How do you start working with influencers?
Influencer marketing is practically an inseparable part of modern advertising. Somewhat older marketing traditions, practised for years, are coming back to us once again in a new, modified form – this time set in virtual space.
The secrets of advertising collaborations involving particular people (often celebrities) were appreciated long ago. Today, influencer marketing is gaining ever greater importance online, putting the person at the very centre – it is on them that the message, credibility and effectiveness of the advertising depend. They are given creative freedom and a “free hand” in how they communicate, but at the same time they take on enormous pressure and responsibility. Is it easy to start an advertising collaboration with a professional influencer? How do you work with an influencer? How do you choose the right influencer? How do you even start working with influencers?
The right tactics or just luck?
Globally speaking, the value of influencers is only rising – as is the importance of influencer marketing as a whole. The “shape” of an influencer is highly malleable. The field has no rigid, systematised or concrete framework or guidelines; it comes down only to a set of traits that favour success in the profession.
Every influencer is different, but built into the profile of this profession is, above all, the need to create a space full of credibility and naturalness. Audiences following their idols on social media are highly sensitive to contradictions in what gets published. An influencer’s image must be consistent, and the products they recommend must not be at odds with the views they represent – for example, someone who is vegetarian will not advertise meat products.
An influencer should always take deliberate steps. Their communication strategy should be well thought out and aim to meet specific goals. That is exactly why, at the outset, you need to consider the requirements for a mutual advertising collaboration. Once you have settled on the right influencer – a potential advertising creator aligned with the brand’s values – you need to verify whether they would be able to meet the expectations set out.
Influencer marketing – a tool, not an oracle
The most serious part of a collaboration is starting it! Choosing an influencer does not always turn out to be simple, and mechanisms and templates – whether worked out yourself or picked up somewhere – never give you a one-hundred-per-cent guarantee of success.
There are various ways to go about selecting the right creator. Choosing a popular leader of online content may, though it need not, be the best solution. Even the most famous influencer will not deliver satisfying results if they do not fit the company’s image.
When making the decision, don’t be guided by the number of followers an influencer’s profile has, but by the number of views the content they publish gets. The quality of the followers counts too – the online community’s reactions are one of the most important criteria. Subscriptions and followers show popularity, but it is follower engagement – comments, likes and other forms of response to the creator’s content – that is the most valuable.
What does working with a creator look like?
Once you have decided on an advertising collaboration with a specific influencer, you should prepare a written proposal setting out the scope of work. The offer should include the details of the brand–influencer relationship. The document should cover deadlines, the number and format of posts, the method and amount of payment, a mention of profile statistics, and reporting on the progress of the activities.
A collaboration can take different forms – it all depends on the goals set at the outset. The timeframe of the influencer’s services for the brand may cover a one-off advertising campaign showcasing a product and its benefits, or a longer period of representing products online – an ambassador programme. The second form of collaboration creates a stronger bond between the brand and the influencer.
Always bear in mind that advertising must not be pushy. This is especially important for long-term advertising activity. “Bombarding” audiences with content can damage the brand’s reputation and have the opposite of the intended effect.
Folks – specialists in “faces”
As an influencer marketing agency, we work with influencers and business owners every day. We base these collaborations on a variety of terms, shaped in response to the needs and requests of both sides. We take care not only of the quality of the content and advertising activity, but of the quality of the entire collaboration. Our creator database keeps growing, and every influencer in it goes through detailed vetting first. We know how complex brand promotion can be, which is exactly why we belong to a group of experienced specialists across different areas of marketing – the Good One group. You can be sure that we are open to a wide range of activities and will take comprehensive care of your company.
