From generating new leads to drawing attention to your latest product launch, social media influencers can boost your brand in many ways. But before you can reap those benefits, you’ll need to find a suitable influencer and negotiate a contract that works for both for you. Here’s what to avoid when asking influencers to work with you.
Don’t Ask Them to Break Regulations
The Federal Trade Commission has a set of guidelines that brands and influencers should comply with while campaigning. Those guidelines dictate that sponsored content should feature clear disclosures, so audiences can tell when they’re looking at an advertisement.
Never ask an influencer to leave out these disclosures. Disclosures ensure a level of transparency with consumers. You want to be honest with your audience. And you want to avoid the possibility of FTC penalties.
Don’t Offer Unfair Compensation
Some influencers, especially seasoned content creators, will already have pay expectations in mind. If you can’t meet their requested rate, negotiate by reining in your requested workload. Perhaps settle for fewer posts, shorter videos or more lax deadlines. If you’re on a tight budget, you could also try offering free products or discounts to make up for reduced pay.
Approaching someone who’s new to the world of content creation? Consult common price points and offer fair compensation. Pricing often varies based on content. For example, the average cost for an Instagram photograph was $1,643 in 2019. But the average cost of video content was $6,700. The influencer’s current audience size and your deadlines are other factors to consider as you try to come up with a fair price.
Don’t Ask Them to Be Inauthentic
Every influencer has a unique personality that keeps their audience coming back for more content. Some influencers come across as bold and unrefined. Others are concise yet witty.
Ideally, you want to partner with an influencer whose style complements your brand’s identity. However, you should avoid asking an influencer to be inauthentic to their voice or established image. The influencer’s audience will likely take note of the change. This could harm the influencer’s reputation, and then their endorsements of your products and services could fail to resonate with followers.
Don’t Be Too Vague or Too Demanding
Most influencers will expect at least a little direction from you. Be sure to lay out the following information as you negotiate:
- What’s your campaign’s timeline?
- What are your specific campaign objectives?
- Will the influencer need to consult with other members of your team?
- Will they need to use specific marketing tools or project management platforms?
- Can you provide examples of the type of content you want?
On the other hand, try to avoid burying the influencer with strict demands. You want to give them some room to get creative and make the kind of content they believe their audience will enjoy. Just be clear about which aspects of the project are non-negotiable. Keep in mind, the longer your relationship with an influencer, the more comfortable you should feel giving them creative freedoms.
