The 10 Do’s and Dont’s of influencer marketing | by Saarakshi Tiwari | Oct, 2023

Influencer marketing is now at 13.8 billion dollars on an overall bar chart around the world, making it clearly evident that brands are turning to influencers. Even though there are numerous misinterpretations on how to launch an influencer marketing campaign effectively and efficiently .

So, now here we are to help you excel at influencer marketing and maximise the ROI of this incredibly massive and hyped up tactic, we’ve put together these ten do’s and Dont’s for your next influencer marketing campaign.

Here are 10 do’s and don’ts of influencer marketing:

1. UNDERSTAND YOUR GOALS.

Campaign goals can be a skyrocket for your brands at times. They can be used to increase the brand awareness, generate a hefty amount of sales, or build a good amount of loyalty with customers.

Anything your brand needs should be in alignment with your messages going out for the campaign and your goals for the same.

Example: If the goal is to have traffic at your brand store, include a good sales idea to your camp-gain and maybe even use psychological mediums for attracting a crowd.

2. YOUR CUSTOMER IS YOUR PRIORITY.

The customer’s journey is no longer a child’s play, reason being their are multiple brands across the globe and you need to give your customer a reason to come around your store. It’s extremely complex and sometimes may seem like a rollercoaster to a few.

Customer’s touch points are all around, be it social media platforms, YouTube channels and various apps and content providing mediums.

There are a few things you need to keep in mind about your customer:

1. Their identity
2. Their buying preferences
3. Their buying location
4. Their lifestyle
5. Their priorities and values

3. PAY ATTENTION ON THE PLATFORM

Now, the question which arises is that how do you pick the right platform? This goes in with what type of customers you aim to prioritise.

1. The time they spend around.
2. The reason of the time being spent at their particular place.
3. Way of usage of the platfrom.

Instagram: Popular to all, mostly aiming at social validation, setting up the brand, engagement of a huge amount of audience, attracting traffic to sites via stories and also to share your creative ideas amongst people around the globe.

Facebook: Excellent for paid amplification, getting into numerous groups, and getting in touch with audience of all ages including old age people.

YouTube: Amazing for long educational content, daily blogging, DIY videos, storytelling for pricey items, trust driven decisions by peoples feedbacks for buying a particular product, and researched works of call it anything.

Twitter: Great for joining the conversation with various people, getting into sports, news, education, and gaming. Also for syndication of numerous types of content.

Discord: Communication platform for voice, video, and text chat. It’s popular among gamers and communities for real-time collaboration and social interaction.

Pinterest: Visual discovery platform where users find and save ideas for various interests, from recipes and fashion to home decor and travel inspiration.

LinkedIn: Great for promoting subject matters expertise in B2B communities.

4. Stop following the old rules of advertising.

Social media has broken various rules and has evolved a lot in the past decade which seems to be surreal at times.

Jump cuts represent a significant departure from the conventional principles of fluid storytelling. Interestingly, YouTubers, who form a prominent part of this platform’s content creation community, largely bypassed the traditional warnings about the disruptive nature of jump cuts in the context of filmmaking. Instead, they embraced and integrated jump cuts into the very foundation of YouTube’s content ecosystem.

The rationale behind this adoption is grounded in a keen awareness among YouTubers of the contemporary audience’s limited attention span. In a digital age marked by rapid information consumption, the appeal of concise and engaging video content cannot be overstated. As such, jump cuts have emerged as a valuable tool in the YouTuber’s toolkit, serving to abruptly shift the viewer’s focus while effectively mitigating potential distractions.

These jump cuts are strategically deployed in various ways across YouTube videos. They are prominently featured in video introductions, where their rapid, staccato rhythm is harnessed to build anticipation and excitement, drawing viewers deeper into the content. Furthermore, in the realm of vlog-style videos, jump cuts have become a prevailing editing style. They serve to maintain a brisk and engaging pace, allowing creators to present information in a way that keeps the audience consistently engaged throughout the video’s duration. In essence, jump cuts have evolved from an unconventional filmmaking technique to an indispensable element of YouTube’s unique and dynamic content landscape.

Feel free to loosen up, no need for rigid rules. Concentrate on your message and add a distinctive touch to trending videos, sounds, and filters. Most importantly, stay true to yourself. Users seek entertainment, not sales pitches.

