“The Instagram aesthetic is over,”
the Atlantic proclaimed last week, ringing a death knell for influencers who have ridden the photo-sharing platform to social media glory. The story quoted Claire, a withering 15-year-old: “Avocado toast and posts on the beach. It’s so generic and played out at this point. You can photoshop any girl into that background and it will be the same post. It’s not cool anymore to be manufactured.” Of course, this backlash is nothing new. What’s “cool” is always changing – especially in the social media world. The aesthetic may evolve, but influencers are here to stay. A few facts:
- 47 percent of online consumers use ad blocking technology, creating a huge playing field for influencer content marketing.
- 92 percent of people trust recommendations from individuals (even if they don’t know them) over brands.
Brands are still seeing success when leveraging influencers – as long as they’re leveraging the
right influencers. Here’s a quick guide to getting started.
Finding the right influencer
Research is the first step. Take a deep dive into the influencer world in order to track down the right one for your brand.
- Do your homework. Make sure the influencer fits the brand you’re representing and that their content will resonate authentically. Spend a healthy amount of time with the influencer’s content, getting to understand their overall vibe, style and approach.
- Look at other brands the influencer has worked with. You want everything to run smoothly between the brand and the influencer, so take some time to figure out if there are any potential conflicts of interest lurking.
- Match the right content to the right influencer. Even if you love their overall aesthetic and content, make sure that the specific story/pitch/campaign is the right fit for their audience and the brand you’re representing.
Approaching influencers
Now that you’ve found some influencers you want to work with, it’s time to connect.
- Have a compelling story that will hook the influencer. Remember, if you’re reaching out, the odds are good that so are other brand representatives. Competition can be fierce, so you want to stand out from the pack.
- Be authentic in your communication. At the same time, be complimentary and explain why you like their work – flattery works, as long as you keep it real. Most importantly, tell them why you think they’re a great fit for your brand.
- Meet up IRL. If the influencer is locally based, offer to grab coffee in person to help establish a relationship. Putting a face to a name can work wonders.
- Get the data you need. Request media kits or any information the influencer has about monthly traffic, engagement and other key analytics.
Influencer Contract Negotiations
So you’ve made the connection with an influencer you want to work with? Congratulations. Now, let’s make the relationship official.
- Clearly communicate expectations. When drafting a contract with an influencer, it’s vital that you let them know exactly what the brand’s expectations are.
- Share goals. Tell the influencer what the brand’s goals are for the collaboration, so that they understand what the desired end result of the project is.
- Make specific assignments. Detail the exact type and amount of content required from the influencer, from blog posts to Instagram posts to YouTube videos and beyond.
- Numbers count. Explain the types of data and analytics that you need to see on behalf of the client, so that the influencer is keeping track of the right data.