Top Influencer Marketing Mistakes to Avoid – For Brands & Influencers

 

If you want to know which mistakes one should avoid when it comes to influencer marketing then you have landed at the right place. Whether you are just starting out with influencer marketing or trying to figure out what went wrong with your previous campaigns, this article is for you. 

While influencer marketing is a very powerful tool for brands, doing it right is the key to getting the most out of it. Whether you wish to increase your brand awareness or generate more leads, influencer marketing can do it all for you. To do it right and achieve a high ROI requires some basic knowledge and great planning. But there are a few things that you need to look out for and avoid in order to get the best results.

There are some mistakes that brands often tend to make and these mistakes are more common than you might think. So, if you are a brand or an influencer then make sure that you lookout for those. But worry not as we have compiled this article for you that will help you prevent the common influencer marketing mistakes.

 

5 Mistakes Brands Should Avoid in Influencer Marketing Campaign

 

1. Not Defining Clear Goals

The first and foremost step if you wish to make any campaign a success is to define clear goals. Just hiring some influencers and asking them to promote your product/ service won’t do you any good unless you have a specific goal in mind. 

Whether it is increasing brand awareness, generating more leads or conversions, or something else- your influencer marketing campaigns need to be driven by goals. Without specific goals, you will just end up wasting your time and money. It is only once that you set a goal, would you be able to measure whether you have actually achieved it.

So, avoid this common influencer marketing campaign mistake at any cost and define clear goals to improve your chances of a successful campaign.

2. Working with the Wrong Influencers

This is another mistake that most brands end up making and that is working with the wrong influencers. Brands sometimes tend to focus only on the influencer’s follower count and choose to work with an influencer depending upon this factor.

It might sound very tempting to work with an influencer with lakhs of followers but the campaign can go wrong if the influencer isn’t related to your niche. Think about it- it wouldn’t make sense to hire a fitness influencer for a fast-food brand or a fashion influencer for a tech-based brand.

So, it is not always the follower count that matters but how well an influencer resonates with your brand. 

3. Not Maintaining Transparency

This is another big mistake that brands should avoid making. Not maintaining transparency implies to not disclosing that it is a paid partnership with an influencer. 

In order for the posts to seem more authentic, brands often ask influencers not to disclose that it is a paid partnership. However, that is where brands go wrong. This is a complete no-no as it violates social media policies and is against the guidelines as per FTC.

So, in order to comply with the guidelines and avoid any issues, it is important to maintain transparency and mention clearly that it is a paid partnership or an ad.

4. Not Having Proper Influencer Contracts

The next influencer marketing mistake to avoid is not having proper contracts with influencers. Especially if you are just starting out with influencer marketing campaigns, do remember to have and maintain proper contracts with your influencers.

Influencer contracts are agreements that are more important than you think. To avoid any kind of issues in your campaigns later, properly written clear contracts are a must. Many times, brands do not have a contract with influencers at all and work without it. Make sure that you avoid this mistake at all costs in order to ensure that your campaigns are always smooth.

5. Not measuring your Campaign’s ROI

Another big mistake that brands usually make with influencer marketing campaigns is not measuring their ROI. It will be impossible to track your results and know whether your campaigns are doing you any good if you don’t take a look at your ROI.

Knowing how to measure ROI is also important here. So, if you haven’t been keeping a track of your campaigns’ ROI then it’s definitely time that you start doing it. Knowing the ROI will also help you better plan for your upcoming campaigns. 

We told you about the 5 common influencer marketing campaign mistakes to avoid. We hope that this helps you plan your campaigns better and get the most out of them. Now, let us tell you about some mistakes that influencers should avoid.

 

5 Mistakes Influencers Should Avoid

 

1. Not Signing Up for Influencer Marketing Programs/ Platform

If you wish to establish yourself as a successful influencer then signing up for an influencer marketing program is absolutely a must for you. Platforms like Pokeify can help you tremendously in bagging the right brand deals. So, don’t make the mistake of not signing up on platforms and just waiting for brands to approach you.

2. Saying Yes to Every Brand that Approaches You

It might be tempting to say yes to every brand that approaches you, especially when you are at the beginning of your career. It is very important that you weigh your brand deals before actually deciding whether you wish to work with them. Only choose brand deals that actually mean something for you, resonate with your niche as well as your followers.

3. Not Using Hashtags Properly

Hashtags are very important for a lot of reasons. Whether it is increasing your social reach or improving engagement, using the right hashtags is the key. Use relevant hashtags but at the same time, don’t use too many of them. 

4. Buying Fake Followers

Influencers might think that buying fake followers will help them bag more brand deals. But this is a big no-no as brands usually refrain from working with such influencers. While it may seem like the easier route, it will take a big toll on your career in the longer run.

5. Posting low-quality content

As an influencer, high-quality content should always be your top priority. To make yourself stand out and create a lasting impression on your visitors, it is very crucial that you only post high-quality content on your social media. This will also prove beneficial when you are looking to get more influencer deals.

We told you about the top 5 mistakes that influencers usually make with brand deals. Avoid these at all costs and advance better in your influencer marketing career.