5. REMEMBER TO FILTER INFLUENCERS WHEN SELECTING.

Avoid fixating on superficial metrics like follower counts. Brands primarily assess influencers based on content quality, reach, and engagement rates. However, audience alignment is crucial. Consider what the influencer’s audience values and why they trust them. This is vital for brand-influencer compatibility. Content quality takes precedence. Employ AI-powered image recognition systems to analyze vast data sets, identifying influencers likely to generate substantial engagement when discussing products or related items

6. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE POWER OF BRAND AMBASSADORS.

Throughout the history of advertising, businesses have engaged with brand ambassadors, such as Michael Jackson for Pepsi or Michael Jordan for Nike. In today’s digital era, a new breed of brand ambassador has emerged. These are everyday consumers who authentically share their daily interactions with beloved brands. They are compensated not just to discuss a company but to serve as enduring representatives and advocates.

BRAND AMBASSADORS

INFLUENCERS

LONG TERM

SHORT TERM

NUMEROUS CREATIVE IDEAS

SINGLE CREATIVE IDEA

LOYALTY

CONSIDERATION

TIME EFFICIENCY

STANDARD TIME

7. HAVE A CREATOR BRIEF.

“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” — Oscar Wilde

Creative Brief: Celebrate and express individuality through our artistic work.

Establish well-defined campaign parameters and objectives, and once these are in place, step back, observe, and be amazed by the imaginative narratives that unfold on your behalf.

8. LOSE CONTROL OVER CREATIVITY.

Every single person near us has their own sense of individuality, the same way each influencers has their own unique style, and all their followers are based on the efficient and helpful parts of their content. If you want that your sponsored brand deals shouldn’t come of as a transactional affair but something more communicative then you should ensure to provide freedom to the creators you are partnering with.

According to a study, 70% out of all influencers feel like if their content is not fake, is honest, shows humour and a sense of acceptance then more amount of audience engages with the content. Moreover, 77% of influencers said that they will be more willing to do brand deals again and over if brands give them a freedom to express themselves freely.

Granting creative freedom doesn’t equate to relinquishing creative control; it’s a delicate equilibrium. When accompanied by well-defined objectives, this equilibrium can yield a compelling and genuine social media campaign. It’s a strategic synergy where guidelines and goals provide a framework within which creative freedom flourishes. In this harmonious blend, content creators are empowered to innovate while remaining aligned with the campaign’s purpose. The result is an authentic and effective social media initiative that captures attention, resonates with the audience, and achieves its intended impact. Balancing structure with creative liberty is the catalyst for success in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

9. MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS.

Success in any endeavor can be gauged through various metrics, including but not limited to awareness, website traffic, sales figures, growth in channel followers, or the level of participation in giveaways. The pivotal step in this process is the establishment of clear and specific goals and objectives. Your chosen objectives serve as the compass guiding the selection of the baseline metric against which your primary goal will be evaluated. This strategic alignment ensures that you’re not only measuring success comprehensively but also accurately, with each metric reflecting a facet of your overarching mission.

1. IMPRESSIONS
2. REACH
3. ENGAGEMENT

10. LEARN FROM THE PAST.

Social media is a dynamic landscape, and it’s crucial to understand that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. This holds particularly true for influencer marketing, where each brand’s journey is unique. It often involves a process of trial and error to discern the ideal combination of platform, target audience, content format, and creative strategy that truly resonates with your specific audience.

One of the keys to success in this realm is the willingness to take calculated risks. This involves being open to exploring new platforms and content formats, even if they deviate from your current playbook. Innovation can lead to exciting breakthroughs and help you stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of social media.

It’s essential not to fall into the trap of vanity KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). Instead, focus on measurable KPIs that directly align with your campaign’s goals. Metrics like engagement rates, conversion rates, and click-through rates offer deeper insights into the real impact of your influencer marketing efforts.

Trust is the bedrock of influencer marketing. Once you’ve identified your top-performing influencers, consider nurturing these relationships further. Transform them into brand ambassadors who can continuously represent your brand. Their authenticity and established rapport with your audience can lead to lasting and powerful connections.

In the end, influencer marketing is a dynamic and evolving strategy that requires adaptability, an analytical mindset, and a commitment to building trust-based relationships. Through experimentation and a focus on meaningful KPIs, you can unlock the true potential of influencer marketing for your brand.