Using social
influencers is a balance of risk and reward
of brands committing self-sabotage by recruiting influencers who have demonstrated inappropriate behaviour or engaged with unsuitable or damaging content, says Jackson. ‘Companies often fail when they are blindsided by the data that can be pulled from the many influencer identification tools out there and don’t look beyond the follower numbers to assess brand fit thoroughly enough.’ Therefore, Wilks says social influencers can offer a
company a good and effective promotional outlet, but only if the relationship works. ‘An influencer’s greatest asset is their relationship with their followers and the insight this offers brands into how best to engage that community. ‘Social influencers are passionate about protecting
this relationship and will prioritise their audience’s needs over anything else. It’s why they inspire such loyalty from their followers and can be effective collaborators, when given the space to ‘do their thing’. Brands working with influencers must therefore respect their editorial independence in order to optimise the partnership.’
NEVER GO ROGUE ‘Influencers should never be left to go rogue,’ contests Jackson. ‘This in no way means that companies have to be prescriptive in terms of the content that an influencer should produce, as the value of influencers lies in the authenticity of their content and the way their social following appreciate and engage with
CorpComms | February/March 2020
that content: after all, they have amassed a following by understanding the needs of their audience and delivering content that resonates.’ Ultimately, the company-social influencer
relationship is a contractual arrangement and brands should not be afraid to make stipulations as part of negotiations, says Wilks. ‘Be clear what is a regulatory requirement, what is a condition of the brief and what is simply a guide or preference. Request a sense-check of content before it’s published. In my experience, most influencers are amenable to that, particularly when working with brands in highly regulated sectors where they may not be familiar with the law.’
Jackson concurs: ‘As with any marketing
partnership, there should always be a contract in place and a human being helping to manage the relationship, ensuring that the content meets the brief and objectives in hand, and adheres to all legal standards.’ ‘Influencers pose a risk when necessary due
diligence is not carried out and a relationship is mismanaged,’ adds Rhian Robinson, senior account director and influencer lead at Battenhall. ‘Successful influencer activations rely on working with the right people, in the right way and managing the relationship effectively.’ However, notes Jackson, companies should not only
have final sign-off before content goes live, but should also thoroughly check content throughout the duration
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