Best Practices for Brands

Learn proven strategies and best practices for successful influencer marketing on Flexilocus.

Table of Contents

  1. Finding the Right Creators
  2. Effective Collaboration Communication
  3. Campaign Planning
  4. Content Brief Writing
  5. Working with Multiple Creators

Finding the Right Creators

Defining Your Target Audience

Before searching for creators, clearly define who you're trying to reach.

Key Questions:

  • Who are your ideal customers?
  • What are their demographics (age, gender, location)?
  • What are their interests and values?
  • Where do they spend time online?
  • What content do they consume?
  • Who do they trust and follow?

Create Audience Personas:

Persona: Eco-Conscious Millennial
- Age: 25-35
- Location: Urban areas, US/Canada
- Income: $50K-80K
- Values: Sustainability, transparency, quality
- Platforms: Instagram, YouTube, newsletters
- Interests: Zero waste, ethical fashion, plant-based living
- Pain points: Finding authentic eco-brands, greenwashing concerns

Matching Creators to Brand Values

Alignment Checklist:

  • ☑ Do their values match yours?
  • ☑ Is their content style appropriate?
  • ☑ Does their audience match your target?
  • ☑ Is their brand safety acceptable?
  • ☑ Do they have relevant content history?
  • ☑ Are they authentic and genuine?

Red Flags:

  • Frequent brand conflicts
  • Controversial content
  • Fake engagement signs
  • Poor audience interaction
  • Inconsistent messaging
  • Negative sentiment in comments

Evaluating Engagement Over Followers

Why Engagement Matters More:

  • 10K engaged followers > 100K passive followers
  • Engagement indicates authentic connections
  • Better conversion rates
  • More valuable partnerships
  • Higher ROI typically

How to Evaluate Engagement:

Calculate Engagement Rate:

Engagement Rate = (Likes + Comments + Shares) / Followers × 100

Look for Quality Engagement:

  • Thoughtful comments (not just emojis)
  • Creator responds to comments
  • Audience asks questions
  • Genuine conversations
  • Relevant discussions

Platform Benchmarks:

  • Instagram: 3-6% is good, 8%+ is excellent
  • TikTok: 5-9% is good, 12%+ is excellent
  • YouTube: 3-5% is good, 7%+ is excellent
  • LinkedIn: 2-4% is good, 6%+ is excellent

Red Flags for Fake Engagement:

  • Generic comments ("Nice!", "Great!", emojis only)
  • Comments from suspicious accounts
  • Sudden spikes in followers
  • Engagement rate declining as followers grow
  • Comment-to-like ratio seems off

Authenticity Assessment

Authentic Creator Signs:

  • Consistent posting schedule
  • Personal stories and experiences
  • Genuine product recommendations
  • Transparent about sponsorships
  • Engaged with audience
  • Long-term audience growth
  • Quality over quantity

How to Verify Authenticity:

  1. Review 10-20 recent posts
  2. Read comments thoroughly
  3. Check follower growth (gradual is good)
  4. Look for audience loyalty
  5. Watch their sponsored vs organic content
  6. Check if they've worked with competitors

Portfolio Review

What to Look For:

Content Quality:

  • Production value
  • Editing skills
  • Visual aesthetics
  • Audio quality (video/podcast)
  • Writing quality (written content)
  • Consistency

Brand Integration:

  • Natural product placements
  • Authentic recommendations
  • Maintains their voice
  • FTC compliance
  • Creative approaches
  • Effective CTAs

Past Collaborations:

  • Brands they've worked with
  • Quality of sponsored content
  • Audience reception
  • Long-term partnerships
  • Similar to your brand?

Past Collaboration History

Research Their Work:

  • How many sponsored posts?
  • Frequency of sponsorships
  • Variety of brands
  • Direct competitors?
  • Quality maintenance

Oversaturation Warning:

  • Too many sponsorships = audience fatigue
  • Rule of thumb: <30% sponsored content
  • Space between similar products
  • Selective partnerships = higher credibility

Best Candidates:

  • Selective about partnerships
  • Relevant brand history
  • Good performance track record
  • Professional approach
  • Fair pricing

Effective Collaboration Communication

Clear Brief Writing

Essential Brief Components:

1. Executive Summary:

  • Campaign overview
  • Key objectives
  • Timeline snapshot
  • Budget indication

2. Brand Information:

  • Who you are
  • What you stand for
  • Your products/services
  • Target audience
  • Unique selling points

3. Campaign Goals:

  • Awareness vs conversion
  • Specific metrics targeted
  • Success criteria
  • How performance will be measured

4. Deliverables:

  • Exact content required
  • Platform specifications
  • Duration/length
  • Key messages
  • Required elements

5. Creative Guidelines:

  • Tone and style
  • Do's and don'ts
  • Brand assets provided
  • Usage restrictions
  • How much creative freedom

6. Timeline:

  • Content due date
  • Review period
  • Expected publish date
  • Any hard deadlines

7. Compensation:

  • Base fee
  • Usage rights included
  • Payment terms
  • Additional opportunities

Brief Template Example:

CAMPAIGN BRIEF: EcoBottle Launch

OVERVIEW:
Launch campaign for our biodegradable water bottle, targeting eco-conscious
consumers aged 25-40.

