Social Platforms Are Adding Stories To Their Platforms. Do We Love It Or Should They Stay In Their Lane?

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Social Platforms Are Adding Stories To Their Platforms. Do We Love It Or Should They Stay In Their Lane?

 

Remember when Instagram added stories to their platform and everyone was annoyed because we already had Snapchat for that? Well, what if we told you that Twitter and even LinkedIn wanted to join in on the party too? Weird, right? We know it can be annoying to see someone post the same story across all platforms. How can you avoid being that annoying person while still implementing these updates into your socials? Keep reading, we’ll tell you everything you need to know. 

 

Twitter Adds “Fleet,” Which Is Basically Its Version Of A “Story”

Twitter adds stories to its platform

It didn’t come as a surprise when we heard Twitter wanted to add the story feature as the latest addition to their app. The platform started testing its own version of stories called “Fleets,” a play on words on the term fleeting, like fleeting thoughts. The post would be up for 24 hours mimicking its sister apps Instagram and Snapchat. Twitter is doing this in hopes to make its users feel more comfortable starting conversations about their thoughts with the idea of freely tweeting what’s on their mind without dealing with as much post-tweet regret. Users can interact with your Fleet and start conversations under it, except the Fleet is deleted after 24 hours, which is a big deal for Twitter culture because there’s less pressure to keep a bold tweet posted on their feed. Imagine what the Twitter wars will look like after this update is implemented. 

 

For Twitter, adding Fleets doesn’t seem like a huge deal, but what about adding stories to your LinkedIn account?

 

LinkedIn Wants You To Post Business Casual Stories On Its App

LinkedIn confirmed it’s working on implementing stories into their platform. Their goal is to give users more creative ways to provide updates about their businesses. This update eliminates the anxieties associated with creating a formal Linkedin post. Brands can hop on their LinkedIn platform to announce brief company updates and engage with their connections. What used to feel like a traditional corporate medium is now a space for corporate and business-casual users, making it a lot easier for brands to authentically network and create connections. 

 

We’ll admit that there are cons to the stories feature being added to Linkedin. Not everyone checks their LinkedIn regularly, so this new addition could be trickier for its users to get used to. However, it could also drive more people to use their professional networking accounts!  

Let’s Talk How To Adapt Your Marketing Strategy With Stories Across All Platforms

It won’t be long before all social platforms hop on the stories bandwagon. So how can your brand adapt? Do what you already do on your brand’s Instagram story, but put a twist on it to align with the platform you are posting on! Don’t be the person who posts the same content across each story platform. Instead, post different content that plays well with whichever platform you choose to post on. 

 

How do you feel about stories across all platforms? We want to hear your thoughts! For more updates, check out The Label podcast. 

 

Now is the time to improve your marketing through IG stories

/0 Comments/in , /by

Let’s talk about Instagram stories and their features! Stories are underrated, yet a handy way to self-promote your business. Here at Creative Label, we are pretty much OBSESSED with them. So, below we have come up with four ways to improve your marketing through your Instagram stories. 

Know your audience

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again! Use your Instagram insights to your advantage. It’s a free tool Instagram provides that is perfect for honing in on your target audience. The insights tool is a strategic way to pin-point what content resonates with your audience most. For example, visit your post insights to determine which posts outperformed and WHY. Once that is established, your brand can post tailored long-form video content on Instagram stories. Once you understand when your audience is collectively on the app, make your stories available at the same time. Aside from increasing story views, it will also create opportunities to engage with your followers. 

 

Use interactive Stickers

Interact with your followers! If you want to know about the kind of content your followers want to see, ask them directly through a poll on your story. Questions can be as simple as, “Do you prefer when we post videos or pictures?” Allow your followers to choose their content. This is another feature implemented into Instagram that is meant to better connect you with your audience, which is a critical factor in improving marketing through Instagram stories. And it’s free! 

Implement Face Filters

Face filters are all the rage! They are customizable, cute, an excellent branding tool for your business. Even celebrities like Kylie Jenner are making use of this trendy Instagram feature to promote her latest Kylie Cosmetics line. Instagram has also taken it a step further by allowing users to download filters. This interactive feature is the perfect way to promote. 

