How to Work with Influencers

If you’re a local business looking to collaborate with influencers, you’re in the right place! The influencer marketing sector is booming, having reached a value of £1.45 billion in 2023. It’s no surprise, considering that 78% of UK consumers trust influencer recommendations more than traditional advertising, and 47% make purchases based on these recommendations.

However, before you dive in, it’s crucial to understand the legalities involved. This guide focuses specifically on local businesses seeking to engage with local influencers and highlights important considerations. For detailed guidance, we recommend checking out the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) website.

Understanding Paid vs. Gifted Collaborations

When it comes to influencer partnerships, you’ve got two options: gifted products/services/events or paid collaborations.

Gifted Collaborations

If you choose to gift products, keep in mind that influencers are not obligated to promote your product/service/event. You can suggest a specific hashtag or ask for a story share, but ultimately, you have limited control over the content. To maximise the benefits of gifting, research influencers who align with your brand and are genuinely enthusiastic about your products or services. Remember, influencers must disclose that they received the items for free.

Paid Collaborations

Paying influencers grants you more control over deliverables* and just like with gifter collaborations, Influencers are legally required to indicate if the post is an advertisement or paid promotion.

While some businesses hesitate to invest in paid influencer marketing, it’s important to think of it like any other advertising channel—you wouldn’t expect a magazine to publish your ad without compensation.

How Much Should I Pay an Influencer?

Negotiating rates with influencers can be tricky, as prices vary widely across the industry. Influencers have dedicated time and resources to grow their engaged audiences and produce quality content. Most influencers will have a rate card, so it’s reasonable to ask for that upfront. Additionally, don’t hesitate to request analytics data, including audience engagement and reach before you enter into a contract with them.

Many influencers may reduce their rates if they are passionate about your offerings and believe they will resonate with their audience. If they’re out of your budget, consider discussing alternative collaboration options rather than assuming it’s a no-go.

Effectively Working with Influencers

When working with influencers on a paid basis, you have the opportunity to share your campaign brief, dictate deliverables, and request content approvals. For instance, our approach at southofthesea involves giving brands sign-off on the video concept, script, and one round of edits on the content itself. Don’t forget to have all this written out in the contract so everyone is on the same page.

One important tip: while you have the right to ask for specific deliverables, remember that influencers understand their audience best. Dictating how they should present your product can undermine the authenticity of the content. To maximise impact, allow influencers the creative freedom to present your message in a way that resonates with their followers.

Tracking ROI on Influencer Marketing

Tracking ROI from influencer marketing can be challenging without proper analytics in place. While you should certainly aim for a return on investment, treat influencer marketing as a primarily awareness-building activity. Monitor engagement metrics, changes in follower count, and increases in website or foot traffic to gauge the effectiveness of your campaigns.

While influencer marketing may seem daunting, it can significantly boost awareness for your local business among a new and trusting audience. To achieve success, keep these three key points in mind: conduct thorough research, comply with legal requirements, and prioritise authentic partnerships.

*in this context, deliverables are the amount of/specific posts, i.e. 1 Reel, 2 stories.

If your product, service, or event aligns with @southofthesea as an influencer, reach out to explore a potential collab!

How Local Businesses Can Effectively Collaborate with Influencers