In the last few years, Influencer marketing has been the most prevalent form of social media marketing. It is true that Influencer marketing is a very effective method, but when used poorly, the outcomes may be far beyond the desires of the brand. It is a matter of expertise to convey the story of the brand to a wider audience through influencers.

Today, the marketplace is more crowded than ever. Considering that every brand is trying to advertise its product in this crowded marketplace, it is quite natural for consumers to have trust issues. Instead of ads, consumers turn to the experiences of their friends and influencers they trust before buying a product. For this reason, it is no longer enough for brands to say they are the best and find a catchy slogan. To stand out from their competitors, brands need to offer consumers a story that evokes strong emotions.

With the rise of social media, it has been discovered that influencers can be great storytellers. However, working with influencers brings some risks. A brand that wants authentic content needs to give influencers control over the campaign. But ultimately, influencers are only real people and can behave in unpredictable ways.

But don’t worry, it is possible to reduce the risks that may arise in influencer marketing. Here are 4 brand-saving tips for you:

Follow The Guidelines

Ignoring legal regulations can be self-destructive for the brand. Recently, many governments have introduced new regulations about influencer marketing. Although legal regulations differ from country to country, it is possible to say that there are some common rules. For example, many governments require influencers to state clearly when the content they produce is brand collaboration. As a result of not complying with such rules, brands are not only paying heavy fines but also attracting negative media attention.

If you want to learn about current legal regulations, look no further. We have compiled the current regulations in the Middle East, Europe and the United States of America for you. To avoid being a criminal, be sure to check out our influencer marketing legal guides!

Influencer Marketing Laws in Europe

Influencer Marketing Laws in the Middle East

Influencer Marketing Laws in the USA

Avoid Negative Associations

Influencers’ damage to their own reputation may eventually turn into a situation that will damage the reputation of the brand. In this case, even if the mistake is not directly related to the brand, eventually brands will be affected. Since consumers tend to associate the values defended by the influencer with the brand, every statement of the influencer has the potential to affect the brand. In such cases, it is important for the brand to act quickly in order to avoid damaging the brand’s reputation.

In 2018, a similar crisis occurred when Paul Logan showed a dead man in a video he posted on YouTube from the Aokigahara Forest of Japan, also known as the suicide forest. His followers accused Logan of being disrespectful and inconsiderate, and the incident provoked a huge reaction on social media. Although Logan posted a short documentary on YouTube and a remorseful text on Twitter as an apology, YouTube quickly pulled Logan from Google Preferred, a program that allows brands to pay to advertise high-performance videos on the site.

Another recent example is Jaclyn Hill. If you’re wondering what it would cost you to ignore consumer feedback, don’t miss our article. Remember, ignoring is never a good solution. If you cannot take action quickly and manage the crisis, the rest will only go downhill from there.

Get Your Tea: Jaclyn Hill Comes Back

Demand Consistency

Whether the influencer relates to the brand or not is one of the main factors that determine the success of an influencer campaign. In a network where hundreds of sponsored posts are shared every day, the reliability of brand collaborations has become questionable for consumers. When influencers do not actually use the product they advertise, the already existing trust issues of customers are only growing. Influencers, who do not have a genuine connection with the product they promote, damage the reputation of the brand as well as their own.

In a recent example, Selin Yağcıoğlu was seen holding an iPhone in the mirror photos after the stories she introduced the new Samsung GalaxyS1. Predictably, the posts sparked a lot of controversy on social media. Although the hashtag #colloboration is quite visible in Yağcıoğlu’s stories, consumers accused Yağcıoğlu of lying because she advertised a product she did not use.

Be Reasonable

Although aesthetics is quite important in social media, good-looking content alone is not enough to attract consumer attention. Whether the promotions of influencers make sense or not also affects the judgment of the consumer about the brand. Content that is in line with the promises of the product ensures that the brand reaches the consumer accurately.

When the influencers fail to achieve this harmony, unreasonable and funny scenes can occur. Just like this post where Oral-B is seen inside a pool.

Although the consequences of this type of failure for the brand are not catastrophic, the brand will fail to achieve the desired result with the campaign.

Do you remember any similar influencer crisis that happened recently? Which brand do you think handles influencer marketing best? Don’t forget to leave a comment below or let us know what you think from our socials!