Less is More

Instagram is a visual platform. Therefore, it is essential to find a creative way to capture your audience’s attention and get your message out to them. When it comes to IG stories, there is only a small window to grab your audience’s attention, so keep it engaging and tell a story. No one wants to click through a million story posts when they’re meaningless. However, they will if you’re telling an engaging story through photo and video. 

 

So which tip are you guys feeling most? Comment down below! If you still need help in marketing your brand through your Instagram Story, just shoot us an email info@itscreativelabel.com we’d love to help out! 

 

Five Social Media Updates To Watch For

/0 Comments/in , /by

5 Social Media Updates for 2020

 

It’s 2020 and we’ve all got big plans, right? Whether you’re brushing up on the latest industry updates or here to take your social branding to the next level, we’re here to help. Below we’ve compiled 5 of the biggest trending social media updates for 2020! 

 

Instagram Stories Effects + Filters

We’re sure you’ve seen them all over your Instagram Story… “2020 Predictions”, “Which Disney Character Are You?”, “What Kardashian Are You?” as well as the classic freckles, butterflies, VOGUE, etc. These filters are building upon personal brands exponentially and overnight. Instagram creators are making the most of their graphic and tech skills and Instagram users ultimately do the promotion for them. 

Could this be the key to further promoting your brand? 

Brand Presence on TikTok 

 

Surprisingly, the app is home to much more than trending dances and skits. Big market companies and brands are flocking to the new platform to share a variety of content that targets a greater audience. Companies like Chipotle, NBA and even Washington Post are getting in on the TikTok action and posting memes, highlights, and consumer features! TikTok also allows brands to use and create “hashtags challenges” which encourages engagement and duets (a sharing feature on the app). We all know engagement is KEY, right? So, have you made your account yet?!

 

Augmented Reality 

 

We know… sounds weird! AR is a form of technology that can superimpose computer-generated images onto a user’s screen in a way that appears real. Some examples of ways in which brands are using this to their advantage are:

 

Warby Parker’s Virtual Try-On

Warby Parker’s AR allows consumers to virtually try on glasses before purchasing them!

IKEA’s PLACE

IKEA’s AR allows consumers to “place” virtual furniture around their space to test sizing and appearance before purchasing!

AR is a great way to get your audience involved with your brand or product and companies are starting to see the value in that. What would your AR be?

 

IGTV Convenience

 

IGTV isn’t new to 2020, but IGTV brand recognition is! So, you’re super busy, don’t have the time, resources or content to start-up or maintain that YouTube channel you’ve been talking about… IGTV is a great alternative or addition! IGTV is a convenient way to promote video content that truly showcases your brand or product. Upload a “How To”, a cooking demo, a “Get Ready With Me” or travel diary, etc. These videos are professional and creative additions to your Instagram’s profile and with the right promo, branding and hashtags they’re certain to circulate quickly! 

Snapchat Subscription Stories 

 

To highlight a few… E!’s “Rundown”, Buzzfeed’s “Tasty”, “LoveStoriesTV” are all great examples of brands successfully utilizing Snapchat Subscription stories! Snapchat as a platform is an incredible resource for brands because of the use of short-term content. Brands see the value of these subscription stories because of the access to new analytics and the opportunity for a variety of content. Will you… swipe up to subscribe?

 

2020 is the year of YOU! It’s time to take advantage of all that social media has to offer you and your brand. If you’re not sure where to start, email us at info@creativelabel.com for help. Which updates are your favorite? Comment down below!

Five Easy Ways To Increase Social Media Engagement

/0 Comments/in , /by

They say “numbers don’t lie” but we beg to differ. Thanks to growth hacking techniques, when it comes to follower counts on social media, it’s easy to buy your way into a perceived status by purchasing likes and followers. But is that follower count what really matters though? 