BRAND:
GreenLife creates sustainable alternatives to everyday products. We're committed
to reducing plastic waste without compromising quality or style.

GOALS:
- Generate 500K impressions
- Drive 5K website visits
- Achieve 4%+ engagement rate
- Position as premium eco-brand

DELIVERABLES:
- 1 YouTube video (8-12 minutes) with 60-90 second integration
- Must show product in use
- Highlight biodegradable technology
- Include personal reaction/review
- CTA with discount code

CREATIVE FREEDOM:
- Integrate naturally into your content style
- Choose your own setting and use case
- Be honest in your review
- Your audience trusts your opinion

DO:
✓ Show product features (leak-proof, insulated)
✓ Mention 3-year biodegradability
✓ Include FTC disclosure
✓ Use provided B-roll if desired

DON'T:
✗ Make unsubstantiated claims
✗ Compare directly to competitors
✗ Show product in inappropriate contexts

TIMELINE:
- Content due: March 15
- Review: March 16-20
- Revisions: March 21-23
- Publish window: April 1-7

COMPENSATION:
- Base fee: $5,000
- 12-month organic sharing rights included
- Payment within 30 days of publication

Response Time Expectations

Best Practices:

Your Response Times:

  • Proposals: Within 48 hours
  • Messages: Within 24 hours
  • Content review: Within 72 hours
  • Urgent items: Same day
  • Questions: Within business day

Setting Expectations:

  • Communicate your availability
  • Set auto-responders if away
  • Provide backup contact
  • Be consistent
  • Honor commitments

Creator Response Times:

  • Give 48-72 hours for replies
  • Allow 5-7 days for proposals
  • Don't expect instant responses
  • Respect their schedules
  • Follow up professionally

Professional Messaging Etiquette

Do:

  • ✓ Be respectful and courteous
  • ✓ Use professional language
  • ✓ Be clear and specific
  • ✓ Proofread messages
  • ✓ Respond promptly
  • ✓ Acknowledge receipt
  • ✓ Thank creators
  • ✓ Be honest and transparent

Don't:

  • ✗ Use overly casual language
  • ✗ Send messages late at night
  • ✗ Be pushy or demanding
  • ✗ Ignore messages
  • ✗ Be vague or unclear
  • ✗ Make unreasonable demands
  • ✗ Criticize harshly
  • ✗ Ghost creators

Example Good Message:

Hi Sarah,

Thank you for submitting the content! I've reviewed it and think it looks great overall. Your integration felt very natural.

I have one small request: Could you adjust the CTA at the end to mention our spring sale (ends April 15)? This will help viewers take action during the promotion.

Everything else is perfect. Once you make this small change, we're good to go!

Let me know if you have any questions.

Best,
Mike

Example Bad Message:

Hey,

This isn't what we wanted. Redo it.

Thanks.

Clarity in Negotiations

Be Clear About:

  • Your budget limits
  • Must-have vs. nice-to-have deliverables
  • Non-negotiable terms
  • Timeline flexibility
  • Usage rights needs
  • Revision policy

Example Clear Communication:

Just to be transparent about our budget: we have $4,500 allocated for this
collaboration. We'd love to work with you and are open to adjusting deliverables
to fit this budget. What would you be comfortable offering at that price point?

File Sharing Guidelines

Best Practices:

  • Share high-resolution assets
  • Organize files logically
  • Use clear file names
  • Include instructions
  • Provide multiple formats
  • Version control

File Organization Example:

EcoBottle_Campaign_Assets/
├── Brand_Guidelines.pdf
├── Product_Images/
│   ├── EcoBottle_Lifestyle_01.jpg
│   ├── EcoBottle_Lifestyle_02.jpg
│   └── EcoBottle_Product_Shots/
├── Logos/
│   ├── GreenLife_Logo_Primary.png
│   ├── GreenLife_Logo_White.png
│   └── GreenLife_Logo_Black.png
├── B-Roll_Footage/
│   └── Product_Features.mp4
└── Fact_Sheet.pdf

Asking Questions Effectively

How to Ask Questions:

  • Be specific
  • Ask one question at a time
  • Provide context
  • Explain why you're asking
  • Give them time to respond
  • Follow up if needed

Good Question Examples:

"For the Instagram Reel, should it be in 9:16 vertical format, or would
1:1 square work better for cross-posting to feed?"

"What's your preferred timeline for content review? Want to make sure we
don't slow you down."

"Can you share some examples of past sponsored content you're proud of?
Would love to see your style."

