Young creators who are only just building their reach on social media channels, before they enter into cooperation with a given brand, should ask themselves why they are deciding to do so. Of course, it happens that the overriding motivation for a creator is the idea behind the brand, and that is why they decide to take part in the campaign. However, far more often the motivation is financial gain. And there is nothing wrong with that, because it is a type of work, and as we know, for work to be well paid, it must be well done. It is worth remembering that brands which finance influencer campaigns want to receive quality content. And creators who want to earn money on their own brands should know that the quality of this cooperation reflects on them and affects future contracts. BrandLift therefore shares a common goal with influencers – to do what is ours to do, as well as we possibly can.
Education comes first
The Ten Commandments of Working with Influencers – the most important rules
Unfortunately, contrary to what Instagram shows us, we do not live in an ideal world, and cooperation on campaigns carries the risk of failure. Especially if the other party does not fully understand the rules of cooperation. Of course, at the stage of selecting the group of creators for a given campaign, we are able to eliminate this risk and guarantee the client quality execution of the assignment. Nevertheless, it is up to us, as representatives of the industry, to educate creators about the rules of cooperation. The influencer market is after all quite young, and that is precisely why it is up to experienced marketers who cooperate with creators to set clear, understandable frameworks for collaboration.
The Ten Commandments of Working with Influencers
The overriding and non-negotiable rule is “recommend only those products and services that you have tested and that are consistent with who you are, what you reach for every day.” However, in our daily work – as in every profession – there are “pet peeves.” We can avoid them by educating creators and making them aware of what professional campaign execution looks like. So what rules should an influencer follow when entering into cooperation with an agency/brand?
- Be consistent – if you have decided to cooperate, submitted your participation, passed the selection process and the brand wants to work with you, do not drop out without a reason at the last moment before the campaign starts, because this affects not only its result (it is often a precisely planned marketing puzzle that will fall apart without individual elements), but also your credibility in the future.
- Be professional – take the tasks and instructions you receive seriously, as they are always prepared with the comfort of your work in mind. They often help in understanding the client's needs and expectations, and following them is not intended to kill your creativity, but rather demonstrates your professionalism.
- Be punctual – a campaign usually has a set timeframe that everyone involved should adhere to. Failure to deliver materials from the campaign execution means there is no way to settle it with the client, which often results in delayed payment for the assignment, even for those who settled their activities on time.
- Be loyal – if you have decided to cooperate with a specific brand that cared about exclusivity for publications about a given product, do not enter into cooperation with competing brands during the specified time. That shows a lack of loyalty, and your profile may be perceived as a proverbial “advertising billboard.”
- Stay in contact – since your phone is a tool of your trade, do not pretend that you lost it, forgot it, are ill, etc. These are the most common excuses that come out of creators' mouths once they finally answer the phone from the client again. Lack of contact shows a lack of professionalism and affects your credibility.
- Do not lie – because that only reflects on you. There are countless reasons why creators did not complete a task on time, and just as many of them are untrue. And since the industry is still quite narrow (although it is rapidly growing in strength), it is probably not worth becoming known in it by the nickname “Pinocchio.”
- Do not delete posts – if you have decided to cooperate for a specified time, do not end it on your own before the campaign is over. In short, do not delete your posts and lives before the required deadline.
- Accept comments with humility – that is, do not take offense if you receive comments from the client about your work and a request to improve it. Clearly you did not respond 100% to the brief, and the client really cares about presenting their product properly – remember that they know it best! Take a deep breath and try to complete the brief again. After all, you agreed that you would receive remuneration for properly completing the task.
- Play for the same team – remember that although you are an individual, you operate in a certain environment. Your actions affect the professionalism of the entire industry. We all want influencer marketing to keep getting better, so let's not dig holes under ourselves.
- A contract is sacred! Remember that by signing a contract, you attest with your first and last name to a certain obligation toward the client. Withdrawing from participation in a campaign despite a signed contract may unfortunately have legal consequences that you should expect.
