It’s all about the numbers
Bigger, is not always better. Pinpoint exactly who you want to reach. If it’s a specific type of person, your best bet is to find an influencer who matches their profile. Ultimately, those who use social media for product inspiration follow influencers with similar taste and lifestyle choices to themselves. Don’t dismiss a micro-influencer (someone with less than 10,000 followers) as it’s actually more likely they can convert browsers to buyers, rather than a celebrity with millions of followers from all walks of life. This is the approach we’ve adopted with Brooks Running so that we can be confident the posts are being seen by the right people, not just any people.
It doesn’t take long to write a review
This is perhaps one of bloggers’ biggest bugbears. How do we know? Because we talk to them every day! Quality bloggers will take time to prepare a review. From photographing content to writing a creative headline and putting the product through its paces. Agree deadlines realistically and collaboratively in advance. If you know you have a tight turn-around, be upfront about it. You may be able to negotiate something mutually beneficial.
It’s hard to be creative with a blog review
It’s actually harder when you don’t have an interesting angle! If you’re working with ten different bloggers and they are all reviewing the same item, it’s surely better to give them some creative freedom. Your content will be more varied, and more interesting for readers. Here’s an example of two different takes on a review for YAZOO No Added Sugar: North-East Family Fun and What the Redhead Said
We should work with the same bloggers all the time
There are arguments to say that sustained partnerships work well for both blogger and brand as long as the content is fresh and interesting. However, broadening your horizons and working with a wider range will give you better exposure. It can also benefit your SEO, and position you as an inclusive brand.
Social media should mirror blog content
Once upon a time bloggers would rely on social media as a valuable way to drive traffic to their blog. That’s not to say that it doesn’t work for everyone, but many more established bloggers find their traffic is coming from Google, and that purely posting links to blog posts on social channels doesn’t necessarily deliver more page views. Smart thinking means many bloggers will create different content to promote brand collaborations for each channel. It’s something to bear in mind when setting up the partnership, as this is naturally more time intensive but can deliver better results.
Have we missed a myth? Drop us a line on [email protected] to share with us your thoughts.
To see more of our recent work with influencers, check out our case studies: Tia Maria and Rugby Aid - Mentos Moments.