Influencer Survey by AspireIQ

For marketers trying to run successful influencer marketing programs, it’s extremely valuable to understand brand partnerships from an influencer’s point of view. So, what exactly do influencers consider when working with brands? We’ll give you the answers, straight from the influencers themselves.

AspireIQ recently conducted an online survey of more than 200 influencers to better understand their preferences. The results revealed everything from what influencers care about most, to their biggest turn-off when working with a brand.

Survey Overview: The below is a reflection of our survey results from 224 influencer respondents conducted between 11/14 - 11/24/2018

November Influencer Survey Results:

What Influencers Want:

• Compensation is important.

• • When asked whether they would work with a brand that compensates well but wasn’t a great fit, influencers were split - 58% said no and 42% said yes.
  • And, when asked what differentiates a good collaboration experience from a great one, 38% said it was all about knowing a brand compensates well and understands their value.
  • Lastly, financial compensation was the number one factor (41%) influencers said they take into consideration when determining how much time and effort to put into a collaboration.

• However, personal passion and authentic relationships are just as important.

• • On the other hand, 36% of influencers also said that personal passion for a brand or product helped them determine how much effort to put into a campaign.  
  • And, 72% said that personal alignment with the brand was the most important factor when determining what brands to work with.
  • Finally, 96% said they want ongoing, long-term relationships that result in multiple campaigns, as opposed to short term, one-off campaigns.

• They’re turned off by excessively long guidelines or when brands counter with unrealistically low offers.

• • When asked what the biggest turn off was when collaborating with a brand, 33% said it was when a brand counters their suggested pay rate with an unrealistically low offer.
  • Following closely behind, 29% said they were most turned-off by excessively long guidelines.

Survey Questions & Results:

What do you think brands care about most when deciding which influencers to work with?

• 40% said that content quality was the most important
• 27% said engagement was the most important
• 16% said follower counts
• 12% said that brand alignment was most most important
• 6% said audience demographic

What do you care about most when deciding which brands to work with? Please rank the below items in terms of importance.

• 72% said that personal alignment with the brand was the most important factor
• 22% said that financial compensation was the most important
• 4% said brand recognition
• 2% said value of free products

How important are each of the following items when deciding how much time and effort to put into a collaboration?

• 41% said that financial compensation was the most important factor
• 36% said that personal passion for the product or brand was most important
• 23% said their relationship with the brand
• Less than 1% said a brand’s social presence or following was important

What differentiates a good experience working with a brand from a great one?

• 38% said the compensates me well and understands my value
• 28% said establishes an ongoing working relationship (i.e. invites me to be a long-term ambassador, invites me to work on multiple campaigns, etc.)
• 23% said has a strong knowledge of the space (i.e. knows how to work with influencers, respectful of timelines, etc.)
• 11% said makes an effort to have a genuine relationship (i.e. personalized notes, phone calls, etc.)
• 2% said invites me into in-person events or office tours
• 2% said sends me new products without expectations

What is the biggest turn off when it comes to collaborating with a brand?

• 33% counters my suggested pay rate with an unrealistically low offer
• 29% said excessively long guidelines
• 20% said disorganized and lack of communication and expectations
• 9% said late or missed payments
• 9% said disregards the agreed upon contract (i.e. asks for extra posts, makes significant changes to guidelines, etc.)

Would you work with a company that was not a great fit for your personal brand if it meant you’d be compensated well?

• 58% said no
• 42% said yes

What type of relationship do you prefer with the brands you collaborate with?

• 96% said ongoing, long-term relationships that result in multiple campaigns
• 4% said short-term relationships that result in one-off campaigns

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