The influencer marketing industry is dealing with trust issues.
A combination of brands only opting to work with influencers with the largest followings and unscrupulous influencers who gave in to the temptation of purchasing fake followers has resulted in some of the shine being rubbed away from influencer marketing.
The issue here is that its power lies in the sense of authenticity and trustworthiness that attracted audiences in the first place.
If the industry no longer has this source of power, it simply won’t be able to make the impact that has propelled so many businesses to huge success.
Transparency, trust and authenticity are multi-dimensional, and there are several things that brands need to get right to deliver a successful campaign.
Select the Right Influencers
You need to choose the right influencer for your campaign. If you make the wrong decision, you risk losing the trust of your audience forever, which is why it is critical that you take the time to identify influencers that your audience will find relatable.
Although it is important to factor in engagement rates, this number alone isn’t enough to accurately build a picture of your chosen influencer’s credibility.
Make a point to look through their content and determine whether you believe it to be of a high enough quality to accurately and honestly represent your brand.
Always Disclose Sponsorship Deals
The new advertising guidelines state that sponsorships must be clearly disclosed to ensure that audiences have access to all the information they need when making a purchasing decision.
Despite the implementation of these rules, some influencers are choosing not to be as upfront as they could be, which is ultimately putting the trust they have built with their audience in jeopardy.
If your chosen influencer doesn’t disclose your sponsorship deal and audiences find out, it will damage your reputation and create a sense of distrust around your brand.
Allow for Creative Freedom
The most effective influencer marketing campaigns feel like genuine collaborations between brand and influencer.
It is important to trust that your chosen influencer will create high-quality content that both reflects your brand and keenly appeals to their audience.
If you attempt to retain too much control, the voice of your influencer will be lost, and the people you most want to engage with will find it difficult to connect with the messaging of your campaign.
As the influencer marketing industry has grown, levels of trust that audiences once had in this innovative marketing sphere have been tested.
To ensure that influencer marketing retains its ability to win over consumers in large numbers, it is essential that every brand choosing to pursue this strategy understands how to create and implement campaigns that are authentic, trustworthy and valuable.
Meet the team at Crowdify who have built strong relationships with influencers and are helping clients to benefit from their reach and content.