Influencer Marketing Best Practices for Successful Campaigns - A Brand’s Guide
Influencer marketing can significantly boost brand awareness, engagement, and sales when executed effectively. Building strong relationships with influencers and maintaining clear communication are key to a successful campaign. This guide covers the best practices to ensure your influencer marketing efforts are impactful and seamless.
Best Practices for Communication With Influencers
Know Your Campaign Budget Upfront
Establish a clear budget before engaging with influencers to avoid over-commitment and ensure your campaigns are financially viable.
Create a Comprehensive Creative Brief
Provide a detailed brief outlining the campaign’s goals, target audience, and desired messaging.
Include a list of priority products or categories to promote.
Confirm promotional messaging for consistency.
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Onboarding Influencers
Utilize platforms such as Partnerize to streamline onboarding processes.
Protect Your Brand Reputation
Work with vetted influencers who align with your brand's values, voice, and vision. Avoid potential risks that can harm your brand’s reputation.
Legal Guidelines: Have legal agreements in place with influencers, including indemnification clauses, and consult with legal teams to cover potential issues.
Contracts: Use standardized agreements tailored to specific deliverables and agreed-upon rates.
Timely Payments
Pay influencers promptly. Aim for NET30 payments, though NET90 is the maximum acceptable timeframe.
Professional and Respectful Communication
Communicate politely and professionally, understanding that interactions can be shared publicly.
Avoid sharing sensitive or internal brand details with influencers.
Set Clear Expectations
Create a standard “influencer guide” outlining campaign objectives, dos and don’ts, budget, timeline, deliverables, and performance metrics.
Allow some creative freedom while ensuring influencer content adheres to brand guidelines and complies with FTC regulations.
Engage and Monitor
Engage with influencer-generated content on behalf of your brand, monitoring comments, feedback, and engagement.
Address customer questions and concerns related to influencer content.
Gather Feedback and Insights
Collect feedback and testimonials from influencers to refine your marketing strategy.
Influencer Relationship Management Platforms
Mavrck
Ideal for sourcing nano and micro-influencers, mass outreach, ambassador programs, and event recruitment.
Activate
Created by Impact Radius, this platform excels at affiliate linking, influencer sourcing, and recruiting.
Understanding Influencer CPM (Cost per Mille)
Definition: CPM is the cost per thousand impressions. For example, a $20 CPM for an influencer with 100,000 followers would cost $2,000.
Negotiation Tip: Use CPM as a benchmark for compensation but aim to negotiate down to a lower rate.
W9 Collection and Tax Compliance
Influencers receiving compensation over $600, whether gifted or monetary, need to file a W9. Ensure compliance by collecting these documents for each influencer partnership, either through your brand or via platforms like Partnerize.
Scheduling Calls with Influencers
Respect influencer schedules when proposing calls. Initial calls are often unnecessary unless the campaign scope is complex. For long-term partnerships, regular calls can strengthen relationships and clarify brand expectations.
Automation Tools
Mavrck: Ideal for sourcing nano and micro-influencers, ambassador programs, and event recruitment.
Activate: Perfect for affiliate linking, sourcing, and recruiting.
Final Thoughts
Effective influencer marketing requires clear communication, strong relationships, and strategic execution. By following these best practices, you can optimize your campaigns for maximum impact while building lasting, mutually beneficial partnerships with influencers.