Building Brand Relationships

Long-Term Thinking:

  • Treat creators as partners, not vendors
  • Pay fairly and promptly
  • Respect their creative process
  • Provide constructive feedback
  • Show appreciation
  • Stay in touch between collaborations
  • Refer them to others
  • Feature their work

Relationship Building Actions:

  • Comment on their organic content
  • Share their non-sponsored posts
  • Send thank-you notes
  • Offer exclusive opportunities
  • Invite to events
  • Give creative freedom
  • Be flexible when possible

Campaign Planning

Setting Campaign Goals

SMART Goal Framework:

Specific: ❌ "Increase awareness" ✅ "Generate 1M impressions among 25-40 year old eco-conscious consumers"

Measurable: ❌ "Get lots of engagement" ✅ "Achieve 5% average engagement rate across all content"

Achievable: ❌ "Get 10M views" (with $5K budget) ✅ "Get 500K views" (realistic with budget and creators)

Relevant: ❌ "Increase TikTok followers" (for B2B SaaS product) ✅ "Generate qualified leads through LinkedIn thought leaders"

Time-Bound: ❌ "Launch soon" ✅ "Publish all content between March 1-15 for spring launch"

Example Campaign Goals:

Campaign: EcoBottle Spring Launch

Primary Goal:
Generate 1,000,000 impressions and 500 website visits within 30 days of campaign launch.

Secondary Goals:
- Achieve 5%+ average engagement rate
- Generate 2,000+ social media mentions
- Convert 100+ sales directly attributed to campaign
- Build relationships with 10 long-term creator partners

Success Metrics:
- Cost per impression < $0.05
- Cost per click < $2.00
- ROI > 200%
- Creator satisfaction > 8/10

Budget Planning

Budget Allocation Strategy:

Rule of Thumb Breakdown:

  • Creator payments: 70-80%
  • Platform/subscription costs: 5-10%
  • Production support/assets: 5-10%
  • Contingency: 10-15%

Example $50K Campaign Budget:

Creator Payments: $38,000 (76%)
├── YouTube creators (3): $18,000
├── Instagram creators (5): $14,000
└── TikTok creators (6): $6,000

Platform Costs: $3,000 (6%)
└── Flexilocus subscription (3 months)

Production Support: $4,000 (8%)
├── Product samples: $2,000
├── Shipping: $500
├── Brand assets: $1,000
└── Tools/software: $500

Contingency: $5,000 (10%)
└── Overages, rush fees, additional revisions

Budget by Creator Size:

1 Macro-influencer (500K+): $12,000 (24%)
3 Mid-tier (100-500K): $18,000 (36%)
8 Micro-influencers (10-100K): $16,000 (32%)
Contingency: $4,000 (8%)

Creator Selection Criteria

Scoring System: Create a scoring matrix (1-5 scale):

Criteria Weight Score Weighted
Audience fit 25% 4 1.00
Engagement rate 20% 5 1.00
Content quality 20% 4 0.80
Brand alignment 15% 5 0.75
Authenticity 10% 4 0.40
Pricing 10% 3 0.30
Total 100% 4.25

Decision Rules:

  • Score 4.5+: Definitely pursue
  • Score 3.5-4.4: Good candidate
  • Score 2.5-3.4: Maybe
  • Score <2.5: Pass

Timeline Planning

Comprehensive Timeline:

Pre-Campaign (2-4 weeks):

  • Week 1-2: Strategy and planning
  • Week 2-3: Creator research
  • Week 3-4: Brief creation
  • Week 4: Final approvals

Campaign Execution (6-8 weeks):

  • Week 1-2: Creator outreach
  • Week 2-3: Negotiations
  • Week 3-5: Content production
  • Week 5-6: Review and revisions
  • Week 6-7: Content publication
  • Week 7-8: Initial performance tracking

Post-Campaign (2-4 weeks):

  • Week 1-2: Performance monitoring
  • Week 2-3: Data collection
  • Week 3-4: Analysis and reporting

Buffer Time:

  • Add 20-30% buffer to all timelines
  • Account for holidays
  • Consider creator schedules
  • Plan for unexpected delays

Content Strategy

Content Mix:

  • Hero content: 20% (big productions, key creators)
  • Hub content: 50% (regular content, mid-tier creators)
  • Hygiene content: 30% (micro-influencers, consistent presence)

Platform Strategy:

  • YouTube: Long-form, detailed reviews
  • Instagram: Visual storytelling, lifestyle integration
  • TikTok: Quick hits, trending formats
  • LinkedIn: Thought leadership, B2B
  • Podcast: Deep dives, interviews
  • Newsletter: Detailed information, links

Measurement Planning

Define Success Metrics Before Launch:

Awareness Metrics:

  • Impressions
  • Reach
  • Video views
  • Story views

Engagement Metrics:

  • Likes
  • Comments
  • Shares
  • Saves
  • Engagement rate

Consideration Metrics:

  • Website visits
  • Product page views
  • Time on site
  • Pages per session

Conversion Metrics:

  • Purchases
  • Sign-ups
  • Downloads
  • Leads generated

Set Up Tracking:

  • UTM parameters for links
  • Unique discount codes per creator
  • Landing page analytics
  • Conversion pixels
  • Attribution models

This is a comprehensive guide to best practices. Continue reading the full sections for Content Brief Writing, and Working with Multiple Creators.

Next Steps

Success in influencer marketing comes from treating creators as partners, planning thoroughly, and continuously learning from data.