The 6 Biggest Mistakes Brands Make When Working With Influencers & How You Can Avoid Them

Will Armstrong -

Armstrong Public Relations -

Working with influencers can be a great way to promote your brand and reach a new audience. But there are some common mistakes that brands make when working with influencers. In this blog post, we'll go over the six biggest mistakes brands make and how you can avoid them.

1. Putting follower count above engagement

One of the most common mistakes brands make is putting too much emphasis on follower count and not enough on engagement rate. Just because an influencer has a million followers doesn't mean they're the right fit for your brand. You want to work with influencers who have an engaged audience that's interested in what you're selling. To find out if an influencer's audience is engaged, take a look at their comments and likes per post. Are people commenting and asking questions? Are their posts getting a lot of likes? These are all signs of an engaged audience. Follower count is still important, but don't let it be the deciding factor when choosing which influencers to work with. Instead, put more emphasis on engagement rate.

2. Miscommunicating the mission and vision

It's important that you communicate your brand's mission and vision to the influencer before they start promoting your products or services. This will help them create content that's on-brand and aligns with your values. For example, if your brand is all about sustainability, you'll want to work with an influencer who creates content around that topic and can help promote your sustainable initiatives. By miscommunicating your mission and vision, you risk working with an influencer who promotes your brand in a way that doesn't align with what you stand for.

3. Not prioritizing long-term partnerships

Another mistake brands make is not prioritizing long-term partnerships. Sure, one-off promotions can be effective, but they're not as valuable as a long-term partnership. When you have a long-term partnership with an influencer, you build trust and credibility over time. This leads to more loyal customers and better ROI in the long run. So instead of focusing on one-off promotions, prioritize building long-term relationships with influencers who are aligned with your brand values.

4. Lowballing influencers

One of the biggest mistakes brands make is lowballing influencers by offering them exposure instead of money. While exposure can be valuable, it shouldn't be the only thing you offer an influencer in exchange for promoting your products or services. Influencers are running businesses too, and they need to be compensated for their time and effort just like anyone else. If you can't afford to pay an influencer, consider giving them a commission on sales or products instead. But don't lowball them by expecting them to promote your products for free or exposure only – it's disrespectful and puts undue pressure on them to succeed without proper compensation..

5 Falling out of touch After partnering with an influencer,

it's important to stay in touch so you can continue to nurture the relationship. Unfortunately, many brands make the mistake of falling out of touch after the promotion is over. This creates distance between the brand and the influencer, which can lead to mistrust. The next time you partner with an influencer, commit to staying in touch even after the promotion is over.

6 Letting the content collect dust

Once an influencer has created content for you, it's up to you to make sure it doesn’t just collect dust. The first step is to promote the content across your social media channels. But that's not enough – you also need to engage with the content. Like it, comment on it, and share it. This shows both the influencer and their audience that you appreciate their work and are actively using it to promote your brand. It also helps create a connection between you and the influencer which can lead to future partnerships.

Working with influencers can be beneficial for promoting your brand, but only if it's done correctly. Avoid these six common mistakes brands make when working with influencers, and you'll be on your way to developing strong relationships that will benefit both parties involved. Thanks for reading!