Standard Influencer Marketing

Several factors should be taken into consideration:
- Alignment between the influencer and the brand
- Types and quality of content they produce
- Perceived authenticity of the influencer
- Authenticity of their followers (some influencers buy followers!)
- Audience engagement level
- Degree of interaction with their audience

There are several ways to collaborate with an influencer:
- Sponsored content
- Contests and giveaways
- Brand ambassadorships
- Coupons and affiliate programs
- Gifts and unboxing
- Press events, trade shows, etc.

Sponsored content: Sponsored content (technically branded content) is the most common type of collaboration for content creators.
It involves the creation of specific content—posts, stories, videos, reels, or blog posts—that align with the influencer’s narrative style but are dedicated to presenting and promoting a brand (or one of its products).
All activities and collaboration terms are defined in a contract, which includes a fixed fee and possibly a performance-based variable component.
Influencers are required to disclose that the content is a commercial partnership, typically by using hashtags like #ad or #sponsored.

Contests and giveaways: These are designed to fully engage the audience. They require followers to participate by liking, commenting, or submitting content for a chance to win a prize or receive free products.
It's essential to consider legal regulations. In some countries (like Italy), giveaways are subject to the same rules as contests or lotteries, which can make them impractical for low-budget campaigns.
In these partnerships, the influencer becomes a true brand ambassador, organizing contests that offer brand products as prizes.
Participation often requires following the brand and influencer, liking posts, tagging friends, and completing other actions.
These campaigns are great for growing a follower base, increasing engagement, and collecting participant data.

Brand ambassadors: In this case, the brand sends the product for free and asks the influencer to promote it. These are often informal collaborations, without contracts or direct payment, aside from the free product.
This makes it the simplest form of influencer marketing.

Coupons and affiliate programs: This is a step up from brand ambassadorships. The influencer may receive a free product, exclusive discounts, and earn a commission on purchases made by their followers.
These collaborations usually involve a contract outlining compensation, promotion methods, and payment terms. The focus here is on conversion—driving sales of the promoted item.

Gifts and unboxing: Brands may send unexpected gifts to influencers in the hope they’ll share them with their audience.
However, without an explicit agreement, influencers are not obligated to feature the product—and if they do, they may review it either positively or negatively.

Press events, fashion shows, and exhibitions: Having a well-known personality attend an event is a great way to boost visibility and attract visitors.
These collaborations often require more detailed agreements, with specified appearance fees and content deliverables outlined in a formal contract.

Campaigns can be short-term or long-term:
- A short-term strategy lasts a few months and is ideal for achieving immediate results. It’s especially useful for promoting events, product launches, and other one-off activities.
- A long-term strategy spans from 6 months to a year and can serve various goals, such as increasing brand awareness, driving traffic to company channels, building customer loyalty, or entering a new market segment.