Influencer marketing has become a powerful strategy for businesses to connect with their target audience and drive sales. As of 2021, the value of influencer marketing was rated at 13.8 billion dollars! A lot of people are turning to partnering with influencers, and you probably are, too. Meanwhile, to succeed in influencer marketing, it’s essential to understand the dos and don’ts of this approach. There are some misconceptions and tips to note to help you launch your influencer marketing effectively. That’s the reason for this article.  In this guide, we put together the ten do’s and don’ts that can make or break your influencer marketing campaigns.

The Dos of Influencer Marketing

Here are some of the fundamental principles that guide successful influencer marketing campaigns

1.  Do Identify the Right Influencers

The first and foremost step in influencer marketing is to find the right influencers who align with your brand and target audience. There are so many influencers out there, so you should consider filtering through the long list of influencers to find the perfect match for your business. Some factors to look out for when looking for influencers include their content type, engagement rate, and impression. Also, you need to focus on their values to ensure they align with your brand’s image. In addition, try to figure out who their audience is and if they are your target audience, too. For example, if an influencer’s followers are mostly women and you are trying to reach men, they might not be the right fit for your business. 

2. Do Set Clear Goals

One of the first things to figure out before launching an influencer marketing campaign is your goals and objectives. What do you want to achieve from partnering with an influencer? Do you want more people to purchase your new product or more visitors to your website? It’s essential to define your objectives for the campaign and then plan how you are going to measure the success of that campaign. For example, if you are trying to build brand awareness, will you look at the number of clicks or followers you receive? Having clear goals will guide your strategy and make it easy to measure the success of your campaign.

3. Do Be Clear With Instructions

One of the reasons you need to set a goal is to help you clearly communicate your needs with an influencer. What exactly do you want from the influencer? Do you want them to repost your product? Or post an honest review of your product? Make a video endorsing your brand? Be very clear about the instructions and expectations you need for the influencer campaigns, including timelines, content type, deliverables, and payment. 

4. Do Measure Success

Based on your goal and campaign type, you will need to measure the success of your campaign. There are different ways and metrics to measure the success of your campaigns, but some of the common ones are impression, reach, engagement, 

5. Do Pick The Right Platforms

Like other marketing campaigns, it’s important to choose the right platform for your influencer marketing campaign. You have many options (Facebook, TikTok, YouTube…), but the best options are those your audience spends time with. What platforms are your target audience using, and how are they using the platform? Identify the platforms your audience uses the most and launch your campaigns there for good performance. 

6. Do Aim for Long-term Partnerships

There is nothing wrong with working with various influencers to drive conversions. But in reality, a long-term partnership with an influencer will make it easy to promote consistent brand messaging among their followers. If your partnership with an influencer brings excellent results, consider turning them into your brand ambassadors. 

The Don’ts of Influencer Marketing

Here are some of the things you should avoid when partnering with influencers for your business:

1. Don’t Ignore Audience Fit

Don’t collaborate with influencers solely based on their follower count. Work with influencers who align with your brand values and whose audience demographics match your target market. Also, work with influencers who will be able to represent your brand in a positive light. In summary, research an influencer properly before you contact them to work with you. Failing to research influencers thoroughly can lead to partnering with individuals who have controversial histories or engage in unethical practices.

2. Don’t Overlook Micro-Influencers

Businesses often have a preference for macro-influencers with large followings. While this seems reasonable because of their follower count, you should keep in mind that micro-influencers can also be very effective, especially when you’re reaching a niche audience. Also, smaller influencers usually have highly engaged and loyal followers, so don’t disregard them in favour of celebrities with broader but less engaged audiences.

3. Don’t Ignore Metrics

When you partner with an influencer, don’t rely solely on vanity metrics like follower count to measure the campaign’s success. Analyse engagement rates, audience demographics, and conversion data. Tracking results will help you figure out what’s working and what’s not for your campaign. This will help you refine your campaign and also help you improve future collaborations with influencers. 

Meanwhile, it would be best if you were realistic about the results you want from your campaign and don’t expect the wrong return. For example, expecting 2000 followers from working with a micro-influencer might be a little overboard. 

9. Don’t Forget to Sign a Contract

Always have clear, written contracts outlining expectations, compensation, and rights to content. It’s essential to get both parties’ signatures on the contract to ensure you are on the same page pertaining to payment, payment method, deliverables, and usage rights. 

Don’t be Difficult With Sending Payment

One of the complaints influencers have about working with people is how difficult they get when it’s time to send payment. Don’t delay payment after receiving the deliverables. Also, keep things very professional and friendly to avoid burning bridges. Nobody likes to work for free, so make sure you compensate your influencers based on the terms of the agreement. 

10. Don’t Control the Creative Process

One of the mistakes businesses make when working with influencers is trying to direct everything. They want the video to look this way, want the post to go out at this time, want this, and want that. According to a study, 77% of influencers are willing to work with brands that give them creative freedom during their partnership. Giving an influencer creative freedom doesn’t mean you don’t have a say; it’s about balance. Listen to what they have to say, share your goals, and give them the freedom to create the perfect sponsored content that is most likely to drive the results you want. 

Don’t Rely on Influencer Marketing Only

There is no doubt that influencer marketing is very effective in driving conversions and sales. However, you can’t rely on it alone. Influencer marketing is best effective when combined with other digital marketing approaches like SEO, content marketing, PPC, and social media marketing.

The Takeaway

In summary, influencer marketing can be a valuable tool for businesses, but it requires careful planning and execution. To run a successful influencer marketing campaign, you need to focus on finding the right influencers, setting clear goals, and, 

Also, you need to avoid some don’ts like ignoring audience fit, lacking transparency, and failing to measure results are key don’ts. Following these guidelines will help you navigate the complex world of influencer marketing and maximise the benefits for your brand.