Raise your hand if you are easily annoyed by #ad.

[everyone in the room raises hand]

[I slowly raise mine too]

I’m right there with you! Influencer marketing is SO prevalent and it can be SO frustrating to see your favorite DIY Meals account post a photo of her #gifted Mejuri set.

But I am here to tell you that:

1. It doesn’t have to be this way.
2. #ad’s can be the most creative photo on someones account and
3. #ad’s can be super helpful!!!!

 

Personally, I absolutely LOVE to create advertisements for brands. Usually, that’s the kind of content that you seem to love as well!

Frankly, we only think of influencer advertisements as annoying or forced because of influencers who SELL OUT and create posts they don’t care about for brands they don’t care about.

 

But when honest influencers create honest advertising, it can be so rewarding for their audience.

 

So today, I want to take the time to dispel misconceptions about influencer advertising and show you why #ad is cool for you.

 

3. #ad’s can be helpful

Just like a commercial break during your favorite TV show, you will see ads that don’t interest you every time you scroll through Instagram. But just like a commercial break, sometimes you see an ad that sparks your interest. Usually, this is a product you have been searching for, always wanted to try, or didn’t know you needed.

On Instagram ads, though, you are not only exposed to the product but you also have the opportunity to read (or see) the testimonial of a real person who has actually tried it.

Of course, this is why it is so important for influencers to be honest and trustworthy. But ideally,  influencers should 1) be building relationships and rapport with you, 2) be transparent in all product reviews, and 3) be selective about the products they chose to advertise. If an influencer is doing all of these things, you can probably trust their recommendations.

Tips for the Consumer (you!):

1. A good way to identify if an influencer has a history of being honest about products is if they have given any negative reviews on their page— even if it is something as simple as “this wrinkles every time I wash it, and I have to steam it any time I want to wear it.”
2. If you aren’t sure, ask! “I’ve been wanting to try this; will you tell me more about your experience with it?” “Does this shirt wrinkle when you wash it?” Often, the influencer will leave things out of their caption for brevity or they haven’t had a full experience with the product yet. If they are honest, they will fill you in on all of their unintentional exemptions.

 

2. #ad’s are often an influencer’s coolest content

You, the consumer, follow an influencer for their content, right? You might enjoy their outfits, photos, style, words, posing, personality, etc. Sponsored posts give dedicated influencers the motivation to exceed their usual standard of content creativity.

#ad gets a bad rap because of lazy influencers who don’t care about the quality of content they are delivering to a brand or to you.

For the influencer who cares, ads are an opportunity to prove themselves and push themselves. Lasting influencer/brand relationships are fostered by high quality content that represents the brand well and that the brand can actually use. Lasting influencer/audience relationships are created by consistently delivering on content and always stepping up your game. Sponsorships, properly executed, achieve both of these goals.

Most importantly, they drive the creation of content that is a joy to consume.

 

1. #ads don’t have to be annoying!

This is more of a summary than a new point: if influencers are doing ads right, they benefit all three parties, especially you, our amazing audiences.

The litmus test is pretty simple: if an ad annoys you, it is probably not genuine. And if every ad an influencer runs annoys you, consider unfollowing them. That’s what I do, and I work in this weird industry.
Thanks for your time. Happy scrolling.

 

Love,

Lindsay Grace

 

P.S. I wrote this post because there’s gonna be a lot of sponsored or gifted posts on my feed in the next month or two. Cross my heart, hope to die: I will give honest reviews. I know that ads are annoying. So I wanted to make the choice to be transparent with you about them. Ads buy my groceries. And if I’m doing them right, they’ll help you figure out what groceries to buy. Figuratively. I’m not partnering with an asparagus brand. Yet.