Hey there, fellow marketers, brands, and creators! Let’s talk about the exciting world of influencer marketing, where platforms and formats like short-videos have completely transformed the game. It’s like a rollercoaster ride, and we all want to keep up with the big trends and hot topics that truly matter. From tracking how creators, communities, and brands engage with users to disrupting the marketing landscape, we want to give you a sharp and fast insight into the present and future trends of influencer marketing.
Now, with the growth of influencer marketing, it’s no surprise that it has caught the attention of lawmakers too. In June 2023, French lawmakers passed a bill to regulate influencers, setting specific guidelines to prohibit the promotion of certain topics like medical procedures and betting or gambling. This means influencers and brands need to be extra cautious and follow legal requirements in the country.
This whole fiasco reminds us all that legal guidelines and transparency in influencer marketing are of paramount importance.
Now, don’t worry, we’ve got your back! We want to share some valuable tips on how to keep your brand safe from any influencer marketing legal mishaps in this PopStar blog article:
1. Perform Thorough Market Research – Your North Star
Before embarking on any influencer campaign, your first step should be to do your market research right. Think of it as your North Star guiding you through the vast influencer galaxy. Dig deep and understand the market trends, get a grasp of your target audience’s preferences, and study the geography where you plan to launch your awesome branded content.
But hey, you don’t have to wander around aimlessly! We’ve got some essential questions for you to answer during your market research journey:
- What are the supposed influencer marketing guidelines in the country of your target audience?
- What type of content or what content exactly does your target audience want?
- What is your brand message that you essentially need to convey?
- What kind of influencers can help you spread your brand’s message effectively?
2. Partner with Honest Influencers – Trust is Everything
In any relationship, trust is the foundation, and it’s no different in influencer marketing. You want to team up with influencers who are not only experienced but also know their followers like the back of their hand. Authenticit is, as always, the key here, folks! Look for influencers who share genuine content and steer clear from any shady or unethical practices.
Now, you might wonder, how on earth are you supposed to find these completely real and authentic influencers? Well, no worries! There are influencer marketing platforms like PopStar that can shower you with valuable insights into an influencer’s community and content. You’ll get to know their engagement rates, follower growth, brand affinity, and even the rate of suspicious followers. Armed with all this information, you can make informed decisions and choose the right influencer for your campaign.
3. Draft a Detailed Influencer Contract – Seal the Deal
Alright, so you’ve found your perfect influencer match. What’s next? Seal the deal with a rock-solid influencer contract! Communication is the key, and having everything in writing ensures that both you and your influencer are on the same page. No room for misunderstandings here, folks!
Feeling a bit overwhelmed about what to include in the contract? Take a deep breath, we’ve got a checklist to help you out:
- Scope of work
- Branding requirements
- Campaign goals
- Content deliverables
- Preferred social media platforms
- Publishing frequency
- Deadlines
- Legal guidelines
- Privacy policies
- Reasons for cancellation or termination
- Intellectual property rights
4. Encourage Influencers to Disclose Paid Partnerships – Honesty Wins Hearts
You know how they say, honesty wins hearts? Well, it couldn’t be truer in influencer marketing. The most significant legal issue that can haunt your influencer campaign is the non-disclosure of paid partnerships. Yikes!
According to the Influencer Monitoring Report in 2021, there is only about 35 percent of influencers—that small—disclose their material connections with brands in Instagram stories. Talk about inconsistency, right? But wait, there’s more! In a study from 2019, it was revealed that around 28 percent of influencers were asked by brands not to disclose their financial partnerships. Double yikes!
As brands, you’ve got to step up and take responsibility. Encourage your influencers to disclose their paid endorsements to consumers. Make it a non-negotiable part of your influencer agreement, so there’s no confusion about transparency.
5. Avoid Using Copyrighted Content – Play It Safe
Picture this: you’re rocking your influencer campaign with some epic content, and then BAM! You get hit with a million-dollar lawsuit for using copyrighted material without permission. Ouch, that’s gotta hurt!
But worry not, we’ve got a couple of tricks up our sleeves to keep you out of copyright trouble:
A. Ask Influencers to Create Original Material
Hey, creativity is contagious! Encourage your influencers to let their imagination run wild and create original content. You can always cross-check the content for plagiarism to be extra sure. Whether it’s an image, video, or sound, fresh and original content always stands out.
B. Attain Proper Licenses for Copyrighted Content
Sometimes you just gotta use that trending song for your videos, and we get it! But remember, always obtain the necessary licenses from the owners. Platforms like YouTube Creator Music and TikTok Commercial Music Library have made it easier for brands and influencers to license music and avoid the dreaded copyright infringement.
6. Review All Influencer Posts – Balancing Creativity and Responsibility
Ah, the eternal debate: to review or not to review influencer content? While we all want to give our influencers creative freedom, it’s equally crucial to protect your brand’s reputation. The last thing you want is a social media disaster that could’ve been avoided with a quick content review.
Now, we know you don’t want to stifle your influencer’s voice, and we totally agree! Strive to review influencer content without making too many edits, so their creative flair remains intact.
Final PopStar Tip
Phew, that was quite the journey, wasn’t it? But we hope you’re feeling more confident and ready to conquer the ever-changing landscape of influencer marketing. Remember, building authentic and meaningful connections with your audience through influencers is the name of the game. So, stay informed, stay transparent, and watch your brand soar to new heights in the world of influencer marketing!
Now, go forth and create some magic with your influencer campaigns!
Send us a message or contact our Team at contact@pop-star.me for more information on how PopStar can help your influencer marketing here in the Philippines.