5 tips for influencers for an effective cooperation: PR agency’s view

The title influencer can be attributed to virtually anyone active on social media. Social media gives a voice to everyone – anyone can create content.

Having worked as a PR consultant with world-renowned brands and many content creators, I have made a number of observations over the years that could be useful both for a content creator and their client. What are the best practices for influencers, and how can routines be put in place to help ensure that a client returns?

1. Stay loyal

One of the biggest mistakes an influencer can make is to rush into a new collaboration with their client’s competitor immediately after the end of the cooperation with a client. This does not leave a good impression on cooperation partners or agencies. As an influencer you should maintain your authenticity and stay loyal to those brands with whom you have had a good cooperation, and whose products you use outside of a work relationship.

This way, you secure your professional image and show authenticity to your followers. This will increase the chances that a client will want to work with you again – you never know, maybe they will offer you a proposal for a long-term cooperation or an opportunity to develop a completely new product together.

2. Don’t become a Top Shop ad

This and the first point complement each other. Brands like faces who talk about products with their own character and humour, and are not already “overused”; meaning those influencers who are selective, and don’t take each and every offer.

Usually the influencers who are truest to their personality and interests, tend to receive the most offers to cooperate. Thus, it is up to the influencer to decide whether they will become just another advertisement somewhere on the main street or retain the specific content of their channel and match the brands with it, not vice versa.

3. Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines – it’s crucial

Yes, it is really important to meet deadlines. Campaigns are planned for specific periods, and in most cases, working with an influencer is only one part of an entire larger campaign. This means an attitude of “it doesn’t matter when I post the content” is definitely not the way an ideal partner would think.

It is worth noting that the need to ask and prompt about deadlines becomes incredibly inconvenient for project managers pretty quickly. It is unlikely that a person who disrespect agreements will be involved in a campaign next time.

4. Don’t black out any potential customer

So many influencers have publicly stated that people should take their work more seriously – content creation takes a lot of time and preparation. This is 100% true.

However, it is also important that an influencer maintains a serious image. Hence one of the most basic tenets is: public defamation of clients, both potential and existing, does not create any credibility and is uninviting. It is worth considering that Estonia’s small size means that stories about experiences, both good and bad, move quickly and such experiences do not stay unnoticed by others.

Of course, this does not mean that feedback about a cooperation should not be given. On the contrary: if you do not like something or have ideas about how to make something better in the future, you should tell your client. This is exactly how agencies work with their clients.

5. Share statistics and feedback

The brands themselves also want feedback. If something is wrong with their product or needs further development, such direct feedback from the consumer is extremely valuable.

Seeing an influencer’s statistics is also very useful and informative for a brand. Although most companies ask for that themselves at the end of a cooperation – or sometimes before beginning – a cooperative and proactive approach by an influencer is especially pleasing. Sharing important information and data on your own initiative is a sign of professionalism and openness to a client.