11. Use generic content: Generic content can be a turn-off for followers and result in a lack of engagement. Make sure that the content you create with influencers is unique, creative, and authentic.
12. Be too sales-focused: While the goal of influencer marketing is to promote your product, it’s important to strike a balance between promotion and engagement. Avoid being too sales-focused and focus on creating content that is informative, entertaining, and engaging.
Dos:
13. Use user-generated content: User-generated content (UGC) is content created by your customers or followers. Incorporating UGC into your influencer marketing campaigns can help build trust with your audience and create more authentic content.
14. Leverage video content: Video content is becoming increasingly popular on social media platforms. Consider working with influencers to create video content that showcases your product or service in a creative and engaging way.
15. Experiment with different types of content: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of content, such as Instagram Reels, TikTok videos, or Twitter threads. Different types of content can resonate with different audiences and help you reach a wider audience.
16. Be flexible: Influencer marketing can be unpredictable, and things don’t always go according to plan. Be flexible and willing to adapt your strategy as needed to ensure that your campaign is successful.
Don’ts:
13. Be too promotional: While the goal of influencer marketing is to promote your product or service, it’s important to avoid being too promotional. Focus on creating content that is informative, entertaining, and engaging, rather than just promoting your product.
14. Ignore the importance of visuals: Visuals are a key component of influencer marketing. Make sure that the visuals used in your campaigns are high-quality and visually appealing.
15. Forget to engage with the influencer: Engaging with the influencer throughout the campaign can help build a stronger relationship and ensure that the content created is aligned with your brand values and messaging.
16. Use influencers who don’t have a genuine connection to your brand: Working with influencers who don’t have a genuine connection to your brand can result in content that feels forced or inauthentic. Make sure that the influencers you work with have a genuine interest in your product or service.
To summarize, influencer marketing can be a valuable tool for brands to reach their target audience and increase their visibility. By following these additional dos and don’ts, brands can ensure that their influencer marketing campaigns are successful, authentic, and impactful.
