Working with influencers: why authenticity and credibility are key

Should the government be working with influencers on TikTok and other social platforms?Yes, of course – and they have been for years (but it’s all been going on behind the scenes, so you may not have noticed.)

I talked to ITV News about the topic for a report for their Evening News programme this week.

 

Go to where your audience is – and get help if it’s a hard to reach group

Gone are the days of posting and hoping on Twitter – you now need to go directly to where your target audience is, and for a lot of them, especially younger people, they’re on TikTok.

And they’re unlikely to want to hear from government ministers – but they’re more likely to stop scrolling if it’s something being said by someone they like watching videos of, or can relate to.

And with any contractual relationship with influencers or celebrities, the buyer retains control over the messaging and the finished product before it’s posted.

And the issue is more complicated by the government banning departments from being on TikTok, or having the app on HMG-issued devices.

So, in principle, it makes sense.

Some will take the money, regardless – but others will be more concerned if it fits their brand

The tricky part is whether these influencers want to work with them – particularly on the controversial issue of stopping migrants crossing the Channel in small boats.

The leak of government plans, including some names being considered, caused a backlash – on tricky topics, you prefer to do this enquiring privately – but I used to regularly target a range of big name influencers and opinion-formers on Twitter with posts from the Department for Education that I thought they’d be interested in and would possible engage with for free, not for payment.

The authenticity and credibility of what influencers are saying is vital

But crucially, you need to have confidence that the people you approach will be warm to the idea – is it something they believe in or have publicly supported?

And just as important: will their followers believe what they are saying in their content about your topic or campaign? Are they talking about an issue which they’ve talked about before, have credibility in and are people who are relatable to the target audience?

Already, a couple of names have distanced themselves from the Home Office plans.

Anyone can adopt an influencer strategy

Any organisation or campaigner can adopt this approach: it just needs a bit of careful thinking and planning, and putting yourself in the shoes of the influencer: why would they want to talk about this issue or story?

If you need some help and advice on how to work with influencers, especially on small or no budgets, get in touch!