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Keeping it Ethical with Influencers: Virtual Panel Recap

Posted on Oct. 7, 2022  /  Subscribe 0

In the world of communications, the only constant is change. One of the most significant ways the field of communications has changed in recent years is the rise of influencers and the important role they can play in campaigns. Because working with influencers can be quite a bit different than working with traditional media outlets, practitioners should take some time to evaluate their campaigns and see how they may be able to leverage the power of influencers in an ethical and mutually beneficial manner.

We recently had the privilege of hosting a virtual panel on the ethical considerations PR pros should keep in mind when working with influencers. The panel was moderated by Nikki Little, Senior Vice President, Franco, and comprised expert influencers and PR practitioners with related experience. Our panelists for this event included:

• Hajj Flemings - Serial Entrepreneur, Brand Technologist and CEO of @RebrandCities and @TheModAthlete (Twitter and Instagram)
• Curt McAllister - Midwest Public Relations Manager of Toyota North America
• Sabrina Pare - Co-Founder of @Eco_Tok and @sabrina.sustainable.life (on Instagram and TikTok).

SELECTING AN INFLUENCER
When it comes to selecting an influencer to work with, where should a communications pro start?

“There are a lot of things to consider, but I think fit becomes really important,” said Hajj. “Sometimes as brands, we tend to lean towards people with huge followings without really considering, ‘OK, is it a good fit?’ So, I think that is part of it. Quality of content… you want to select someone who can produce the quality of content that is going to be in alignment with the brand and its voice.”

It’s also important to not underestimate the power of micro influencers, Hajj added. Finding someone with a smaller, but very niche audience, can provide great value for brands.

“Nano and micro influencers have become all the rage,” Curt added. “It’s not so much about the sheer number, but the impact.” Curt explained that nano influencers (approx. 100 – 10,000 followers) and micro influencers (approx. 10,001 – 100,000 followers), while smaller in number of followers, tend to be effective in reaching niche audiences, which helps to ensure the right people are receiving the intended messages.

THE BALANCE OF AUTONOMY AND MESSAGING 
“I feel like my audience can tell when it’s me saying it, or when it’s obviously coming from a brand,” Sabrina said.

“The content typically does better when it’s coming from my own voice. It is helpful to also know up front what are the key things they would like me to hit on, and what the goal of the campaign is.”

Curt and his team are mindful to respect each influencer’s brand and storytelling style, so they typically provide them with a product (if applicable), give them the important info, their hashtags, and then “get out of the way,” he explained.

“I think sometimes you can do a lot of damage if you are over their shoulder and micromanaging their content,” Curt said. “First of all, they are not going to appreciate it, and second, they will probably not work with you again. So, we try to give them as much latitude as we can.”

One challenge of working with bigger brands, Hajj added, can be the complexities of larger teams.

“Working with bigger brands can be a great opportunity, but a challenge because you have all these cooks in the kitchen,” Hajj said. “You have the legal department, you have marketing, you have all of these people who want to chime in, so it’s trying to balance that.”

At the end of the day, the content needs to be useable for the brand, so it’s really about striking the balance of giving influencers their creative freedom while also setting expectations, Hajj said.

WHAT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP ISN'T WORKING OUT?
Some of the things that can make an influencer choose to not work with a company again in the future include extensive edits, Sabrina said.

Brands must remember how much work influencers put into creating the content, and while one round of edits is generally expected, several rounds can become a bit much and turn an influencer off toward a brand, Sabrina explained. Another factor can be extended waiting time for payment, such as taking several months to pay the influencer. In order for brands to operate ethically and build effective relationships with influencers, autonomy and concise edits are critical, and so is payment in a reasonable amount of time.

For any brand, return on investment, or ROI, is of course key. Choosing to work with an influencer is an investment, Curt explained, and if the experience doesn’t provide strong enough ROI, the brand may choose to not pursue further projects with an influencer.

We would like to extend a huge “thank you” to our moderator and each of our panelists for taking the time to share their perspectives and expertise with our members. All of the incredible tips and knowledge they shared could never fit into a single blog, so be sure to watch the full panel discussion on the PRSA Detroit YouTube channel!

Jeff Adkins is a senior public relations specialist with Henry Ford Health and a PRSA Detroit board member/blog committee chair.

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