How Influencers Really Feel About Working with Brands | WMI

When launching an influencer program, one of the biggest challenges marketers face is finding the right brand advocate. But the relationship works both ways. Influencers have to strike a critical balance between promoting the brand they’re being paid to represent while demonstrating authenticity and remaining true to their own personal brand. How can influencers and brands work together more effectively? A survey of beauty and fashion influencers uncovered key aspects of the brand-influencer relationship, offering insight into how they can work more dynamically together.

They Are Checking You Out
Sponsored posts represent a win-win for both brands and influencers—77% of brand marketers agree that influencers were either “highly effective” or “effective” in generating awareness through product launch and content promotion, and 83% of influencers say that sponsored posts were the best generator of income for them. But they don’t want to work with just any brand—60% of influencers say they assess a brand’s reputation and heritage before entering into a partnership. Qualities such as a brand’s ethos, values, and the issues they support are factors influencers consider before moving forward and 95% agree that it’s important for influencers to consider the reputational risks before associating themselves with a brand.

Authenticity is Paramount
One of the critical aspects of any influencer-brand relationship is communicating the best attributes of a brand or product through their unique point of view. 67% of respondents said their ability to keep content authentic and relevant at all times is paramount to their success—after all, it’s her voice that drew her audience to her in the first place. It’s her voice that creates devoted and engaged communities that drive awareness and sales for brands. Allowing creators to develop content and control the narrative is among the top concerns of influencers—93% agree that they should have the authority to control the content within the agreed brief. For brands, that means relinquishing control of their image and allowing the influencer to do it her way. The goal is to create working relationships with influencers that create a trusted partnership on both sides.

They Have #RelationshipGoals
Brands have an opportunity to deepen relationships with influencers and build relationships that go beyond one-off posts. As trust builds between a brand and an influencer, long term partnerships can lead to collaborative content and more engagement from fans and followers and broader reach.

Like any media plan, a one-size-fits-all approach to influencer marketing just doesn’t work. While celebrity influencers may be good for awareness, micro-influencers may be better at engagement within a specific community. Identifying the right influencer mix for any given campaign can be tricky and time consuming, but working with the right agency to build scale and develop strategy can help marketers develop a bespoke campaign that meets their goals. Contact Women’s Marketing to learn how we can build an influencer program that’s right for you.

Source: Fashion and Beauty Monitor/Econsultancy Voice of the Influencer Survey 2016