 

In the world of social media, the number of likes and followers you accumulate determines how much Instagram clout you have. Because this perceived clout is so important to some, many influencers and brands rely on their following number; and as a result, lose sight on an even more important and key metric: engagement. 

 

We’re breaking things down and giving you 5 Easy Ways To Increase Social Media Engagement with another FREE downloadable. If you’re ready to grow your brand, find your target audience and collaborate with the best of the best, then stop what you’re doing and download it here! Head on back when you’re done so we can chat with you about the importance of engagement… 

 

You’re back? Okay, let’s dive in!

Know your Brand

Drake said it best ‘ know yourself know your worth. Saying you’re a Blogger, Influencer, Public Figure, Digital Content Creator etc. is cool but what sets you or your product apart? It’s important to have a vision for your brand and a clear story you want to tell. The best way to figure that out is to be authentically YOU! What do you want people to see when they look at your blog, Instagram, or YouTube channel? Does it connect to your brand? Create a strategy that aligns with the core values of your brand and stay on top of trends that reflect your vision. This will be MAJOR in determining your audience. 

 

Know your Audience 

To know your brand is to know your audience. Listen to them. Value them as much as you want them to value you. Return the love and like and reply back to their comments. Ask them what do they want to see more of? Make the most of your follower count by increasing it even more in giveaways and lotteries. Utilize hashtags that will help your audience find you. Once you determine your audience you will have a better understanding of what content will contribute to your brand most. 

 

Content Content & More Content 

This is what everyone wants to see. What are you posting and how does it align with your brand and your audience? Utilize the many different ways you can create content whether it’s image, video, blog post, or a well thought out caption. Be careful not to create content because it’s the current trend if it doesn’t correspond with your brand and audience. Your content should always align with you and your audience’s interest.

Insights Are Your Friend

Monitoring analytics helps you to determine what your audience wants more of and ultimately what it says about you as a brand. It helps you discover new audiences and improves your user experience by optimizing marketing strategies, such as ad campaigns. This saves you time by creating more of the content that your audience likes and canceling out what hasn’t previously worked to make room for more valuable content that will be well received!

 

You can follow all these components but overall, consistency will always win! It determines the longevity of your brand and the relationships that you will establish with your audience and other brands for future collaborations. If you scrolled passed your opportunity earlier, we’re here to nudge you in the right direction, again (as always). Grab that downloadable we talked about and let us know in the comments below which steps you’re going to implement to further increase your engagement from here on out!

How Much To Charge For A Commercial Spot On Your Podcast

/0 Comments/in , /by

This week we’re talking about Money, Money, Money, and breaking down podcast ads otherwise known as commercial spots! We also touch on how to create your very own commercial one sheet! 

 

I think we can all pretty much agree podcasts are awesome! They are one of the few digital platforms that promote “friendly traffic”. For example, podcast audiences are loyal and tune into shows multiple times a week. In turn, listeners have established trust with the host and the podcast in general, forming somewhat of a friendship. 

 

In podcast advertising, ad spots are simply time slots within a podcast episode that brands purchase for advertising. The average number of podcast listeners has doubled in the last year and businesses are expected to spend over $500 million in podcast advertising in 2020. With that being said if you have not already implemented podcast advertising in your marketing strategy, what are you even doing in life? We’re kidding of course, but seriously podcast advertising provides a huge opportunity to increase brand awareness and revenue. So, keep reading if you want a basic rundown of how to get started advertising your business through podcasts and how to make money with a commercial one sheet!

 

Time Slots & Time Slot Reads:

When you buy a podcast ad, you’re buying a time slot, usually somewhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute and 30 seconds. Time slots give podcast hosts the opportunity to discuss your product or brand. There are three main types of time slots you can choose for your ad time. 

Pre-roll– a 15-50 second ad at the beginning of the podcast.

 

Mid-roll– a 1-1.5 minutes in the middle of the podcast.

 

Post-roll– a 15-30 second ad at the end of the podcast.

 

The most valuable time spot is mid-roll because listeners are more engaged and less likely to skip through the ad. If you don’t want to spring for a mid-roll ad, a pre-roll spot is the second-best option. People are more likely to listen to a commercial before the show starts then after it ends!

