Microinfluencers can be a big help when it comes to marketing, especially when their brand message aligns with your own. However, both parties need to be on the same page in order for a seamless working relationship to develop. So how do you make sure both parties are communicating well, as well as getting the most out of the deal? To find out, we asked 13 members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following:
“Microinfluencers can be an excellent resource, but you need to be on the same page as far as shared goals and other aspects of the relationship in order for everything to work right. What is a solid way of making sure that both parties get a good experience out of the arrangement, while at the same time making sure that all of their goals are met?”
Microinfluencer Partnership Tips
Here’s what YEC community members had to say:
1. Set Clear Terms
“When you work with a microinfluencer, you’re really paying for an audience above all else. Sometimes, when people begin a relationship by trading shoutouts, and terms aren’t clearly set, there’s room for people to get upset with the circumstances. Ultimately, it’s about finding a benefit both audiences like, such as samples for placement, and so on.” ~ Chris Quiocho, Offland Media
2. Give Them Creative Liberty
“I often find that one of the biggest mistakes brands make when using microinfluencers is giving them too much guidance where it takes away from the microinfluencer’s personality. What ends up happening is that the message will look disingenuous. Instead, let them craft the message to bring more authenticity to the marketing campaign.” ~ Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
3. Aim for Long-Term Partnerships
“With long-term partnerships, both sides win. The microinfluencer knows that the potential exists for multiple revenue earning opportunities, so they are more likely to create better content for your brand and also engage with the posts more. The brand receives exposure to an audience that is more likely to warm up to the product or service because of multiple posts from the same influencer.” ~ Jonathan Long, Uber Brands
4. Communicate, then Follow Up
“As with any good arrangements, the key to success is communication and follow-up. That really means making sure that you carefully and intelligently manage expectations. By doing this you will avoid a lot of future traps and problems that could hurt your brand.” ~ Nicole Munoz, Nicole Munoz Consulting, Inc.
5. Find Mutually Beneficial Opportunities
“While you approach microinfluencers so they can hopefully promote your products, there has to be some give and take. If you come up with opportunities where you both benefit (apart from simply paying them), they’ll be more motivated to give their best effort. For example, let them tie your business in with something they’re promoting, whether it’s a book, album or product.” ~ Kalin Kassabov, ProTexting
6. Meet in Person
“Personal connections often translate to better content. Just because a microinfluencer’s content seems like a fit for your business doesn’t mean they’re the right fit for your team. Meeting in person can help both parties connect on a deeper level that can’t be reached through social media. Sponsored content often lacks authenticity, which is what most people are specifically after.” ~ Reuben Yonatan, GetVoIP
7. Look for a Previous Track Record of Results
“Influencer marketing can be very effective. However, not all influencers are effective at marketing. Look for those who have a track record of successful campaigns with brands in similar markets as your own to be sure that you get an ROI on what you invest with them. If they are new, don’t be afraid to help them craft their post or media to be more engaging based on your insights about what works.” ~ Justin Faerman, Conscious Lifestyle Magazine
8. Create Clear Metrics
“With any microinfluencers, you should have pre-agreed upon metrics before entering into a working arrangement. These metrics should be measurable. For example, you need to post X amount of times or get X amount of traffic to my website to make X amount of money. Having these metrics will make communication seamless and the relationship will blossom.” ~ Brandon Stapper, Nonstop Signs
9. Document Your Expectations
“Rather than have a microinfluencer sign a 20-page contract they may never read, provide them with a quick one- or two-page document clearly outlining your expectations. Have them explicitly agree to those terms to minimize ambiguity within the arrangement and to formalize the partnership. That way, you always have something to reference later to hold both parties accountable to the engagement.” ~ Firas Kittaneh, Amerisleep
10. Appear on Different Media Channels
“If the influencer has multiple social media platforms, elect for your brand to be visible on all of them. This shows that you unwaveringly trust their reach and will also make you a competitive client that will motivate them to have quality posts on all channels they are represented on.” ~ Fritz Colcol, Simply Thalia
11. Research Before You Pitch
“Even microinfluencers get a fair number of pitches these days, so blanket pitches routinely fail to get attention. Read up on any microinfluencer you’re considering before reaching out. If you can’t answer basic questions about their brand, you’re not going to be able to craft an appealing partnership — and you’re not doing your due diligence on who you’re associating your brand with.” ~ Thursday Bram, The Responsible Communication Style Guide
12. Work Through Product Reviews
“Typically, you’re not supposed to pay these people, but you can send them product for a fair and unbiased review. If you want a certain arrangement, such as video, then look for YouTube reviewers or microinfluencers that already create a lot of videos for their posts. This way you can be pretty certain they will do a quality video review of your product without hassle.” ~ Andy Karuza, FenSens
13. Track Campaign Results
“With microinfluencers, first make sure they have good engagement amongst their followers. Then, put in place ways to measure results that you can share with them. For example, if you want them to drive more traffic to your site, create landing pages and monitor the traffic in Google Analytics. Whatever you want to achieve with your microinfluencer campaign, find a way to track it effectively.” ~ Brian David Crane, Caller Smart Inc.
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