Dear Influencers, Sincerely an Influencer Marketer

As an influencer marketer, I’ve seen plenty of profiles. Whether it’s working with 6 figure budgets, or product only offers, my experience with influencers can be predetermined by simply glancing at their profile. I’ve seen mistakes that influencers make and I wanted to share which ones often lead me to believe they are not the right fit to partner with my clients. While there is no formula that will guarantee success for various collaborations, I will address some key information and posts that will showcase your talents to potential partnering companies.

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Keep it Professional

Professionality is something that most influencers struggle with because of the culture associated with an entertainment-hungry world. Influencers feel the pressure to maintain high engagement levels, but seeing that you spend your weekends drinking by a pool filled with half-naked hotties is not going to lead any company to a partnership.

If I am looking at your account, chances are I’m not looking for personal interest but rather for my company’s. My company will not want to be associated with those half-naked hotties, but rather a professional in their field. Unfortunately, your party-oriented lifestyle isn’t enough to make you a good brand partner.

Stay Engaged

Engagement. This is HUGE. There are tools that influencer marketers use to decide whether your engagement rate is worth the time and effort spent to create a collaboration with an influencer. Most companies are looking for influencers with engagement rates starting at 3.5% and upwards. 

Think of this as a formula. “# of followers” + “# of likes” + “# of comments” +” how often you interact with your followers on your posts” = how an influencer makes money.

Generally, if your engagement is 6% or higher, that is when you as an influencer can start charging more per collaboration. Brand partners want to see high engagement because they want to see an increase in sales. This is a business world, so treat it like one. 

Remain Patient

The influencer process is a long one on the business side. As I’m sometimes working with other colleagues in various time zones, the process can take a few weeks. Follow-ups are appreciated, but please, stay patient. Once an influencer starts to become demanding, I may not decide to work with them again.

Nobody wants to have to dread talking to a business partner, so be nice and patient. These qualities will often lead to more opportunities with the same company which in turn looks consistent on your feed.

Find an Aesthetic

Keep a similar style to your posts. If you frequently switch up the quality, angles, or type of content on your page a company will see you as inconsistent. 

We often see influencers deleting old pictures from their timeline and starting a new aesthetic. While everyday Social Media users might not understand, I would encourage you to try this. Maintain a consistent brand and you’ll see results.

Promote what you want to promote

There are two parts to this. 1. Is to promote things you would actually use. 2. Create the content that your dream brand partners would want you to produce. 

If you’re a music influencer you should have videos on your social platforms showing off your musical talents, not pictures of you singing. We can’t hear you through a picture.

In summary, be sure you’re showing off the skills that will allow you to work with companies that reflect your personal and professional brand. 

Know Your Audience

Get to know your audience. Treat them like their family. Keep them involved. Ask them what they want to see. You’ll keep followers if you can cater to them and grow your brand all at once. Knowing what your audience wants will also keep you engaged with them which will result in higher engagement numbers. 

Grow Your Brand

Define your brand and live by it. Once you know what your brand looks like you can begin integrating it into your personal life. When companies see a consistent brand message across your social platforms they’ll become more interested in future partnerships. Live your brand, and you’ll see brand partnership opportunities grow.

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Again, there is no perfect formula to brand collaborations, but in my experience, these are the key ideas that will help your profile stand out. Following these general rules will help you find your key message, target audience, and create revenue in return.