Behind the Curtain of Influencer Campaigns

We all know that a successful campaign doesn’t happen overnight. It’s built through careful planning, smart creator selection, and thoughtful negotiation.

Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on our process...

How long does it take to launch a new campaign, and how quickly can we get content live?

‍

A high-touch campaign ideally needs a 6 week runway. In other words, if you have a product launch coming out in April, you want to start finding your influencers by the end of February.

‍

It usually takes us about a week to plan out the campaign, influencer and content direction, a couple weeks to find the right partners and negotiate favorable deals, and then a couple weeks for your partners to produce content and handle revisions before going live.

‍

Occasionally, we have been known to expedite this timeline if we have a partner brand in a pinch!

You can read more about this Costco case study HERE!

Gifting campaigns move much faster. They can be launched in as little as a week (with the right tools and team in place), and content typically starts coming in 1-2 weeks later. Timing depends on shipping speed and the type of product: for example, a phone case may generate content quickly, while a health supplement may require more time for creators to test before promoting.

‍

How do you pick the right creators for your campaign, and make sure that they’re a good fit for the brand?

‍

Having quality content that you’re going to love starts with picking the right creators to begin with. At AGM, we blend technology, relationships, and human judgment to consistently source high-performing, brand-aligned creators.

‍

First we send a LOT of outreach to creators that we think would be a good fit based on their niche and content. Then with the creators who are interested in the campaign, we do a deep dive on their engagement metrics, as well as the content living on their feed to ensure brand safety and alignment.

‍

Ultimately the best-fit creators are the ones that fit three pieces of criteria:

1. They want to partner with the brand (it goes both ways)
2. We can imagine how the product would integrate into their content (it should be natural)
3. Their metrics and cost align with our targets and budget

Negotiating with influencers… where do you even start?

‍

This is a topic we could spend a lot of time deep-diving and debating tactics. Like any other type of negotiation, it’s art and science. As for where to start, we always say lead with budget. You should know your goals and boundaries before entering into the conversation- what are your must-haves and where are you flexible to compromise?

‍

Keep in mind that one of your biggest negotiation tools is the ability to walk away from the table. You should always have enough options in your pipeline that you have the freedom to exit a prospective deal that is not going to serve your brand well.

For more on this, check out our Ultimate Influencer Marketing Guide.

Ready to build a campaign that’s set up for success from day one? Let’s start the conversation.

‍