In this week’s podcast conversation(opens in new tab), Casey and I dove into the pitfalls of one-size-fits-all strategy trends in influencer marketing. These strategies are EVERYWHERE on LinkedIn, usually positioned as a “hot take”. News flash: these blanket approaches can lead to ineffective campaigns and missed opportunities.
Let’s tackle a few of these here, so the next time you encounter them in your feed, you can just move right along.
Myth #1: Move all Influencer Budgets to Affiliate
This myth really needs to die. Casey even spotted a consultant suggesting that simply paying creators a commission will boost returns without deeper engagement.
This comment highlights the oversimplification of influencer marketing dynamics. We’ve said it before, … affiliate marketing and influencer marketing serve different purposes and should not be conflated.
You cannot have performance without awareness. That is how a funnel works. Without brand awareness, the effectiveness of any performance-driven strategy diminishes significantly. If no one is entering the funnel, no one is converting. It’s not rocket science.
Myth #2: Don’t Negotiate Influencer Rates Until the Brand is 100% Committed to Working with Them
It’s no surprise that there are a ton of posts on LinkedIn about the often-exasperating negotiation process between talent managers and brands.
We can’t and we won’t present creators to a brand unless we know that the brand can afford to work with them. This means that we have to negotiate rates prior to that selection taking place. And if at the end of the day the talent isn’t selected? That is usually not the fault of the intermediary agency. Brands have the ultimate authority over the creators chosen for a campaign.
Myth #3: If Creators Need Help Deciphering Your Brief, Your Brief Sucks
I have seen a lot of really crappy briefs. But I have also encountered a lot of very careless and/or inexperienced creators. Sometimes a brief can be crystal clear, and the talent still struggles to interpret it. I will also say that even the smartest of influencers can have a hard time deciphering everything in a creator brief. Not every creator is well-versed in marketing-speak. Oftentimes, creating content is not their core source of income. They might be an athlete or a home building contractor. Yes, make your brief as simple as possible. But also? It’s your job to make sure it’s understood and followed. And sometimes that job is harder than others. Suck it up.
At the end of the day, effective influencer marketing requires hard, nuanced work and silver bullet trends in influencer marketing on LinkedIn aren’t going to make everything easy and stress-free. If you’d like to hear more of the nuances behind these myths, I encourage you to listen to the full podcast episode (#77!) wherever you get your podcasts.
Danielle