Influencer marketing is a great way to reach a captive audience and leverage the trust that influencers instill in their followers. Wait…what? Influencer marketing? I digress. Influencer marketing is a buzzword in our industry to describe a form of marketing which is focused on key individuals to drive your brand’s message to the larger market. You are essentially hiring, or inspiring or paying an influencer to get the word out.
Let me give you an example. You have 1,734 followers on Twitter, which is nice and you are proud of it. Plus, it took you some time to get there. An influencer on the other hand, who reaches the same market, has 465,799 followers. It would be difficult for you to reach that number of followers and may take much time and effort. Instead, you hire, inspire or pay them. By connecting your brand to a trusted influencer, some of their credibility inevitably rubs off on you.
Now that we’ve covered that, I’ll continue. Like anything else in this world, this tactic can backfire. For every well-done influencer post, there are a dozen that are forced, nonsensical or downright tacky. And while influencer marketing might seem like it should be easy, Adweek notes that there is a science to developing good influencer content. Avoid the pitfalls of bad influencer marketing, and you’ll likely see strong engagement. Here are some considerations to make if you’re going to include influencers in your marketing plan:
• Do allow influencers to give their own opinions. To get the most out of influencer marketing, you have to be willing to give up some control. Readers can tell if a post is forced, and that will negatively impact your results. The most realistic, engaging and successful posts come from influencers who are allowed to be honest and creative.
• Don’t be misleading. All sponsored content has to have a clear disclosure statement. If you fail to meet their requirements, you could face consequences, including a fine from the Federal Trade Commission. Luckily, according to AdWeek, disclosure statements don’t deter viewers from reading and engaging with your content—in fact, they can actually increase positive sentiment.
• Do use great visuals. Photos and videos draw readers in and illustrate your point much more effectively than words can. Of course, you can supply images and your logo, but it’s also a good idea to let influencers take their own photos. Authentic photos, taken from the influencer’s perspective in their own style, will enhance the post.
• Don’t let branding get in the way of relatability. Most companies have strict brand guidelines, from naming standards to trademark usage. And while branding is important, working with influencers is one case when brand sticklers should relax. Insisting that influencers adhere to every brand standard completely can ruin a post’s flow and conversational tone. I am speaking to law firms on this one – no, it’s not necessary to include LLP, Corp, PC or whatever other extensions you have.
• Do offer readers a valuable takeaway. Ultimately, readers should gain some usable knowledge from your content, whether it’s sponsored or not. Encourage influencers to include a review, tutorial or easily saved and shared how-to guide as part of the post. Readers won’t mind the “sponsored content” label if they get something valuable from the article.