 

Now that you understand the different time slots, it is essential to know what type of read you should purchase. Choosing the right time slot read is crucial because it affects the actions your listeners take after hearing the ad. There are two types of time slot reads.

Live read–This is when hosts integrate your product into the current episode in an authentic way, maybe even improvising on the spot.

Recorded read–This is a timeslot in which a host pre-records an audio commercial about your product that will be played during a specific time slot within the podcast episode.

 

In our experience, live reads resonate more with audiences because they feel more genuine and conversational. People are more likely to follow a brand or buy a product if the advertising appears less scripted, and more organic. 

 

Podcast Advertising Cost:

Like most things in life, the type of ad spot you decide on will depend on your budget. Podcast advertising cost is based on the show’s popularity, subs (people who follow your podcast), downloads (any time an episode file is downloaded), and a number of actual listeners (how many people actually listened to the episode after downloading). A podcast’s audience size is determined by how many downloads each episode receives on average over a 30 day period. Then the ads are typically priced on a CPM (cost per mille or cost per 1,000 listeners) model, based on the number of episode downloads. Rates can range anywhere from $18 to $50 CPM, depending on the popularity of the show. 

 

Industry Standard for 2019:

We’ve found the standard rate for podcast commercials in 2019 are as follows:

 

  • Ads: 30 Seconds ($18)
  • Ads: 60 seconds ($25)

 

Commercial One Sheet:

If you don’t know what a commercial one sheet is, take notes! In order to make money off of your podcast, you need a commercial one sheet. We repeat you need a commercial one sheet! A one-sheet is a single page that provides information about your company or a particular product or service. This page is used to attract sponsors to purchase ad time on your podcast. In this case, your commercial one sheet will highlight a brief overview of your podcast (bio, episode plays, episode downloads, listener demographics) and your advertising rates. We personally like to include advertising packages to offer more incentives to potential sponsors. Now, if that still sounds overwhelming, don’t panic! Since we adore you guys so much, we’ve attached a commercial one sheet downloadable template here. You are just one click away from having your very own podcast commercial one sheet!

We want to hear your thoughts on podcast commercials down below! And if you’re new to the podcast game check out our ecourse on how to start a podcast for $47.00.

Holiday Influencer Marketing Campaigns, What You Need To Know

/0 Comments/in , /by

You just threw on your warm sweater, a cute pair of knee high boots, and picked up your pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. You’re all prepped for the fall and BAM it hits you. You realize Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. Yep, the holidays are closer than they appear, and if you haven’t started prepping for your holiday marketing campaigns you need to get on it. Developing a marketing plan for your business may seem challenging, so we are going to give you a bit of insight. Your marketing plan should consist of many elements, but one important strategy for almost all businesses should include influencer marketing. 

 

Did you know that 89% of business owners see the strongest return with influencer marketing rather than other marketing strategies? Influencer marketing may seem like a scary investment for your business, but statistically, it proves to be worth it if it is done right. 

 

Here are seven things you need to do to know before gearing up for your holiday marketing plan. 

 

Start The Prep Work Immediately- You Are On A Time Crunch 

You will need to get started immediately. The holidays are right around the corner literally. You need to ask yourself the following details: 

 

 

  • What product/services will you highlight in the holiday campaign 
  • When will the campaign start and end 
  • How many influencers will you use 

 

 

Do Your Research On Influencers 

Doing your research is important. You would never want to waste product or money on an influencer who doesn’t add proper value to your company. Just because an influencer has a large amount of followers, doesn’t mean they are the right influencer for you. You want to be sure you are using an influencer that attracts the right audience. For example, an influencer with 10K followers may give you a stronger return than one with 50K. This likely happens because the influencer with the smaller audience has a niche following. Spend more time stressing about the influencers engagement rate than anything else. If you are unsure how to find that, download our Social Media Report Card here. You’ll be able to calculate the engagement rate of the influencers you’re interested in hiring, to ensure they’re a good fit for you! 

