6 Mistakes to Avoid When We Work with an Influencer

6 Mistakes to Avoid When We Work with an Influencer

Earlier this year, we wrote an article on why you should consider working with an influencer. It is an interesting option if you want to promote your products or business by using someone outside of your community. But how can you ensure that your campaign is a success? We found six mistakes to avoid when working with an influencer.

Why should you work with an influencer?

Indeed, influencers do not always have a great reputation; for this reason, it is vital to choose the right person for your campaigns. Nowadays, there are a large number of influencers with different levels of communities and from every type of field. Whether it is regarding cooking, finances, or books, there are content creators who accept to promote products in exchange for money.

If you feel that you do not have satisfying results with your actual campaigns, whether ads or social media content, it could be relevant to look for an influencer. It can help you connect with other communities and get new potential customers.

6 Mistakes to avoid when we decide to work with influencers

Our team has previously worked with influencers to promote some of our products and services. Following these partnerships, we found six mistakes people should avoid if they want to work with an influencer.

Not defining a campaign goal

Whether it is for the creation of a website or a campaign with an influencer, it is essential to have a primary objective. Why do you want to work with a content creator? Is it to increase your number of followers on a specific social platform? Is it to promote your business or a new product? Or to increase your notoriety?

Whatever the reason, having a goal will significantly help you find the right person for your campaign. You could also benefit from this opportunity to see what results you need to achieve to consider your influencer campaign a success.

Not thinking about a budget

Another frequent mistake when we want to start working with influencers is not thinking about a budget. This mistake can be divided into two parts. First, you should have an idea of the amount of money you are willing to spend on this type of campaign. Second, it would be wise to learn more about the content creators' current rates. This way, you will not be surprised if you receive a $1000 or $10,000 quote.

Before you start to panic, note that there are influencers for every budget. You only need to remember that most will ask for a payment in exchange for exposure.

Not choosing the right person

We may be tempted to choose a celebrity to promote our business or product; however, is it really a good idea? Besides being expansive, you may get better results working with smaller influencers who are passionate about your field. In other words, you can think about your niche. The more precise you are, the more opportunities you have to get great results.

With your primary goal and budget, look for relevant keywords related to content creators. For example, if you are launching a cooking book or a new kitchen tool, it could be wise to contact people who are passionate about food.

Not having a contract

On another topic, how can you ensure the person you hire will do the work once you send the payment? Regarding this, it is critical to consider having a contract. Besides increasing your professionalism, it will protect both parties if there is a problem. 

What is interesting about contracts is that you can define all the terms and conditions of your collaboration. What is expected from the influencer? What must they do and when? On your side, when do you need to pay, and what do you need to provide? Leave nothing to chance or goodwill.

Not thinking about ways to measure the results

Another common mistake to avoid if you want to work with an influencer is not thinking about how you will measure the success of your campaign. You may have an idea by checking your number of followers or website visitors, but how can you make sure it is the result of your collaboration with your content creator?

Regarding this, we can give two tips. First, if it is a product from an online store, you could offer a promo code to the influencer. They can then share it with their community, and you can follow how many codes were used. Another way would be to provide a customized UTM link. This way, you can check your statistics and see if you have any visitors.

Not doing any follow-up after the campaign

Finally, the last point we want to discuss is the follow-up once the campaign ends. Analyze the results and check if you managed to reach the primary goal you had at the beginning. Are you successful? Are you satisfied with the way the campaign went? If you could turn back time, would you do the same?

Do not hesitate to take notes to improve the next campaign. You may need to do a few tests before getting an interesting return on investment or finding the content creator who will make a significant difference.

In conclusion, more and more businesses are working with influencers, and this trend will not stop soon; therefore, it is something to consider if you want to promote your business and products using a different communication channel. Start by defining your needs and budget, then look for the perfect person. Note that agencies can also help you with this.

Do you want to learn more about this topic? Discover the reasons why you should work with an influencer in 2024.