How to Build Strong Influencer Relationships

For this argument, we never get tired of repeating ourselves, because it is absolutely important for the success of any influencer marketing campaign that you collaborate with the right influencer. You need a match for your brand, your products, and ultimately your project. You should pay attention to more than their reach and a high number of followers. Ask yourself: Does the influencer really fit my profile and can I really achieve my brand’s goals with a collaboration?

Be careful, however, because in the depths of social media there are also some scams you might fall for: Beware Fake Influencers, so you won’t fall for a scam. Moreover, read on the Kolsquare blog how to find the right influencers for your influencer marketing campaign on Instagram and on TikTok.

Summarily, you want influencers, who are online experts that truly value your products and services. Because with this authentic love for your brand, the likelihood of a high ROI as well as a good long-term reputation for your brand increases.

Let the Kolsquare experts support you in your search and find the right influencer for your next project in our database. Request the free demo of Kolsquare technology here!

Build a Relationship With Your Influencers

Contrary to the simplistic notion that influencer marketing is just another form of advertising, it is actually much more than that. A critical point is that influencers are also much more than “just” celebrities, because in order to influence, you, unsurprisingly, have to have influence.

Long before brands can even think about a partnership, influencers have to establish themselves as key opinion leaders (KOL). In short, they need to build a positive reputation so that their audience trusts them. This is exactly what sets them apart from other profiles with many followers, aka celebrities. Influencers earn their followers through expertise in their field and it is this authenticity and resulting impact that you want to benefit from.

Nonetheless, as in any good relationship, the collaboration of brands with influencers must not be a one-way street. Instead, mutual give and take is essential.

Communicate your ideas and expectations clearly at the beginning of the partnership: What content do you want from influencers and in what timeframe? What is your plan for the campaign and which platforms do you want to use? What processes of your brand do the influencers have to consider, thus, e.g. explain what approval process your influencers will have to follow. Moreover, ask for the statistics so that the goals of the campaign can be clearly defined.

One of the most important points is to ask your influencers for their views, opinions and strategies. Offer them as much creative freedom as possible. In fact, this Crowdtap study proves that 77% of those influencers surveyed are more likely to enter into a long-term partnership with a brand when it guarantees them opportunities to express themselves. After all, through mostly years of experience and hard work, influencers know exactly what their audience expects from them – in short, what content works and what does not. You want to partner with creatives for their unique voice and expertise, do not forget it!

Graphic by Crowdtap

Make a Lasting Impression

Just as influencers need to prove their uniqueness, your brand needs to stand out among all the companies. Consequently, these questions arise:

• What makes influencers the people you want to work with?
• Why exactly is your brand the best cooperation partner for the influencers?

First impressions count. Hence, you should be very careful with the first message. Gather in-depth information before you even make contact. Find out everything you can about your influencers. What are their biggest passions? How do they communicate and what do they pay special attention to in their content? What is their signature move (flatlays, #ootds, or something else entirely)? Are they more humorous or serious? Are they passionate about environmental, social, or political issues?

Finding commonalities will also help you better understand your influencers and, therefore, communicate with them in a completely different way. In fact, the mistake many brands make is to see influencers as mere business partners, which is why the relationship remains formal and impersonal.

Accordingly, be sure to personalize every email. Be as authentic as you expect your influencers to be. Designate one person on your team to be the point of contact for questions and suggestions.

Moreover, read the Kolsquare guide on how to make influencers your Brand Ambassadors. After all, this is the cherry on top of the influencer marketing cake. You do not just pay key opinion leaders to mention your products or brand, you establish a true collaboration based on mutual respect and appreciation.

Pay Your Influencers Appropriately

Payment is another important aspect that unfortunately often leads to difficulties. Obviously, pricing is always a delicate issue, but it also eventually pays back to be transparent and honest in the truest sense of the word.

While nano and micro influencers might be happy to test free products, these strategies will most likely not work for macro and top influencers anymore. Read Kolsquare’s guide to free gifting for influencers here.

Recognition is always a good idea, but in addition to praising messages, you should pay your influencers accordingly. There are different pricing models and rates that you should know about: Find out more in the Kolsquare Quick guide to secure price negotiations with influencers.

Again, the Crowdtap study proves that 68% of influencers surveyed would consider re-collaborating if their content was appropriately compensated. The study also shows that brands are often under the misconception that product samples are enough for a collaboration.

Be sure to consider these points before planning your next influencer marketing campaign. For more tips and updates from the industry, you can also follow us on LinkedIn, where we keep you up to date with regular posts.