6 Mistakes Not to Make in Influencer Marketing

From the quantitative reach of influencers to the audience those influencers qualitatively reach and the logistics behind influencer management, setting up the right influencer marketing program is not just an “easy button” away. Missteps in a company’s marketing plan can create lasting issues for that company and the trust its audience places in the brand.

Here is what companies should know about influencer marketing, and six important mistakes they won’t want to make.

Coming Off Too Spammy

Influencers should know not to spam their followers, and any business that hires an influencer for a campaign will want to make sure they’re choosing someone who doesn’t use spammy tactics to get noticed. That can be a big turn-off to potential customers, and can actually do more harm to the business’ brand over time. Good influencers understand that subtlety often produces the best return.

Choosing the Wrong Influencers

Choosing the right person for an influencer marketing campaign matters. Companies should take their time, and choose people they feel good about. The influencer should, ideally, have a connection to the brand, or some reason why they would be likely to use that brand. Just choosing any influencer who offers to help may not be a good choice when it comes to finding quality representation for a company.

Rushing Your Influencer Outreach

Proper outreach is critical when looking for influencers. A business that doesn’t understand outreach may struggle to find influencers to help them. Yes, some companies may be approached by up-and-coming influencers, but that doesn’t mean these people would be the right partners. Additionally, once you have the right influencers on your team, you want to keep them happy. That happiness often stems from the communication you have with them on a day-to-day basis. Make sure your influencer management logistics are ironed out before you begin your outreach.

Not Creating a Detailed Contract

Working with an influencer is a business transaction, and companies should treat it that way. There should be a detailed contract, and it should clearly spell out any information that’s going to be important for the working relationship. KPIs, affiliate kickbacks, and anything else that could be misconstrued should be addressed. That helps reduce the chances of a misunderstanding of the relationship.

Limiting the Influencer’s Creativity

Too often a business is worried about the image it’s setting and wants to limit the creativity of an influencer to match that image. While it’s important for businesses to make sure they’re presenting their brand authentically in the marketplace, there needs to be some trust in the influencer’s abilities as well. By choosing an influencer carefully, that person’s way of presenting information should match with company needs.

Using One-Off Connections

Working with an influencer successfully generally means building a relationship with that person. A company that can do that will have more opportunities to continue using the influencer in the future. That’s typically a good thing, and there’s no reason for one-off working arrangements unless the arrangement is unsuccessful and the business and influencer agree to part company at that time.

By avoiding these kinds of mistakes, businesses that use influencer marketing can build a stronger brand identity and reach more potential customers. They may also be better able to find their target audience and even develop an ambassador program to continue their company’s growth.