Best Practices for Pride Month Influencer Campaigns

June is LGBT Pride Month, a time to recognize and honor the impact of LGBTQIA+ communities around the world. As an influencer or marketing professional, you have an excellent opportunity to create campaigns that celebrate the diversity and inclusion that Pride Month stands for. To ensure your campaign reaches its full potential, there are some best practices for creating effective campaigns during Pride Month. In this blog post, we’ll explore exactly what those are. 

Pride Month influencer campaign best practices

Influencer campaigns allow brands and influencers to work together to raise awareness about various topics. Influencers are trusted sources of recommendations, entertainment and information for social media users, making teaming up with creators an ideal choice for Pride Month campaigns. Many creators within the LGBTQIA+ community are ready to partner with brands and create these influencer campaigns. Follow along as we share some of the best practices for Pride Month Influencer campaigns. 

1. Pick the right influencers

Representation and advocacy are always important, especially for Pride Month. It is vital to choose the correct fit for your business and pick an influencer who authentically represents the LGBTQIA+ community. When selecting the right influencers for your campaigns, review their profiles, sift through their social media pages, and ensure they authentically connect with their followers. Build long-term connections with LGBTQIA+ creators to work with consistently, not just in June.

2. Give back to the community

Pride Month influencer campaigns offer a valuable opportunity for brands to demonstrate their support for the LGBTQ+ community and give back to those in need. This can be done through donations to LGBTQ+ causes and organizations, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and equality, supporting LGBTQ+ team members and more. Activate meaningful partnerships with non-profits working toward diversity and inclusion initiatives.

3. Avoid being salesy

It is essential for brands to avoid pushing products in these campaigns. Instead, companies should focus on amplifying the voices of the community and highlighting the issues that they face on a day-to-day basis. It’s a way to show your brand’s values to your target audiences. For example, Gen Z values diversity. It’s important to remember that Pride Month is about taking action to support the community. Therefore, brands should use their platforms responsibly and authentically to amplify and support the voices of the LGBTQ+ community.

4. Engage with the community year-round, not just in June

For Pride Month activations to be well received by the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies, brands must authentically represent and support the community year-round, not just during Pride Month. Brands must play an active role in advocating for and supporting equality at all times. 

Brands have been called out on social media for taking down their Pride Month signage on July 1, for example, and that comes across as inauthentic to some consumers.

Influencer campaign ideas for Pride Month

1. Highlight voices in the community  

Work with a brand team member or an influencer who represents the LGBTQ+ community talk about their authentic experiences and the importance of representation in media. Perhaps you can share a list of LGBTQ+ authors, artists or advocates on social media that your brands who tell their own stories. Create a digital mosaic art piece that showcases the stories shared by both influencers and followers.

In an award-winning campaign, IZEA, Cactus and Colorado Crisis Services partnered with Colorado-based creators who identified as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community to speak authentically about their experiences. The campaign educated audiences about Colorado Crisis Services and its resources for anyone who may be facing the same or similar struggles.

2. Host a live with a creator

Host a panel on a live stream to talk to well-known LGBTQ+ creators about their experiences and answer questions from followers.

3. Host polls and share memorable answers

Ask influencers and followers to answer questions such as “How are you celebrating Pride Month?” and “What does Pride Month mean to you?” Highlight positive, memorable answers via posts, videos or Stories.

Looking for LGBTQ+ influencers to work with? Create a Casting Call in The Creator Marketplace® to find you the right talent for a campaign.