What are influencer briefs? An influencer brief is one of the most crucial parts of a brand’s influencer marketing campaign. What happens if the influencer gets it wrong and has already produced a specific piece of content but still needs to run it by you for approval? Only to be told you’re not feeling it, and it doesn’t bring out your voice as a brand, etc.? Whose fault is it, then? No one else’s but yours.
Why? Because you did not mention it in the brief. There was no mention of this and that this aspect is the specific selling point. So now they have no choice but to go back and do it all over again. The thing is, it’s usually not as good, fresh, or enthusiastic as the first one. You do not want to put the influencer in a position where they need to redo creativity. That is if you want to keep it as genuine as possible, which usually happens on the first take.
In this post, we will discuss everything you need to know when briefing an influencer. It is crucial that all the important things can be found in the briefing. These include your company’s vision, your brand’s selling point, the objective of your campaign, etc. You need to let them know your objective so everything they do will point to this end result. So if you’re a brand reaching out to them, let them know how much artistic freedom they have to interpret it for their own without losing touch with what matters most: the message you wish to come across your target audience/market.
Key Takeaways:
- Influencer briefs are crucial for clarity and direction.
- A well-crafted brief is the foundation for trust and transparency.
- The brief sets clear expectations for both the brand and the influencer.
- A good influencer brief encourages creativity with boundaries.
- Detailed and thoughtfully prepared briefs are crucial for campaign success.
Why Influencer Briefs Are Crucial to Influencer Marketing Campaigns
What does an influencer brief entail? Amazing influencer campaigns need great briefs. This contains all the information your influencers will need so they can understand the complete scope of your campaign deliverables, the timeline, and the exchange between them and your brand. A brief can be a lot of things. It can be your campaign guidance, a mini proposal, collaborative documentation, and even a committed contract. It’s a convenient reference during the course of your campaign because it summarizes everything you need at a glance. This way, all parties involved are on the same page from beginning to end. Here are the top 3 reasons why your influencer campaign needs one.
Clarity
No one likes to do a job where they don’t know the needs, requirements, and any background information. Specific info is needed to be shared with all parties involved with the campaign, especially, the influencer you’re going to be collaborating with. Influencer briefs serve as your key component to achieve such clarity and minimize, if not eliminate, any confusion or misunderstanding.
Trust and Transparency
A good brief cultivates trust and shows transparency. This is something that can be tricky, especially in social media. Common horror stories between agencies ruining projects and abandoning commitments, which then results in underpayment or nonpayment of influencers. So, each project must start with open communication from all parties involved. And there’s no better way to do that than with a creative but concise brief that gives influencers everything they ought to know about your brand campaign.
Setting Expectations
Briefs set expectations. The expectations of social media directors, brand strategists, and marketing managers vary. And just like them, influencers also have their own set of expectations. Some of these are allowing them artistic freedom, being paid fairly for the work they have delivered, honoring the commitment you made with them, and representing them and the brand positively. Influencer briefs set such expectations for everyone involved even before tasks are assigned, content is created, or fees are paid.
How Do You Write a Creative Brief for Influencers?
There are five simple steps you can take to create effective influencer briefs.
The Template
Come up with a simple template that you could use many times over. As much as possible, stick to just one page to keep your influencer from being too overwhelmed with numerous pages to skim over.
The Influencer + The Rates
Identify the influencer you wish to represent your brand plus the rate. Know that these influencers have numerous brands reaching out to them day in and day out, so make sure to state your terms quickly. Better yet, put the rate at the top of your Brief to catch their attention immediately.
Set Up Outputs and Timelines
What are the outputs you expect from your influencer? When is your deadline? This must be brief and direct to the point. It’s better to jot them down in bullet points so they can easily see what you want them to do with this collaboration. Give them an idea of the things you wish to be included in the campaign. What type of transitions do you like, or text overlays, perhaps?
Anything that would give them a feel about the unique opportunities this campaign could bring. Do not forget to put in your due dates for each of these items. However, realize that influencers have a lot going on too, and there may be times that they may need to switch up due dates or move back specific timelines to get the work done. These things may need to be taken into consideration.
State the Terms of the Campaign
Here, outline the specific items you want done and the actions that will be taken on your influencer’s behalf. These could be influencer actions. total number of content items, putting an advertisement code into their content, or a link in their bio, among other things.
Affix a Signature Line
Don’t stop on the 4th item on our list, because the signature section is just as important. This serves as your chance to let your influencer decide to commit to you on the spot. It also sets a good precedent for a good and lasting relationship with your brand. A sign that all parties are committed to working with each other on this campaign.
Things to Consider When Writing Influencer Briefs
Before coming up with an influencer brief, a brand must first consider several important aspects to guarantee the success of its marketing campaigns. Here are some of those.