 

Have A Budget- Be Prepared To Spend Money In Order To Make It

Yes, some influencers will work with you on a trade out bases, but it will still cost you. Just because you trade out product for promotion doesn’t mean it won’t. You still have to pay for the cost of product or donate time for your services. Yes, tradeouts are great and could save you a bit, but sometimes you will see a stronger return by just paying an influencer with cash. If you don’t know how much you should pay use the points below as a guide: 

 

 

  • An influencer with 10,000 followers could charge $250 per post
  • An influencer with 100,000 followers could charge $2500 per post
  • An influencer with 1,000,000 followers could charge $25,000 per post

 

 

Flush Out A Plan With Tight Deadlines & Contracts

Once you book your influencers, be sure to flush out their deadlines and make them extremely clear. You will want to be sure these deadlines are included in writing and in a contract.The influencer must sign the contract before receiving product or getting paid. Make sure to give the influencer and yourself ample time for approvals in case you need extra time to review or the influencer needs to change their photo or copy! 

 

   

Don’t Hesitate To Use Influencers With A Holiday Gift  Guide 

Remember Oprah’s favorite things list? Yeah, well many influencers, bloggers, and vloggers have a holiday gift guide they post for their followers every November/December. It is oddly similar to Oprah’s favorite things list, except the 2019 millennial version of it. This gift guide  is typically where influencers highlight their favorite products and provide reviews and discount codes for their followers during the holiday season. Many consumers look to these influencers for guidance on the purchasing of gifts for family and friends. Don’t hesitate to use influencers who have a holiday guide since they have an audience who will already be looking for popular products.

 

Influencer marketing can feel overwhelming at times. If you are looking for a team to take over your marketing campaigns and help you see the return you would like please reach out to us at info@itscreativelabel.com.

Artificially inflated ads? The Dark Side of Paid Engagement

/0 Comments/in , , /by

If you’re running artificially inflated ads and your client is unaware, we need to chat. Today, we’re talking about the risk many ad companies are taking to boost engagement on their clients’ ads. Some see this as a risk worth taking, but we’re here to tell you, artificially inflating engagement on an ad can harm the client’s business. Still don’t believe us, well we’re about to burst your bubble. Keep reading and we’ll tell you why. 

What are artificially inflated ads?

Let’s start by breaking down artificially inflated ads. Artificially inflated ads are purchased advertisements injected with fake engagement by third-party apps. Advertising companies are paying third-party apps to engage with client advertisements for a more significant return on their cost-per-click metrics. Other examples of artificial inflation are fake followers, likes, and comments. 

What does Facebook think about this? 

What does Facebook think about this? Well, they hate it. Facebook is taking legal action; here’s the tea. Facebook filed a lawsuit against two app developers, LionMobi and JediMobi, over ‘click injection’ fraud against Facebook ads. These app developers allegedly created fake user clicks on Facebook advertisements giving the impression that users were engaging with the ads. The Facebook advertising system, known as the Facebook Audience Network, would then pay out cash to these apps thinking real users had clicked on the ads. As a result of this click injection scheme, Facebook refunded money back to advertisers who paid to have their ads on the Facebook Audience Network platform and had their ads clicked on via this fraudulent scheme. 

Now, Facebook and Instagram are cleaning up artificial activity by putting a stop to third-party apps, bot accounts, and influencers from engaging in such inauthentic behavior. If Facebook or Instagram discover purchased engagement such as shares, likes, comments, or followers on accounts, they will remove all inorganic content. If that doesn’t stop users from purchasing engagement, Facebook will ban accounts and permanently restrict user’s IP addresses from accessing the Instagram app or website.  

Now, if the possibility of getting banned from Facebook or Instagram for artificially inflating ads or engagement doesn’t scare you, we’ve got some more reasons why you should stop this practice asap. 

Use Artificial Engagement At Your Own Risk

Now, here is what ad companies should consider: the risks of running inflated ads. When engaging in artificial engagement or artificially inflating ads, you risk losing brand credibility, no actual monetary return on ads, and Facebook banning you. 

