How do you avoid mismatched or conflicting values with influencers?

1 Know your own values

Before you start looking for influencers, you need to define your own brand values. What do you stand for? What do you want to achieve? What do you believe in? Your values should guide your marketing strategy, your content, and your partnerships. They should also be clear and consistent across your channels, platforms, and campaigns. Having a strong sense of your own values will help you identify and attract influencers who resonate with them.

2 Research the influencer's values

Once you have a list of potential influencers, you need to do some research on their values. Don't just look at their follower count, engagement rate, or niche. Look at their content, their tone, their opinions, their causes, and their collaborations. How do they express their values? How do they interact with their audience? How do they handle controversies or criticisms? How do they align with your values? You can also use tools like social listening, sentiment analysis, or influencer platforms to get more insights into their values and reputation.

3 Communicate your expectations

When you reach out to an influencer, you need to communicate your expectations clearly and respectfully. Explain your brand values, your campaign goals, your creative guidelines, and your budget. Ask them about their values, their interests, their availability, and their rates. Be transparent and honest about what you want and what you can offer. Don't try to impose your values on them or ask them to compromise their authenticity. Instead, look for ways to create a mutually beneficial and value-driven partnership.

4 Monitor the influencer's performance

After you launch your influencer campaign, you need to monitor the influencer's performance and feedback. Track the metrics that matter to you, such as reach, impressions, clicks, conversions, or sentiment. But also pay attention to the quality and consistency of the influencer's content, the tone and relevance of their messages, the engagement and loyalty of their followers, and the alignment and harmony of their values. If you notice any red flags, such as negative comments, low engagement, off-brand content, or value clashes, address them promptly and professionally.

5 Evaluate the influencer's impact

Finally, you need to evaluate the influencer's impact on your brand and your audience. Did they help you achieve your campaign goals? Did they enhance your brand image and reputation? Did they strengthen your relationship with your target market? Did they deliver on their promises and uphold their values? Did they respect your guidelines and feedback? Did they provide you with valuable insights and suggestions? Based on your evaluation, you can decide whether to continue, modify, or end your partnership with the influencer.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?