YouTube influencer marketing is an excellent way to expand your brand’s reach – but, only if you do it correctly.
A staggering 75% of marketers are using influencer marketing.
And you couldn’t choose a better platform than YouTube. YouTube has the highest return on investment for any influencer marketing campaign.
It can deliver unbelievable results if you do it properly. Here are 7 of the biggest mistakes to avoid with YouTube influencer marketing:
Here are 7 of the biggest mistakes to avoid with YouTube influencer marketing:
1. Choosing Your Influencer Solely Based on Numbers
Choosing an influencer based on the number of followers they have is not always a smart move.
Their audience could be made up of all sorts of different people, with different likes, dislikes, and tastes. Meaning, only a small percentage would even be interested in your product.
Sometimes, the most strategic decision you can make is finding a smaller to mid-sized YouTuber. They’ll likely have a dedicated and loyal fanbase. And if they align with your niche – they could give you a much higher return on investment, than a YouTuber with millions of scattered fans.
2. Not Disclosing
Not only is it unethical, but not disclosing your relationship with an influencer (or vice versa) can have catastrophic consequences, for the brand and the influencer.
You must always disclose your relationship. You cannot ask the influencer to not disclose, but it’s also their responsibility to keep up with the FTC’s guidelines and clearly state that they’re being compensated.
3. Not Setting Goals For Your YouTube Influencer Marketing Campaign
Like any marketing campaign, you need to set clearly defined goals from the beginning.
Keep track of your objectives, your ROI, and basic data – so you know what went right and what can be improved on next time.
4. Not Doing Your Research
Choosing the right influencer for your brand is the most crucial decision you’ll make with any YouTube influencer marketing campaign.
This person will represent your business – you want to ensure you’ve vetted them thoroughly and haven’t missed anything.
This goes along with not selecting someone based on their number of followers. You need to look at their engagement, how much they interact with their followers, and their general reputation.
5. Having Crystal-Clear Expectations
Even if you know they’ve done this a hundred times – every campaign is different and you need to set your expectations from day one. It’s about being organized and keeping track of the entire campaign.
And, if you have an agreement or contract, make sure to go over it with them so they fully understand and there aren’t any hiccups.
6. Not Giving Your Influencers’ Creative Freedom
We get it. You have certain objectives, goals, and a budget in mind.
But, you must remember they aren’t actors – they’re real people. And they know their audience best.
Your marketing campaign won’t have positive results if it comes across as salesy and insincere. You want the recommendations to be and sound authentic.
After all, the influencer’s audience knows them and will notice if something comes across fake.
7. Understanding Your Influencer’s Audience
Lastly, if you don’t know who the audience is, inside and out – you won’t have much luck getting a return on your investment or having any success in this campaign.
Your brand must mesh well with their audience. If the YouTuber’s audience is 14-year-old girls and you’re trying to sell men’s watches – well, don’t expect any ROI.
Final Thoughts
Influencer marketing is an excellent way to expand your reach, if you execute an authentic campaign with the right YouTuber, and don’t make these costly mistakes.
Do your research. You’ll likely have much better results with a small to a mid-sized influencer who has a highly engaged following. And it doesn’t hurt to let them have a little creative freedom, either.
Bottom line: YouTube can be highly beneficial to your business if you do it right.
What mistakes do you see being made in influencer marketing, specifically with YouTube? Share with us in the comments section below!
