We know that influence marketing works, that’s why brands are going all-in. How do we, as marketers, ensure our influence marketing campaign is a success? It all starts with asking the right questions.
Treat a conversation with a content creator like a job interview. It should be a two-way dialogue where each party in the conversation is looking to see if there’s a fit.
Here are 10 questions that every marketer should ask an influencer before they commit their spend.
1. What is your niche?
If you’ve gotten to the conversation stage you should know this already. Still, it’s good to hear their area of expertise and how it aligns with your brand (and your brand values) in the influencer’s own words. Think of this like a warm-up question.
2. What is your audience demographic?
Another question that we marketers should already know the answer to. “Who is your audience and what kind of content do they love?” is how we’d phrase this question.
3. How do you measure success?
We’re looking to uncover how engaged the creator is in their partner’s success. This is an opportunity to talk about metrics like engagement, reach, and conversions and should give a sense of how the influencer approaches partnerships.
4. What are your rates for sponsored content?
Assuming the content creator doesn’t have a rate card, it’s important to ensure you’re aligned on the financials. Have a number in mind and if it’s a tough question (which it might be for micro, nano or early-stage influence content creators), share that number.
5. Can you provide examples of past campaigns?
Ask the influencer to provide examples of past campaigns they have worked on, this will give you a better idea of their experience and the type of content they create.
6. How do you handle negative comments and feedback?
Getting a sense of the influencer’s approach to negative comments and feedback is helpful to understand how they’ll handle any issues that may arise during the campaign.
7. How will you promote our brand?
You can phrase this one as “how do you see fitting our brand into your content?” You’ll want to hear any ideas the influencer has to share your stuff in the context of their content and audience. The goal is authenticity.
8. How will you disclose sponsored content?
Legally, sponsored content has to be clearly marked as such. It’s important to know that the influencer understands this fact. More than that though, it’s helpful to hear how they go about doing it.
9. How will you engage with our brand post-campaign?
Is there a longtail to the campaign? Or is this a one-and-done engagement? Either way, you’ll want to make sure you’re aligned.
10. How will you measure the ROI of the campaign?
It all comes down to return on investment (ROI). As marketers, we’ll be measuring on our end but as a creator with influence with their audience, you’ll want their insights too.
By asking these questions, marketers can ensure there’s alignment between influencer and brand, which is the best way to ensure influence marketing success. It’s important to remember that influencer marketing is a two-way street, and both brands and influencers deserve to have a clear understanding of their roles and expectations in the partnership.
BENlabs partners brands and content creators in smart partnerships where everyone involved wins. If you’re looking to create an influence marketing campaign that converts, let’s talk.
