Influencer marketing is constantly in flux and influencers are often aiming to build sustainable, quality relationships with brands. As an influencer, I have discussed long-term partnerships at length with my colleagues and we came up with 5 reasons influencers are looking for always-on partnerships or ambassadorships.
Relationships
When discussing this very topic with other influencers, one of the main discussion points was the importance of relationships. We develop a community with our readers and we are put in a position of trust. Our opinions are important to others and we want to deliver a clear and consistent message to them about our likes and dislikes. We value, above all else, our relationships with both the brand and our followers and want to put the best content out there that we absolutely love and that we know will be good ROI for everyone!
Loyalty
As a consumer, when I consistently see the same person posting about something that they just adore, I start to tune-in. It is a natural reaction. As an influencer, when I see brands aligning with a particular influencer over and over, I see loyalty on both sides. The influencer is expressing their natural affinity the brand and the brand is committed to working authentically with the influencer. Loyalty is the basis of every good partnership and long-term relationships mean that our readers will trust a brand even more and hopefully become loyal consumers too!
Oversaturating Post Content
I find that when I am doing a one-off post for a brand I often have to oversaturate my content with brand messaging, sometimes so much so that I lose a bit of my authentic voice. And that voice is what my followers keep coming back for. When you build a long-term partnership with a brand you are able to spread out the messaging throughout several posts and link them together in a more authentic, organic, and engaging manner. This provides long-term coverage as well which is a win for both the brand and the influencer.
Creative Freedom
Long-term partnerships often mean that the influencer has a bit more creative freedom in their posts. Familiarity with voice, tone, and style, a brand will commit to your creative vision. Influencers have time to get the message more carefully and can really take the opportunity to develop amazing ideas and execute them exceptionally. I know that when I work with brands as an ambassador, I have more time to think about my ideas months in advance and to plan out posts with more precision. Less of a rush, better quality, and more authenticity.
Money
I would absolutely be lying if I did not mention that building long-term relationships with a brand means that an influencer will be guaranteeing a consistent income for the contracted time period. This is a HUGE draw for influencers as many of them rely on the income from their businesses to sustain their lifestyle. This financial stability is the ultimate motivator in creating winning content to keep on-going contracts.
Long-term partnerships are a benefit for both the influencer and the brand, providing opportunities on both sides.
Influencer Name: Laura Funk
Blog Name: We Got The Funk
BIO:
Laura Funk writes We Got the Funk, a lifestyle and parenting blog based in Colorado. She works full time as a high school science teacher and is a mom to 2 awesome kids. She loves a good bowl of ice cream and long naps on the beach.