One of the greatest things about being a content creator is that you have the creative freedom to put out content however you like. However, there are some common mistakes that you should definitely avoid if you want to leave a good impact on your target audience. In this blog post, I’ll show you the most common influencer marketing mistakes so that you can build a strong relationship with your customers and even reach wider audiences.
If you want to become a successful influencer, these are the biggest influencer marketing mistakes that will affect your brand’s reputation – and how to avoid them!
Never make these social media influencer mistakes
As content creators, we want to offer quality content. We want to create brand awareness, have successful social media accounts, grow our small businesses, and get higher engagement rates. As difficult as it may sound, it isn’t impossible. Keep reading to find the mistakes smaller influencers absolutely need to avoid!
#StopThePop
This is the biggest mistake I have found when going through Instagram posts. Have you noticed how the most popular influencers rely heavily on small talk? You open up their social media posts and they start “Hey guys, just popping in here to say…” What I have to say about that is #StopThePop.
“You’re not apologizing for being here, or for taking up time or space, you’re taking ownership of that time and taking your audience on that journey right away.”
We need to stop being apologetic and amp ourselves. “Popping in here” in YouTube videos and Instagram stories makes us sound like we are an inconvenience, but when we have conviction in our message, we can lead right with the message and go straight into our hook – story – offer.
The right influencer will sound confident in the message they are communicating. They will have specific goals they’ll want to share with you and they will be concise about them.
Another important point: I want to encourage you to think about who are the people that you follow that have given you a message or content that you really needed to hear. Learn from them, get inspiration from them, and become that person for others so every time they consume your content, it’s a game-changer for them. That’s what people are looking for in the long run.
“Meaningful storytelling is what truly connects people and increases your trust factor with your audience.”
Avoid being these content archetypes
Think about a popular influencer that inspires you and the way they communicate their message. They are inspiring, have clear goals, and share their stories in an effective way. We all want to be that charismatic persona that inspires others – it’s the ideal influencer, after all.
But sometimes we follow the wrong influencer. They might have a large number of followers, but they don’t provide real value. Here are three different content archetypes done by particular influencers that you need to avoid in order to have a successful channel.
Barney for adults
Content that’s all statement and no substance. Pure fluff. You know the type – passive language, positive messages that don’t really leave a lasting impression. It’s just empty, not relevant content. These types of influencers usually have a lot of followers but they don’t really buy their message since it doesn’t have a real impact on their lives.
To avoid becoming a Barney for adults, be contrary to the status quo. Don’t repeat things that are already being said, have a contrasting view that you can share authentically.
“You can have an inspiring and influential message that’s also powerful and personal.”
Preachy kindergarten teacher
Similar to Barney, the Preachy Kindergarten Teacher is really good at putting her audience to sleep. I can think of so many different influencers who do this. They are someone who is still a positive influence, but maybe too serious. There’s no “oomph” factor or true inspiration.
I want to point out the difference between motivation and inspiration. Motivation is external and you can’t really be motivated 24/7. On the other hand, inspiration comes from within. Even if we’ve been inspired by another person, that inspiration comes from an emotional shift inside and it’s part of our identity, and here’s where the preachy kindergarten teacher misses the mark.
To avoid becoming this archetype, you want to talk to your audience on a human level, on the same level as them. Your audience wants to be able to relate to you so talk to them like they are a friend. You can provide valuable content to someone who needs to hear it without talking like they are a student. Remember you are talking to real people who can’t wait to consume original content.
Ghoster ex-boyfriend
This is the kind of influencer that just pops in real quick only when they need something, with a little call to action, and that’s it. Most of the time, that doesn’t work because he hasn’t courted us, he doesn’t nurture his audience so he doesn’t close any sales or anything else. This person is inconsistent and needy.
Avoid becoming the ‘ghoster ex-boyfriend’ by truly nurturing your audience. Before a call to action, don’t “swoop in for the kiss” or ask them to marry you without dating them. Date your audience, show you care about them. Make a difference in their lives and you will see good things coming your way.
Those are the most important mistakes you need to avoid when creating content that I have learned throughout my years of experience in the influencer marketing industry. I hope this information is useful to you. Forget about just “popping in real quick”. Generate more revenue, get more prospects to join your webinars, get more sales calls, increase your high ticket program sales. Watch my next video to learn more ways to accomplish your goals.
Can you think of another content archetype that we should avoid mimicking?
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