Essential Questions to Ask Influencers (+Tips)

In today's digital landscape, influencer marketing reigns supreme. Consumers trust the recommendations of their favorite online personalities, making them powerful allies for brands looking to reach new audiences and boost engagement. 

But with countless influencers across diverse platforms, finding the right fit for your brand can feel like cracking a code. The key? Asking the right questions.

You can forge strategic partnerships that deliver impactful results by delving deeper into an influencer's background, audience, and approach. 

This blog post is your cheat sheet, packed with essential questions to ask before hitting “collaborate.”

Understanding the Influencer and their Audience

1. Know your niche

When considering a potential influencer partnership, it's important to carefully evaluate their niche and expertise. For instance, if you're a fashion brand, partnering with a tech vlogger might not make much sense. 

You'll want to identify influencers whose areas of focus align with your brand's industry or target audience. This will ensure that their endorsement feels natural and relevant to their followers and that you're able to reach the right people with your message. 

Taking the time to do this research upfront can make all the difference in the success of your influencer marketing campaign.

Example question: “Tell me about the type of content you create and the specific niche you cater to. Who are your ideal viewers or readers?”

Tip: Research influencers who already create content related to your brand's niche. This ensures a natural fit and a more receptive audience.

Engagement and reach

Substantial number of followers doesn't necessarily guarantee the success of your brand. Although having a large following may seem attractive, it's crucial to prioritize engaging with those who have a higher engagement rate. 

An engaged audience is more likely to interact with your content, share it with others, and promote your brand. The more likes, comments, and shares your content receives, the more likely it is to reach a broader audience and generate brand awareness. 

Therefore, focusing on cultivating an active and receptive audience can have a significant impact on the success of your brand.

Example question: “Can you share your average engagement rate across your top performing platforms? What kind of content typically garners the most interaction?”

Tip: Look beyond follower count and prioritize influencers with high engagement rates, as this indicates a more active and invested audience.

3. Content style and tone

When considering a potential partnership between a fitness brand and an influencer, it's important to carefully evaluate the influencer's content style and tone. 

This can help you avoid any jarring mismatches that might negatively impact your brand. To start, consider whether the influencer's approach is more informative and educational, or humorous and lighthearted. 

Additionally, take some time to evaluate whether their overall content style and approach aligns well with your brand voice. By taking these factors into account, you can help ensure a more successful and fruitful partnership that resonates well with your target audience.

Example question: “Show me some examples of your past collaborations with brands. What type of content resonated best with your audience and why?”

Tip: Review the influencer's past content to assess their style and tone. Ensure it aligns with your brand's voice and messaging.

Aligning Values and Campaign Goals

4. Brand fit and authenticity

Consumers are pretty smart these days. They can spot fake endorsements from a mile away. So, when you're looking for an influencer to promote your brand, make sure they share the same values and message as you do. 

This will ensure that your partnership is 100% genuine and resonates with your target audience. When your influencer's endorsement of your product feels real, it builds trust with your audience. And that can lead to more engagement, loyalty, and sales.

Example question: “What are some of your core values and beliefs you want to portray through your content? How do you think these align with your audience's expectations?”

Tip: Seek influencers who genuinely believe in your brand's values and mission. This fosters authentic endorsements that resonate with your target audience.

5. Campaign goals and objectives

Have a clear understanding of what you hope to achieve with any influencer partnership. Before you start your campaign, take some time to identify your specific goals and objectives.

 Do you want to increase brand awareness, drive more website traffic, or boost sales? Whatever your goals may be, it's essential to define them clearly so you can measure the success of your campaign effectively.

Once you've identified your goals, ensure that the influencer you partner with has the right content and audience to help you achieve them. Look for influencers whose content aligns with your brand's values and messaging, and whose audience is likely to be interested in your product or service. 

By choosing the right influencer, you'll be able to leverage their reach and engagement to drive meaningful results for your business.

Example question: “What are your expectations for this collaboration? How can we measure the success of the campaign together?”

Tip: Clearly define your campaign goals (e.g., brand awareness, website traffic, sales) and ensure the influencer's audience demographics and interests align with those goals.

Logistics and Collaboration

6. Content creation and approval process

When working with an influencer, establish clear guidelines for content creation. 

This includes deciding whether you'll provide them with a detailed brief or allow them creative freedom, based on your brand guidelines and campaign goals. 

Be sure to establish a content creation process that outlines the materials and information they'll need to create the content, and how you'll approve it. 

This process should be communicated clearly to the influencer to ensure alignment between their work and your campaign goals.

Example question: “Do you prefer specific content ideas or do you like to have creative control over your collaborations? How will we collaborate on content creation and ensure it meets both our objectives?”

Tip: Establish a clear content approval process to ensure alignment with brand guidelines and campaign objectives.

7. Deliverables and timeframe

In order to make a successful collaboration with an influencer, it is essential to define the specific deliverables you expect from them. These deliverables could be in the form of posts, videos, or stories. 

When creating and publishing content, it's crucial to agree on a realistic timeframe that considers revisions and approvals. You should have a clear understanding of what you expect the influencer to deliver and the timeline for their deliveries to avoid any misunderstandings or disappointments. 

By setting expectations and timelines in advance, you can ensure that your influencer partnership is productive and successful.

Example question: “What is your typical turnaround time for content creation once we finalize the campaign details? How many revisions or drafts are included in the agreed-upon deliverables?”

Tip: Set realistic expectations for deliverables and timeframes, considering the influencer's production process and your campaign schedule.

8. Compensation and payment terms

Transparency is key! Discuss compensation upfront, whether it's a flat fee, commission, or barter agreement. Clearly outline payment terms and deadlines to avoid any misunderstandings.

Example question: “Do you have a standard rate card or pricing structure for influencer collaborations? When can we expect payment after the deliverables are submitted?”

Tip: Discuss compensation and payment terms upfront to avoid misunderstandings. Clarify the payment structure (flat fee, commission, barter) and payment milestones.