Instagram influencers created many marketing opportunities for brands globally. Big and small brands are creating their influencer campaigns and although many brands find breakthroughs through influencer marketing, there are pitfalls that any marketer should be aware of. These are some of the ways to avoid influencer marketing failures on Instagram.

When Engagement Levels are Declining, Focus on High-Engagement Influencers

Sometimes influencers’ popularity declines, or the general level of engagement on social media is low. During these times, it’s rather difficult to launch a successful influencer campaign. However, this does not mean that you should stop having influencer campaigns altogether. Rather, this shows you that in order for your campaign to take off, you need the support of high engagement.

At times like such, you should prioritize influencers with high Instagram engagement over those with a high number of followers. To maximize your chance of success, you should also find the best posting time for your industry in order to secure engagement from potential followers.

Maximize Authenticity

Many Instagram users have known that some influencers don’t use or like the products they’re promoting. This affects the number of engagement or conversions their posts could deliver. It is also important to note that one inauthentic endorsement from an influencer will be associated with your future campaigns. Once this has happened, it’s difficult to bounce back and recollect customers’ trust.

The best way to avoid this fail is by partnering with Instagram influencers who have already used your products or by giving them time to try your products before making the endorsement. In terms of creating content too, you should ensure that your audience knows that your products are being authentically liked by your endorsers.

Do a Background Checks on Your Instagram Influencers

Many influencers have many followers and a high engagement rate for the wrong reasons. These could be influencers who are part of negative rumors or scandals or associated with other negative things. In these cases, it would be much more difficult to convert viewers to followers or consumers. Influencers without a good reputation are usually not taken seriously, the products that they offer might not be trusted by the followers or viewers of the advertisement.

Check Authenticity of Followers

It is no secret that some influencers boost their follower's numbers by buying fake followers or bots. This is bad because such influencers aren’t likely to achieve the high engagement you want or reach your desired audience.

Fortunately, Instagram analytics tools are able to detect followers’ authenticity and enabling you to set real and fake followers apart. You are also able to view whether these followers are active enough to interact with your campaign post. Overall, using analytics to view your influencers’ performance is a great, data-backed way to maximize performance. 

Conclusion

There is no clear recipe to success in influencer marketing, however, there are many ways to avoid the common mistakes in influencer campaigns. As a marketer, you should take notes of the successful strategies that other brands have employed, such as creating authentic content and using the tools that you have to find red flags in influencers that could harm your campaigns.