First, let’s touch on brand credibility. With so much inauthentic engagement, inflating ads won’t do brands any good. When running inflated ads for clients, brands are looking for a return on their investment and real engagement on their advertisements. This strategy is not only a copout to fine-tuning the type of ad that works best for the brand, but this strategy also threatens the reputation and economic growth of companies by putting companies at risk of losing out on real engagement, sales, and consumer loyalty. 

Next, if it’s not real, you won’t see a return. Fake engagement is not real business. Think of it this way: When measuring the click-per-cost return on investment, the sales won’t reflect the amount of engagement the ad reached. It would be impossible to measure how well an inflated ad organically connected with an audience based on fake engagement. 

 

We’re here to tell you that although artificially inflating ads may sounds tempting, think twice before doing so. It could cost business, valuable partnerships in the future, and could run the risk of having your social media accounts shut down. If you’re looking for a ad agency to run ads for you, send a message to info@itscreativelabel.com. We’re here to help! 

How Social Media Helped Popey’s Revenue Increase By Millions

/0 Comments/in /by

How Social Media Helped Popeye’s Revenue Increase by Millions.

 

Today’s blog we’re going to recap the great chicken sandwich debate and discuss its impact of social media. 

But first, a little history is helpful. Do you remember when we talked about brand feuds on our podcast and Instagram? Take a listen to our podcast and check out this post on Instagram. The long and short of it is, the fast-food industry is notorious for feuding on Twitter.

Which brings us to where it all started. Popeye’s launched a chicken sandwich, and it looked a lot like an American favorite, Chic-fil-A’s chicken sandwich. So, as petty chain restaurants always are, Chic-fil-A responded in a sublim. A sublim heard around the world and ultimately, equated to an insane amount of free advertisement for Popeye’s. #RegretMuch?

I hope you didn’t think the sublimming was over. See Popeye’s response is below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23-freakin-million! Is the rumored number Popeye’s is to have made over the, “Who has the better chicken sandwich, Chic-fil-A or Popeye’s?” social media firestorm. After some digging, we figured out exactly where that number came from: 

 

Now the second great debate in this entire debacle is who is the driving force behind this trending topic–#blacktwitter or Popeye’s social media marketing.

We’re not going to choose a side on this one. We want to hear what you think! Should this hype be credited to Black Twitter users that spread the word about the new menu fare? Or do you think this was a successful ploy between two brands in industries that are constantly “feuding”? Let us know what you think in the comments!

Girlboss Professional Network: LinkedIn-Like Platform for Ambitious Women

/0 Comments/in , , /by

If you listen to our podcast, you’ve heard us talking about the new LinkedIn-Like platform created for women by women. Girlboss is a popular community created by Nasty Gal founder, Sophia Amoruso.

Throughout the last couple of years, the brand has been on a constant mission to bring new things to the community. With the creation of the professional network, their team hopes it will help connect female entrepreneurs, creatives, and freelancers with other like-minded women. Here are some ways that the Girlboss professional network works and is revolutionizing social media for ambitious women.

Prominent Female Leaders Will Host “Ask Me Anything” Sessions

Notable women such as Arianna Huffington, Beth Comstock, and Bozoma St. John are just a few examples of big names that will lead Q&A sessions. All members on the Girlboss platform will be able to interact and leave questions for the session host.

Professionalism & Sense of Self Are Elegantly Combined

Don’t you just hate those stuffy uptight vibes you get from other networking platforms? Girlbossmembers will be able to customize their profiles to not just share what they do but also capture who they are in order to bring in the important element of personality. There’s also a fun fill-in-the-blank bio and horoscope reading to create a more casual feel.

There’s a Heavy Emphasis on Meaningful Connections

In order to ensure every connection request is meaningful, members can only send one connection request daily. This encourages people to clearly state their intentions as well as truly reflect on who they want to surround themselves with as they nurture new relationships.

Membership Is Free To Ensure Accessibility

Usually, it’s women who can’t afford to join members-only clubs. So in order to make sure that career-minded women everywhere can access opportunities, the platform is free to join in an effort to truly carve out community.

