Influencer marketing is very beneficial to brands when done correctly.
Using an influencer can drastically increase your brand’s reputation but only if the right influencer is chosen. Avoid any compliance or legal issues by following these influencer brand safety steps.
Influencers are used by all major brands today because they are more credible than celebrities. Your company may consider using influencers to increase sales or to be more appealing to younger generations but it is important to be safe when using influencers in marketing for your brand. Using an influencer in your marketing efforts can grow your company’s following and increase the trust your customers have in your company but only if the influencer is respected and uses their influence wisely. Here are some ways to be safe when using any influencer to build your brand’s reputation.
Influencer Marketing Brand Safety
When it comes to using influencers to promote your brand it is wise to be safe and ensure that any influencer you’re using isn’t committing AD fraud on behalf of your company. To ensure that any influencer your company is using is representing your business well, it is important to verify them, conduct a thorough selection process, and ensure that they are compliant with FTC guidelines. If your company follows these three major steps when selecting an influencer to represent the company, you are sure to select a great influencer to carry out any brand influencer marketing practices your company as in mind.
Verify
When selecting an influencer to represent your company, it is tempting to pick someone who has high traffic numbers. Of course, your company wants an influencer with a lot of traffic to their social media pages but it is important to verify these number to make sure that they are not fraudulent. When selecting an influencer to represent your brand, it is essential to verify the traffic to their sites through content clicks and views. It is also good practice to know the profiles of your influencers and their demographics to ensure that anyone you choose to represent your brand is a good match. It is also helpful to know the demographics of their follower base to ensure that the right kind of people will be exposed to your brand.
Selection Process
When selecting an influencer to represent your brand, it is essential to make sure that they’re real. It is incredibly easy to create fake social media accounts so it is essential that you thoroughly vet anyone that will represent your company. Some essential questions to ask yourself before you select an influencer are:
- Are they a real person?
- Are they a good fit for your brand?
- Does their content match your marketing strategy?
- Are they a part of your target audience (demographically speaking)?
- What other brands have they posted about?
- Is their geographic location a match for your company?
- Is their audience a good fit for your brand?
- Is their content engaging?
- Does their niche fit your brand?
By answering these questions, you’ll be able to look beyond their high traffic numbers and understand the real benefit this influencer can offer your company.
Compliance with Guidelines
When it comes to influencer brand safety, it is important to ensure that anyone representing your company is following guidelines and not destroying the trust people have in your company. It is important to follow FTC (Federal Trade Commission) guidelines to avoid any trouble for your company. Make sure any influencer you use includes clear disclosures in any blog posts, tweets, visual content or YouTube videos they produce on behalf of your brand. Make sure any influencer you use to represent your brand is familiar with these guidelines to avoid trouble and illegally endorsing your company.
Influencer marketing trends are very beneficial to companies and brands but only if the influencers are properly endorsing the business. Influencer marketing companies are on the rise as influencers are used more and more to represent brands. There will soon be proper compliance and standards in place for using influencers to represent companies but until that day, it is essential that your company follows these influencer brand safety tips to ensure that anyone you choose to represent your brand is doing so in a respectful and legal manner.
