How to brief an influencer

12.08.2023

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How to brief an influencer

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Contents

How to write an influencer brief for promoting productsWhat to include in the briefInfluencer briefing exampleSumming upAny questions left?

What is a brief or technical task for an Instagram influencer? This is a detailed explanation of how the advertisement should be done, compiled by the customer or advertiser. Brief for an influencer can be written in free form: a file in Google Docs or a simple message to Direct. Another option is to issue a technical task as part of an official contract. This document is normally signed by the influencer and advertiser, after what it has a full legal force. If the influencer does not fulfill the obligations, the advertiser will be able to refer to the brief in order to get money back. The contract must necessarily contain the data of both parties: your data (company name, address, fiscal code etc.) and the data of the influencer (name, channel / brand name, address, etc.)

Having a detailed technical task is important for both sides. The brief allows you to define the goals and objectives of the ad that must be achieved. This is the only way the customer can be sure that the influencer understands what type of advertisement is expected of him or her and how to produce content that meets the brand's goals. A brief also helps to save time. If there is a clear task, a video script or the text for the post, then the influencer will not have to re-do the creative several times.

In this article, we will discuss how to compile a technical task for an influencer. We explain in detail which information should be included in the brief and how to write it in the most efficient way. In addition, we will show an example of the technical task for the influencer for real advertisement posts, reels and stories.

How to write an influencer brief for promoting products

Well, there is no universal technical task template. However, the document should include several details and conditions that a particular customer considers important. A properly compiled brief gives a clear idea of the product characteristics, brand's values and campaign goals. At the same time, the technical task does not need to be overloaded with details, otherwise it will be inconvenient for the influencer to work with it. If you are planning a long-term cooperation, it is better to put all the legal details in a separate document, so you don't lose it over time and you won't need to write them every time you send a new brief.

Do not set too strict requirements for the content. Integration should be native. Then followers will perceive it as a friendly recommendation, but not as a direct sale. Therefore, leave the influencer room for creativity. Influencers know from experience what content their audience likes. For example, you can make an approximate text of a post, and the influencer adapts it to his or her author's style, adding humor, emojis, additional details etc.

What to include in the brief

Keep in mind that the influencer may refuse to collaborate if he or she considers that your product or service does not correspond to personal beliefs or account's style. Therefore, it is important to obtain consent for cooperation in advance, before compiling a brief. After the influencer gets acquainted with the technical task and confirms the possibility of collaboration, you can send product samples for testing or immediately for the ad. Remember that the quality of the products can greatly influence the decision about cooperation. So, if you send, for example, expired products or they have some defects, then the probability of the influencer's refusal to collaborate is high. Therefore, it is important to send product samples that meet the expectations of the influencer.

When describing goods or services in the technical task, it is necessary to briefly describe the product: for whom it can be useful, why people should buy it, which problems it can solve, and also what main advantages it has. Adding several photos will also be useful for a visual representation of the product. When writing the brief, it is important to take into account the requirements of the platform where the photo or video will be published. For example, on Instagram there are restrictions on the length of the video, while videos of any length could be recorded on YouTube. Next, let’s talk about the most important and essential points of the brief. However, this list is not final, and if necessary, you can supplement it or exclude unnecessary points.

Brand information. Give links to the company's website and pages in social networks. Specify how to spell and pronounce the brand name correctly. Specify which style and tone of voice suit your brand. This will help the influencer to adapt content to your target audience. Also, describe the basic principles on which your brand is based and what values it promotes. If you plan to work with an influencer for a long time as an ambassador of the brand, provide detailed information about the values and mission of the company. This will help him or her to create relevant content.

Goals and objectives of the campaign. Explain what results you expect from the collaboration. For example, tell if your aim is to attract new customers to an online store, sell tickets to an event, or increase brand awareness. If an influencer understands your expectations, he or she will be able to correctly formulate a call to action for followers.

Format. It largely depends on the social network. For example, on Instagram an influencer can promote your product in posts, Stories or Reels. In Telegram, bloggers publish long text posts with photos or videos. While content in YouTube is placed exclusively in video format.

Content requirements. In this paragraph, describe in detail the requirements for the visual and text. You can send a ready-made layout of the post/story/reel or indicate the elements to include in the design. For example, the color palette, the angle of shooting , the position of the product in the frame, background etc. It is very important to specify which topics, words, images and actions are not allowed in the content. For example, if your brand has a certain color palette, then it may be worth specifying what color the background of the photo or video should be, as well as in what clothes the influencer should appear in the creative.

