It has been said time and time again that authenticity is a core value for online audiences, and millenials in particular. So how can you reconcile a true message with paid advertisement? It turns out, influencers are adept at threading this particular line.
So if you are in the market for influencers, read these 3 important tips. They could make all the difference between a campaign that takes a life of its own, and one that falls flat on its face. Because that’s the difference authenticity makes.
#1 Make Sure You Pick the Right Influencer
Of course, you don’t want to find talent that strays too far from your niche. If your company sells beauty products, hiring a Youtuber known for their online game reviews would be weird.
But more than positioning, you should also look for the right voice. Even an influencer whose audience aligns with your target demographic could be the wrong one. For example, if you find their promotions are too dry, or too sales-y. Luckily, this should be easy to measure by checking out their audience engagement and how they generally react to content. Join helps you pick an influencer from our 15,000+ database based on content they’ve already made. That’s how you can find the influencer that not only matches your target audience, but also your brand. Request a free demo of our platform below this blogpost.
#2 Ensure The Promotion is Transparent
Online audiences are maturing quickly. Millenials are especially tired of “phoney” adverts trying to relate to them. But strangely enough, they have no problem purchasing items based on a strangers’ recommendation. This is true even with paid promotion. These are usually announced via hashtags such as #spon and #ad, even if there are currently no hard legal rules there.
“letting influencers broadcast the fact that they are sponsored, can actually benefit their authenticity, and by extension yours”
It might be a tough concept to fathom for traditional advertisers. But letting influencers broadcast the fact that they are sponsored can actually be beneficial. Certainly to their authenticity, and by extension yours.
#3 Enable Some Creative Freedom
Entrusting your communications content to a third party can be strenuous. As a recent poll reports, nearly 40% of influencers believe restrictive guidelines are their biggest hindrance to create high quality content.
So what does it mean? Quite simply, influencers might create a message that appears less authentic with too many rules. In some cases, it mean affording them wiggle room. Whether it is to voice their honest opinions about the product or even offer constructive criticism. Even if it means less control, it will benefit authenticity, and by extension, the impact of your message.
Conclusion
By combining all the takeaways above, you should be able to ensure your partnership with influencers is a successful one. Remember that perceived authenticity is just as important for them as it is for their audiences. Letting them tailor the message of a brand they love in their own, powerful voice, is a win-win situation for everyone.
