Mastering Influencer Partnerships: A Creator's Must-Knows for Brand

Should you utilise influencers for your brand?

My name is Ella, I’m 22 and I have been a content creator/Influencer for 4 years now! I create nail content, mainly nail art tutorials and demonstrations, and have experience working with brands in both Sponsored posts and UGC (user-generated content). A sponsored post is where the Influencer creates content that is then posted on their own platforms, and UGC is where the Influencer creates content for the brand to use and aren’t obligated to post it anywhere. Of course, sometimes the 2 combine and brands would like both. 

Follow Ella Roberts: HERE

The utilisation of Influencers by brands is astronomically beneficial and I’d encourage all brands to consider doing so, not only does it present the brand/product to new audiences, but is also the most effective utilisation of budget to gain maximum profit. For example, when a brand creates an ad for nail polish, it typically requires a studio space, a photographer and or videographer, models, an editor, a creative director, and a nail artist at a minimum. Each of these professionals needs to be paid, which can add up to a substantial amount of money compared to influencer rates. An influencer, on the other hand, takes care of all the production aspects for you. We combine all these roles into one, handling filming and editing within a set timeframe and for a significantly lower price. This not only leaves more room in the budget for additional projects but also provides a cost-effective solution for the brand. In turn, this pushes the product out further because having a larger budget means you can hire multiple influencers to advertise for you. This goes for both UGC and sponsored content. 

Sponsored content especially Is a great way to gain sales compared to your typical ad. Influencers have audiences that trust them, people are much more likely to buy something if they’ve seen someone they trust to have veritable opinions talk about it: The influencer-to-audience relationship is extremely advantageous to any brand that utilises it. 

There are a few things Influencers are looking for when it comes to working with brands, one of them being fair payment. As stated above, the Influencer is doing all the work that is typically done by a team of people and therefore needs to be paid accordingly. Influencer rates differ from individual to individual based on things such as niche and follower size, I’d highly encourage brands to research the niche they’re advertising in and set their budget expectations accordingly. For example, in the nail art industry, with a following of between 15k and 200k, you can expect 1 video to cost approximately anywhere between £250 and £1000. This does not include usage rights. Rights to use the content in longer run advertisements, websites, etc etc,  costs more.  Brands often try to lowball creators and expect long lists of requirements to be met for a low price which is simply not a realistic expectation to have. Brands should be making sure paying fairly is at the top of their priority list. 

Follow Ella Roberts: HERE

Alongside the above, here a few more huge NO’s brands should keep in mind when working with influencers: 

Deadlines, brands should not be expecting a turnaround time of a few days for the content to be made and sent back, a 10-day minimum is ideal but the longer the better! They should plan ahead and try to aim for a 2 week to 1 month deadline.

Unclear briefs, bands need to be explicitly clear about what they require before the influencer gives their rate. If you ask for 1 sponsored post video with no usage rights and are given a rate for it, you cannot then expect add-ons such as website usage or other social media usage to be included in the original cost. Not only this but providing a clear brief prevents any miscommunications and minimises the need for changes and revisions. 

Payments, brands have an awful habit of making influencers wait months for payments, in some cases with them having to send multiple follow up emails and implementing late payment fees. keeping on top of finances and paying promptly is important, especially when it’s written into a contract.

Communication, brands need to be keeping on top of their emails. Relying on the Influencer to send multiple follow ups and wait months in between replies is disrespectful and frustrating. Time should be taken to keep on top of communications throughout the project. 

Gifted collaborations, sometimes, instead of payment, brands offer products in exchange for content. Occasionally this is okay and influencers will accept but this should NOT be the standard. Product is not acceptable compensation for the work that goes into creating content and brands should set aside a chunk of their budget for paying creators instead of expecting all of their influencer partnerships to come from gifted collaborations. (This is extremely common, especially with smaller creators). 

The best brand experience I’ve ever had was with a brand that accepted my rate from the get go, replied to all of my emails super promptly, provided feedback immediately once the video was submitted, and then paid me the day after my invoice was sent. This is pretty much unheard of and put the brand at the top of my list for future work. A note to brands out there, if you treat creators well, they will go above and beyond to create the highest quality content they can for you. It really does make a difference. 

Delving into Ella's experience as a nail content creator has illuminated the dynamic and often misunderstood world of influencer marketing. Her insights underscore a crucial shift for brands: viewing influencers not just as promotional tools, but as multifaceted creatives offering significant ROI when approached with respect and fair compensation. Ella's breakdown of cost-effectiveness, the power of trusted recommendations, and the critical "do's and don'ts" of collaboration provide a valuable roadmap for businesses aiming to tap into this potent marketing avenue.

Ultimately, Ella's message is clear: treat creators as valued partners, invest fairly in their expertise, and watch your brand engagement and profitability flourish. The era of underpaying and undervaluing influencers is over; the brands that embrace collaboration with transparency and respect will undoubtedly reap the rewards in this evolving digital landscape.

Follow Ella Roberts: HERE