Run Influencer Campaign

---
name: run-influencer-campaign
description: Use when planning, executing, or evaluating an influencer marketing campaign including creator selection, brief creation, and performance measurement
source: WOMMA (Word of Mouth Marketing Association) guidelines; FTC Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255); Nielsen "Global Trust in Advertising" report
tags: [influencer, social-media, campaign, creator, partnerships]
verified: true
---

# Run Influencer Campaign

Plan and execute an influencer campaign that selects authentic creators, produces compliant content, and delivers measurable ROI.

## Why This Is Best Practice

**Adopted by:** Nielsen reports 92% of consumers trust earned media over brand advertising; influencer marketing is a $21B+ industry (Influencer Marketing Hub 2023) with documented ROI of $5.78 per $1 spent (Influencer Marketing Hub benchmark)
**Impact:** Micro-influencers (10K–100K followers) deliver 60% higher engagement rates than macro-influencers (Markerly research); properly briefed campaigns outperform open-brief campaigns by 40% on brand recall
**Why best:** FTC compliance and WOMMA authentic advocacy principles protect legal standing; selecting creators by audience alignment rather than follower count drives actual conversion.

Sources: WOMMA "Ethics Code" (2013); FTC "Endorsement Guides" 16 CFR Part 255 (2023 updated); Nielsen "Global Trust in Advertising" (2021); Influencer Marketing Hub "State of Influencer Marketing" (annual)

## Steps

1. **Define campaign objectives** — specify: brand awareness (reach KPI), product launch (share of voice), conversion (tracked link/promo code sales), or content production (UGC volume).
2. **Set budget and creator tier** — allocate budget across tiers: nano (1K–10K, $50–$500/post, high authenticity), micro (10K–100K, $500–$5K), macro (100K–1M, $5K–$50K), mega (1M+, $50K+); consider 3–5 micro over 1 macro.
3. **Define audience alignment criteria** — required audience demographics (age, gender, location, interests), engagement rate minimum (>2% for macro, >4% for micro), content niche match.
4. **Build creator shortlist** — source via: platform search, influencer databases (AspireIQ, Grin, Upfluence), agency recommendations; build list of 2–3× needed creators.
5. **Vet each creator** — check: audience authenticity (HypeAuditor for fake follower %, real engagement patterns), brand safety (past content for controversy), brand fit (past partnerships, tone match), performance history.
6. **Negotiate and contract** — define: deliverables (post count, format, platform), usage rights (duration, channels), exclusivity (category, duration), FTC disclosure requirements, revision rounds, payment terms.
7. **Write the creative brief** — include: campaign goal, key messages (3 max), mandatory inclusions (FTC disclosure, hashtags, link), brand guidelines, content restrictions, examples of approved tone; leave creative latitude for authenticity.
8. **Review and approve content** — review drafts within 48h; give specific, actionable feedback; do not over-sanitize — authentic creator voice outperforms polished brand copy.
9. **Track performance** — monitor: reach, impressions, engagement rate, story swipe-ups, link clicks (UTM tracked), promo code redemptions, and earned media mentions post-campaign.
10. **Measure and report ROI** — calculate: cost per engagement, cost per click, cost per acquisition (if conversion goal); compare to paid social benchmarks; build creator performance database for future campaigns.

## Rules

- FTC disclosure is legally mandatory — all paid partnerships must include clear "#ad" or "#sponsored" disclosure; no exceptions regardless of creator size.
- Never require a creator to make false claims — FTC Endorsement Guides prohibit endorsement of products the creator has not genuinely used.
- Creator authenticity over follower count — a creator who genuinely uses the product will outperform a larger creator with no authentic connection.
- Usage rights must be negotiated upfront — organic influencer posts cannot be used in paid ads without separate licensing.
- Exclusivity periods must be reasonable — overly long exclusivity reduces creator income and damages the partnership relationship.

## Common Mistakes

- **Selecting by follower count alone** — 1M followers with 0.5% engagement rate delivers fewer impressions than 50K followers with 6% engagement rate.
- **Over-scripting the content** — brand-written scripts eliminate the authenticity that makes influencer content effective; provide guidelines, not scripts.
- **No tracking links or promo codes** — without attribution, ROI cannot be measured; always use UTM parameters and unique discount codes.
- **Skipping the contract** — verbal agreements on deliverables, rights, and FTC compliance create legal and operational risk.
- **One-post campaigns** — a single post produces low recall; a 3–5 post series over 2–4 weeks dramatically increases message retention.

## When NOT to Use

- Products that cannot be genuinely endorsed (financial instruments, controlled substances)
- Audiences that distrust influencer marketing (some B2B, technical, or cynical demographics)
- Campaigns with <$5K budget (transaction costs of finding, briefing, and managing creators exceed returns below this threshold)