The script of the video or the text of the post. Offer your options or give only the main ideas. Explain to the influencer what message you want to transmit to the audience. Specify whether subtitles are needed for the video. Choose the format of the brand mention: mention in a text format, recommendation, life hack, review or unpacking.

Terms and number of publications. Specify the dates and time of the publication. Most likely here an influencer will recommend you the most adequate time of posting according to the activity of the audience. If these suggestions don’t meet your expectations, don’t insist. An influencer knows better his or her audience behavioral patterns. For example, if the audience of the influencer is most active at 12.00-15.00 in the afternoon, then integration should be placed at this time.

References of successful collaborations.Give examples of excellent past publications that you like and that brought great results. These can be advertisements of your brand with other influencers or any other posts in social media.

Links, hashtags, promo codes. Agree on where the influencer places a link to your website or directly to the product. The options are: in the Instagram profile header, sticker in Stories, in the Reels descriptions, the beginning or at the end of a Telegram post, or other options depending on the social network. It is wise to use UTM tags, which can help you to monitor clicks and user actions that are carried out through links. Thanks to UTM metrics, you can obtain information about which links were clicked through and which target actions were performed. This data can be tracked in different analytics tools such as Google Analytics. In addition, if you have your own affiliate program, you can use referral links to track user activity.

Payment terms. If you decide to not write a separate contract, then specify the payment terms in a separate paragraph in the technical task. You can offer the influencer a fixed amount for a certain number of publications or you can choose to pay based on the length of the collaboration. Another option is to pay for each click to the link. This option is suitable if your goal is to increase sales. Finally, instead of paying, you can provide an influencer with free access to your servive or give products for free.

Influencer briefing example

Now let’s have a look at the possible influencer marketing brief for an advertisement in Stories. The duration of Stories can be up to 60 seconds. This is important to consider when writing a script. Do not try to put a full-fledged story about the product or explain in detail the brand’s story. It is better to focus on 1-2 main advantages and main features. You can also choose to make the involvement in the content gradual: publish a series of Stories.

An advertiser sends an influencer samples of the product, particularly the micellar water for face cleaning. The influencer has to show the package in a way that it is clearly visible. The first Story must be dedicated only to showing the package and speaking its advantages. To better show the effects of the product the influencer must not wear any makeup. After showing the package of the product, the influencer should show the product “in action” by applying it to the face. It is important to describe the effect afterwards. Both Stories must have a link attached in the form of a sticker. The link has to be clearly visible and distinctive from the background of videos.

Here is another example of an influencer marketing brief for ads in Reels.

The brand sent samples for an influencer. Reels should be creative and the product must be shown on the background typical for vacation. The video is better to be filmed on vacation, so it looks more native for followers. The influencer brings sunscreen products on vacation and uses them every day. It is crucial to show a close-up of how the influencer applies the product on the skin, so followers can see that it becomes softer and brighter. The description should point out that these products are limited edition and once again remind followers to put sunscreen on vacation, using this specific brand.

Finally, here is a different example of an influencer marketing brief for ads in a post.

Description of the product. The cream and oil for the skin, which have a softening effect.

Goals and objectives of the campaign. Increase sales and tell people about new newly released products of the brand.

Integration format. A carousel of 2 pictures.

Content requirements. Photos must be made by a professional photographer in the studio. An influencer should not wear a bright outfit, but clothes in beige colors. Two products must be clearly visible on both pictures. One photo must closely show products on white background.

The main idea. Show that popular influencers use and like the brand. The ideal skin on the pictures shows followers the effects of using the product.

Terms and number of publications. Publication of 2 photos in the carousel on 22.08.2023 – in the time slot from 17.00. to 21.00.

Links, hashtags, promo codes. Mention in the description the brand and the shop chain, where people can buy advertised products.

If you plan to promote the product on Instagram through influencers and want to avoid problems with technical tasks, we recommend paying attention to the service Instajet.io. It is a native integration platform that simplifies collaboration between customers and influencers. The platform has an already-made form of the technical tasks, which can greatly simplify your work.

Summing up

Crafting a comprehensive influencer brief has emerged as a pivotal element in the realm of Instagram promotions. This document stands as a guiding tool for influencers, ensuring that the content they generate seamlessly aligns with the broader objectives of the brand. Technical tasks can be conveyed through platforms like Google Docs, Direct messages, or solidified through the avenue of formal contracts. The intrinsic value of these briefs transcends mere convenience; they serve as help against the arduous cycles of content revisions that can otherwise ensue.

Any questions left?

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