In today’s social-media driven world, influencer marketing has become the go-to strategy for brands wanting to make a big splash online. For many seeing influencers online is like having a friend recommend a great product for you try– you trust their opinion and feel more connected to the brand.
But let’s be real, sometimes working with influencers can be an absolute nightmare! If you don’t know what you’re getting into, things can go sideways really fast so knowing the potential pitfalls and learning how to handle them can make all the difference in turning an influencer partnership into a resounding success story.
So, why should you consider influencer marketing we hear you ask? Well influencer marketing can help to…
Build authenticity and trust for your brand: Influencers have built trust with their followers, making their endorsements more credible to your key audience than traditional forms of advertising.
Boost reach and engagement: Influencers often have large and highly engaged audiences and can provide you with extensive reach and higher engagement rates.
Provide you with targeted marketing to your key audience: Brands can select influencers whose audience aligns with their target demographic, ensuring more relevant exposure.
Deliver amazing content for your brand: Influencers are skilled content creators and can produce high-quality content for your brand which can help to enhance its image.
Despite the perks that influencers can offer, we recently had a first-hand experience of how things can go off track when working with influencers which we wanted to share with you…
We brought on an influencer to showcase a client’s service, but we weren’t prepared for the hurdles that came with it. The influencer was highly demanding, requiring almost daily calls and updates for reassurance about the partnership.
Additionally, our client was new to influencer partnerships, so we were guiding them through the entire contract process from scratch, and understandably they were cautious.
After weeks of back-and-forth discussions, the contracts were finally signed, and we thought everything was set… but we were wrong! The influencer changed their date for arriving which threw our plan for content creation into a bit of chaos!
After a flurry of emails and adjustments with the influencer and client, we managed to get everything back on track. And in the end, the partnership went ahead smoothly, and we created some fantastic content together.
We’ve come out of this experience with valuable lessons on the realities of working with influencers, which we want to share with you.
We learned that working with influencers can come with its own set of challenges. Their unpredictable schedules make coordinating timelines difficult, and some influencers require a lot of handholding, which can be both time-consuming for you and your PR team. And without a clear contract, expectations can become misaligned, leading to potential misunderstandings and disputes between you, the client and the influencer.
To mitigate these challenges, here’s what we’ve learned to help you to better manage your relationships with influencers in the future:
Make sure you set clear expectations: From the outset, establish clear guidelines regarding deliverables, timelines, and compensation from the influencer and the client and ensure both parties understand and agree to these terms.
Make sure you pick the right influencer: Choose influencers whose values and audience align with your brand. Do some research to ensure they are a good fit for your brand and have a professional approach.
Develop a solid contract: Create a detailed contract outlining all aspects of the partnership, including content requirements, posting schedules, and payment terms. This can prevent any misunderstandings in the future and provide a reference point if issues arise later.
Make sure you keep an open line of communication: Regular and transparent communication can help manage expectations for the influencer and help you to address any issues promptly. But make sure you establish boundaries with the influencers so you can avoid excessive demands on your time.
Monitor and measure their performance: After they’ve posted, make sure you track the success of the influencer’s posts using analytics software. This data can help you assess the return on investment and make informed decisions about which influencers you want to partner with in the future.
Be prepared to be flexible: Working with influencers can be unpredictable. While it’s important to have a plan, being flexible and adaptable can help you navigate unexpected changes smoothly.
Working with influencers can be a highly effective marketing strategy for brands who are looking to enhance their reach and engagement to their key audience, but it comes with its own set of challenges. By setting clear expectations, choosing the right influencers, developing solid contracts, maintaining open communication, monitoring performance, and being flexible, you can better manage your relationships with influencers and reap the benefits of this fantastic marketing approach.
Just check out our award-winning influencer campaign for Helly Hansen, On the Horizon, to see how it can be a win-win for all involved – click here
By learning from both the successes and challenges influencers bring, you can navigate the complexities of influencer marketing and create impactful, authentic connections with your audience. Contact us to discuss making the most out of influencers for your brand!