The Dos and Don’ts of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is currently taking the world by storm with the likes of Zoella and her army of loyal fans having the ability to make or break a brand with just a handful of words.

Many brands have quickly recognised the merits of harnessing this new found power of influencers such as bloggers and vloggers to their advantage. However, the world of influencer marketing can be a battlefield so we’ve put together our top Dos and Don’ts so you don’t get stung out there.

 

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Do have a clear goal and objective

Sending a blanket email to everyone that has a blog is not only time consuming but will not give you the results you need. Instead you need a targeted approach and a clear strategy. Do your research to find out which influencers you would like to build a relationship with.

Do treat each influencer as an individual

Copy and paste emails are a big no-no. Try and find a way to discover each influencer’s interests and what really makes them tick so that you can connect with them on an individual level. Do your research and find out their interests so you can send a personalised message to each one.

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Do build a strong relationship with each influencer

This is probably the most important tip. It is so, so important to build a relationship with your influencer before asking them for help. After all, if they don’t know you or your brand and you’ve not taken the time to get to know them, why should they help you? Avoid cold call emails but instead introduce yourself to the influencer weeks in advance of the campaign. This can be done by either sending an email introducing yourself or a quick tweet to say hello. After you’ve built that relationship and your new influencer pal has done your bidding, remember to not let that relationship lapse. Keep an active interest in them and maintain that relationship by checking in on them regularly.

Do know your stuff

Make sure you know your brand inside out and give your influencers all the tools and info they might need to get your message out there. Having to keep going back to your influencer to give them more info about your brand is unprofessional and could make you and your brand look bad. Instead, give them in-depth information about the brand to make it as easy as possible for them to help you. In short, help them, to help you.

When it comes to knowing your stuff, it’s also important to know the current disclosure requirements. The law surrounding sponsored content is ever-changing so make sure you’re clued up on the current changes to make sure your influencer doesn’t get in trouble for helping your brand and to avoid broken relationships. Tell your influencer what they will need to include in their post to make sure they comply.

Don't be shy with those freebies

Asking an influencer to write a review without giving them the product or tools they need to review it will obviously not work. Influencers have a duty to tell their audience the truth and they can only do this by doing honest reviews. Give them as many products, samples and freebies as they need for them to make an informed decision of their own.

Don't dictate how an influencer should get your message out there

Let influencers be themselves as they will know their audience better than anyone. Dictating how they should carry out their job could scare them off. Instead feel free to give them information or a few suggestions to get those creative cogs turning but allow them to talk about your brand in their own personal tone, style and voice. If it looks like they are just being told what to say, their audience will know and they could well lose followers. Trust them to do their job.

Don't be needy and expect too much

Remember influencers are first and foremost, people. People who often have a life outside blogging/vlogging. Asking for an influencer to jump through a metaphorical obstacle course of hoops and loops will chase them away. In a similar way, giving your influencer an unattainable deadline will have the same effect. Instead, make it as easy as possible for them to carry out your request. Also recognise that influencers will not always be able to carry out your request due to work schedules or other personal activities. This does not mean you need to cast them out altogether but rather be sure to keep on working on building and maintaining that relationship as it could lead to another opportunity in the future to work together.

These are just a few tips to get you on the road to influencer marketing success. The main thing is to be authentic and build strong relationships and you’ll be well on your way.

If you think your brand could benefit from harnessing the power of great influencer marketing, why not get in touch with our team.