What a content creator should evaluate before linking with a brand

More than 8 years, 500 publications and countless hours of work creating daily material and responding to each message personally. Building a relationship of trust with my followers – and a personal brand with its own imprint – was a path of perseverance and effort. Risking that close bond with my audience is not an option. And neither is it for content creators scattered throughout the world.

Therefore, as ambassadors of our own brand, when evaluating a collaboration or sponsored content, the creators we must keep in mind if it coincides with the interest and values ​​of our community.

Last year, the renowned Italian influencer Chiara Ferragniwas accused of unfair trade practice for allying itself with a Christmas candy firm that promised to raise funds for a children’s hospital; donations that later did not materialize. Despite her incredible number of fans, in one week her image crisis cost her 85,000 followers. in addition to a fine of one million euros.

Whether you are a nano, micro or macro influencer or content creator, your followers are not consumers. It is the first big mistake: underestimating the link, allying yourself with controversial companies or forcing the norm, even if it has nothing to do with the values ​​and principles of your personal brand.

The truth is that, when you decide to work with a company, you are transferring your vote of confidence and giving them the key to reach your audience. So, How to make social networks profitable without compromising the relationship with your followers?

Trust is what matters

Influencer marketing is growing by leaps and bounds. In 2023, digital advertising represented 55% of the advertising market in Latin America, reaching 14.7 billion dollars -a growth of 19% compared to the previous year-, according to a Magna report. The investment demonstrates the extent to which companies understand the enormous potential of micro-targeted content, generated by well-known people on social networks who speak to a specific segment of consumers.

In the last four years, publications with sponsored content have doubled in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, according to the study The State of Social Media, LatAm 2023 by Comscore. In this context, the content creators are, without a doubt, great drivers, since They were responsible for 46% of all interactions in the region.

In Argentina, just last year, 8.3 million publications were made on social networks, which in turn generated 6.3 billion interactions, which corresponds to an average per post of 775 reactions or comments, according to the report. This enormous potential of engagement o engagement is generated by a fundamental advantage of influencers: the trust.

What is behind that credibility?

Users equate online recommendations or opinions with those of friends or even family. They feel a closeness and intimacy with the influencers. Ninch Academy Facts showed that Argentines assign them an average of 5.9 trust points. Besides, 62% admitted that they influenced their purchasing decisions: 6 out of 10 purchased a product or service based on recommendations on social networks. Additionally, 84% of users admitted that they are willing to try a brand they don’t know if it is recommended by a profile they follow.

The relationship between creators and brands can be a win-win, where the latter can promote products, increase their sales and recognition, while influencers and content creators can make their content profitable, gain visibility and increase the possibility of other companies contacting them.

However, it is important not to lose sight of our actual guide: the followers. When accepting an advertising collaboration, it is important to evaluate not only the economic attractiveness, profitability, benefits, invitations to events or gifts; but also the intangible value, that is, the impression it will generate on your audience. It is a double-edged sword: it can be positive or catastrophic for a profile (as happened to Chiara Ferragni) depending on the values ​​and public image of the brand in question.

3 ethical practices

The common interests, the lifestyle, personal preferences, tastes, way of expressing oneself, sincerity and empathy They are the qualities that lead people to click the “follow” button on a profile. To preserve that trust, as content creators, the first good practice is to investigate the brand, and ask ourselves certain questions when promoting it: Is my community interested? Is it related to my profile’s area of ​​interest? Do you have a vision, feeling or thought that I agree with? Do you share the same values ​​that represent me?

Regardless of whether it is paid content, The content creator owes it to his followers. Therefore, the second practice On the way to reviewing products or services is to be honest about the qualities, advantages or disadvantages. Our responsibility is to test what they offer and say what we think, that is why the audience trusts our word. The authenticity of the publication is precisely where its value will be, both for the company and for those who follow the recommendation.

Lastly, the third practice accepting a collaboration is asking for freedom to create content following your narrative, using the usual language that you share with your community and making a storytelling according to your profile, so that it does not result in uncomfortable advertising, different from the publications that earned you the recognition of your followers.

As social media advertising and shopping gain ground, creators They will be a key point for marketing strategies. This position of intermediaries is changing the sales and positioning relationship. In the future, influencers will have more and more say in campaigns, as companies will trust them, just as their followers do, to come up with creative posts and do what they do best: create community.