Goals
Seasoned brands know from experience that influencers love working with people who support them. This is evident if your brief allows you to score repeated collaborations with some of the most talented creators. So before getting an influencer, ask yourself if your campaign objectives align closely with their goals. Get this right from the get-go, and you can look forward to long-term partnerships.
Information
Never assume the influencer knows your brand’s expectations, and vice versa. Transparency is key, especially when discussing deadlines, collaboration terms, and other information necessary for this partnership. Keep it short yet comprehensive to ensure the influencer can easily grasp what’s important without being overwhelmed with too much information.
Requirements
State any creative requirements you have, like your logo’s visibility, or the influencer actively using the product. Utilize specific content guidelines or mood boards that include dos and don’ts. These will help your influencers have a better comprehension of your brand’s expectations and come up with content that is suitably aligned with your campaign’s vision.
Communication
The need for clear and effective communication cannot be understated. As a brand, you must ensure that your brief gives explicit directives so your influencers can better plan what they are going to say in their post and captions. Speaking of captions, get influencer marketing software that helps you curate the most powerful content for your brand. Learn more about it in our Capssion review.
Tailoring
Marketing Campaigns vary, as do influencers; thus, their uniqueness must be taken into consideration. One way of doing this is tailoring your brief that is specific to them. The basic structure can remain the same, as long as you keep in mind the unique aspects of your partnership.
Creative License
Like writers, your influencer’s creativity must be supported in one way or another. Of course, specific guidelines are set in place. However, your creators must be granted some freedom. Ask their opinion on how they want they would like the captions to be crafted, for instance. This will also help them maintain a genuine connection and engagement with the target audience.
What Is a Brand Brief for Creators?
Now, your next question may be, how do you use a brief when you are part of the creative team responsible for conception? What do you do with it during your kickoff meeting for the campaign, for instance? The first thing to do is to highlight anything that sticks out like a sore thumb. These can be jumping-off points for concepts. As creators, looking for the right influencer marketing software can be daunting. Choose a powerful software that offers a comprehensive solution for creators. Learn more about it in our Beacons review.
Next, go through each highlighted concept with your team or partner and try to come up with as many ideas as you can based on these words or phrases. Jot down some questions that the brief calls for. Maybe you have questions about your target audience. What kind of lifestyle do they have? These can also be questions about the product or service, or anything that you may find confusing.
Do your research, but learn to narrow it down, especially when you’re using the web as your tool. It can cough out a multitude of answers that can easily get you distracted from the things you should focus on discovering. Stick to the interesting facts, insights, and tidbits you need to build on creative ideas.
Read the brief as many times as you can. From day one, when you have started your conceptualization, while you are executing the ads, up to the time when you think you know the brief by heart. Keep coming back to it because it is what will center and keep you focused on what you are trying to do. Focus can be difficult amid chaotic conceptualizing and creativity and your goal can get a little blurred along the way.
What Is An Influencer Brief Example?
Here’s a quick overview of the salient points to include in your influencer briefs when creating a winning marketing campaign.
FAQ
- What exactly is an influencer brief?
An influencer brief is a document that provides detailed information about a marketing campaign for an influencer to understand and execute. It includes campaign objectives, brand vision, specific deliverables, timelines, compensation, and guidelines for content creation. - Why is an influencer brief important?
It ensures clarity and alignment between the brand’s expectations and the influencer’s content, minimizing the risk of miscommunication and enhancing the effectiveness of the marketing effort. - What should be included in an influencer brief?
An influencer brief should include: - Background information about the brand and campaign.
- Clear objectives and goals of the campaign.
- Specific expectations regarding content format, style, and key messages.
- Timelines and deadlines for deliverables.
- Compensation details and any legal requirements.
- Contact information for ongoing communication.
How can a brand ensure its influencer brief is effective?
By being concise yet comprehensive, providing all necessary details without overwhelming the influencer. It should encourage creativity while clearly stating any non-negotiables. Regular communication and feedback are crucial to refine and improve the brief as needed.
What common mistakes do brands make when creating influencer briefs?
Common mistakes include being too vague about expectations, failing to communicate the brand’s voice clearly, not specifying logistic details like deadlines and payment terms, and either restricting the influencer’s creative freedom too much or not providing enough direction.
Master the Art of Influencer Briefs (Or Bite the Dust)
What is an influencer brief? Simply put, it is a lifesaver for brands, your key to building winning influencer marketing campaigns. As per Statista, the size of the influencer marketing market size across the globe has tripled since 2019. This year, it was estimated to reach a record high of 24 billion U.S. dollars. Thus, developing the best briefs possible to help your influencers promote your brand is your gateway to a successful, booming business. For more on the latest influencer marketing tips and articles, check out our post, Email Marketing Benchmarks: Comprehensive Guide 2024.
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