Having the opportunity to show up on another platform is amazing and the fact that it’s all women makes it even better to fully embrace #WomenSupportingWomen and #CommunityOverCompetition. We love seeing like-minded women come together and help one another step into their power! 

Are you going to be joining the community? If so, just click here to join and let us know what you think in the comments below!

 

3 Tips to Handle Scandalous Influencer Partnerships

/0 Comments/in , , /by

This week we’re talking about Influencers. New age celebrities, filling our timelines with dreamy content and exclusive promo codes. Despite naysayers and eye rolls that occasionally occur when discussing influencers, they have a significant impact on brand awareness and increasing revenue (two words: Kylie Jenner). 

By 2020, the influencer marketing industry is forecasted to be worth as much as $10 billion. Today, the world of marketing recognizes these advantages so much that various brands have built an Influencer Marketing division into their marketing strategy. These divisions are important as influencers are lead-generation channels that help market products in an authentic way for brands. 

However, there are times when influencer affiliations can hurt your brand, such as the Oliva Jade scandal earlier this year (check out the recap here). Although Sephora had nothing to do with the college tuition scam directly, the multinational cosmetic chain found themselves in an awkward position: either risk guilt by association or terminate their relationship with Oliva Jade. As we all know, they chose the latter, but can we blame them? After all, show me who your influencers are, and I’ll show you who your brand is. Feel free to tweet that!

In a way, influencer marketing acts as a paradox. Influencers serve brands well because they contribute a human factor to advertising, allowing consumers to trust products and services more readily. Though, unless you’re Beyonce, humans have flaws. Therefore, risk is inherent in influencer advertising. Have no worries though; we have compiled a list of tips to minimize liability and manage scandal during influencer partnerships. Because they will happen.

Do your research

Common mistakes brands make when outsourcing an influencer is solely relying on vanity metrics, such as follower count. Just because someone has 100k on Instagram does not mean they will reach your brand’s target audience or that their following is real. It is essential to include preliminary research to ensure the influencer and the brand have aligned values. Study past content, comments, interviews, etc. to spot any potential red flags. Sephora could have never predicted the Oliva Jade College Admission scandal, yet if they monitored her past Youtube content, they would have been alerted with Jade’s offhand comments devaluing education. Would these comments have served as glaring red flag worth terminating their partnership, likely not. To drive the point home, context clues can be found throughout an influencer’s social media, so it’s important to do your research. 

When you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready

Our digital space society is hyper-reactive and breeds “cancel-culture.” Because of this marketing teams must implement a crisis management strategy. If you’re reading this and thinking, “K. We don’t have one of these.” Here are a few tips. Within the crisis plan, conduct social monitoring and listening techniques on various social platforms that give you a sense of how audiences are reacting to your brand during a scandal. In addition to social listening and monitoring, consider consulting legal counsel to serve as a guide for proper terminology to protect you from other legal implications. After collecting the data and seeking legal advice, form appropriate, transparent responses to address the public. Let this plan be loose and fluid, as not all influencer marketing scandals are the same, and you’ll want to deal with each accordingly.

Honesty is the best policy

Due to the nature of the Olivia Jade scandal, Sephora ultimately released the following statement, “after careful review of recent developments, we have made the decision to end the Sephora Collection partnership with Olivia Jade, effective immediately”. The statement proved necessary to protect the integrity of the brand. When it comes to any PR scandal, honesty and transparency are key. A scandal is not the time to be defensive; it is the time to master the art of apologizing. Apologies should not read as curated scripts, but rather authentic, humble, and remorseful. Consumers have more respect for brands that acknowledge wrongdoings, show remorse, and vow an act of change. 

If you have experienced any unfortunate scandals with influencer marketing, spill the tea in the comments down below. If you have any questions or simply want to gain more insight on influencer marketing, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@itscreativelabel.com.

Our Work

We’re Hiring

© 2020 Creative Label

About

Contact

The Buzz