Tiffany's 10 Takeaways: #Influencer by Brittany Hennessy

BY TIFFANY JOHNSON

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There were so many gems dropped in the book, #Influencer Building Your Personal Brand In The Age Of Social Media by Brittany Hennessy. This book is a wealth of knowledge for those like me who are embarking on the journey to build a brand and need a blueprint to help you get started. #Influencer informs you of the ins and outs from naming your brand to obtaining an agent to helping you secure partnerships for your brand.

If you are like me, and just getting started, you may be more interested in the basics. This blog post is dedicated to you!

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​1) NAME IT AND CLAIM IT

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Taking the time to name your brand is the first step to being on your way. There are a few things you need to know as you get started. “Naming your brand may be the hardest thing you do as a content creator.” (Page 14)

• You can think of a quirky name, i.e. Jessica Franklin @heygorjess, Alyssa Bossio @effortlyss). If names similar to those don't fit your mold, then you can create a name that's inclusive of your own qualities like I did, shameless plug, not in the book, Tiffany Johnson @somotiffated.

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No matter what you name your new baby, remember two things:

• Create a brand name that is easy to promote
• Be consistent with brand name across multiple platforms, especially on social media​

​2) PLATFORMS … AND NOT THE SHOES

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Quality over quantity rings true. You are welcome to stick with the core group of poppin’ social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. However, Hennessy mentioned “I would recommend securing your preferred username on every platform so someone can’t steal it, you should only be active on platforms you have plans on updating.” (Page 16)

Purpose of Platforms

• Instagram: Holy Grail of influencer marketing campaigns. Great way to display aesthetic.
• YouTube: Great hub for hauls, but more importantly it is a space to show advertisers that you can put on in front of the camera. Video presence is key.
• Facebook: The blue check. Facebook may seem like the old school player in the game of social media, though it has less influencer marketing campaigns as account verification is required by some brands to be seen as an influencer through this medium.
• Twitter: Tweet. Tweet. You will want to allow for brands to tag you and allow for the opportunity to pick up new followers through their mention of you.
• Pinterest: Not in the highest demand. Clients do not typically pay as much for pins unless you are poppin’ with millions of followers. Still a nice platform.​

3) OWNERSHIP – THE BLOG WAY

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This should be the holy grail of your brand, because you control your narrative and the content you share. If that is not reason enough, advertisers love when influencers create blog posts on their website.

“Any of these social media platforms can delete your profile at any time without warning, or prohibit you from promoting your other channels, but if audience members know your blog URL, they’ll always know where to find you.” (Page 18-19)
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Be social! Be sure to link your social media accounts to your blog and have them be up-to-date, visible, and easy to locate.
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Remember expert tips that Hennessy included in her book on Page 23:

• Have a perspective
• Listen to your instincts and trust your decisions, without feeling pressured by social media
• Content matters, and is still a primary factor!

​4) BE A CURATOR! DON’T BE SHY!

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​Consistency: Brands want to know that you take your role as an influencer seriously to some extent. Be present in the minds of your audience and brands you desire to partner with in the near future as they check to see the date of your last post.  Share the love evenly across your platforms. Creating a posting calendar can help you better plan.

• Not today Sour Sally: Beware that full on negative rants, without any constructive criticism, against products you don’t favor at the moment can work against you. It’s not the time to burn bridges, because you can raise red flags to brands who may share the same fate if they decide to partner with you. Keep it cute, friend. Keep it cute, and classy. 
• Cool it Overly Excited Oscar: A goal of creating content for some is to be seen as an expert in your field. Too many exclamation marks and all caps comments can have you looking like Stan, not Oprah.
• Flavor for your feed: Spice it up and add variety for your audience to enjoy. Hennessy shared 4 types of content that brands can use to evaluate you on Page 39:
  • Photos of You – Show your vibe, look, authenticity
  • Photos of your surroundings - Storytelling through pictures
  • Flat Lays and Bag Spills -  Helps envision your product sharing skills
  • Video - Shows how you look and sound on camera

​5) GET ENGAGED – AND I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT A RING

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• Tell your network about your goals and random folks you meet as well.
• Get laser focused on your vision and determine your content and schedule.
• Add social media icons/links on your website blog. Sometimes website hosts will allow for you to have your Instagram feed shown on your website blog, but note some hosts charge extra for that addition.​

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Brands want to know how many followers you have and the extent of your engagement rate (number of likes and comments). This allows for them to get an idea of how not only how many times consumers will see their advertisement in partnership with you, but also gives them an idea of how many consumers will take the time to provide appreciation and feedback towards their collaboration. Engagement is key, bots/spam can go on a liking spree easily, but remember the ultimate purpose of your collaborating with a brand is to increase their sales. ​

​6) EARN YOUR RESPECT, DON’T BUY IT

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These days having followers seems to be the goal, but don’t be the one that’s super pressed. Most brands heavily factor engagement on your social media accounts.

We have all seen accounts that have a spike in their followers in what seems like overnight with 10k+ followers, but only have 50 likes on their pictures. Either that or they have 200 likes and they’re all from bots or spam. Quite frankly, it’s wack.
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Don’t clout chase in that way because it detracts from your credibility. Use that energy and money towards creating quality content. *drops mic*

7) SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS – LIKE A PENCIL

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“Knowing how to pose for a photographer, speak on camera, and work the red carpet are skills every successful influencer must have.” (Page 81)

​Tips that Hennessy shared:

• Be open to direction
• Sell that product
• Have a signature look
• Be multi-dimensional
• Don’t always cling to accessories
• Don’t over-edit photos

8) PRESS, PRESS, PRESS, PRESS, PRESS – YOUR BLOG NEEDS SOME PRESS

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Keep it cute, clear, and current. Circling back to owning the content on your blog, two pages need to be A1 a.k.a flawless: “About” and “Partnerships.” Upgrade your page with these essentials that Hennessy shared:

About Page (Page 101):

• Have a high quality resolution photo of your face
• Provide a few lines that allow for your readers to know who you are 
• Have a video from your YouTube page. Your trailer is a good example.
• Include 3-5 posts from your Instagram 

Partnership Page (Page 103):

• Include a different high quality photo of your face
• List your name, categories of your blog, and a few things that describe you
• Include your hometown and current city or state
• Current career field, or previous career field
• Share other interesting facts that people might want to know
• Whatever else you would like to share with your audience

Speak it into existence and list out your availability for potential collaborations, such as sponsored social media posts, ambassadorships, etc.

Contact Page (Page 106):
You can be a bit more basic on this page since your other pages, i.e. About and Partnerships, are very detailed. 

• Ex. 1: "If you are a brand and you’d like to collaborate, please email firstname@nameofblog.com."
• Ex. 2: "If you are a publicist, a member of the press, or a reader of the blog and you’d like to get in touch, please email info@nameofblog.com."

​I would keep in mind that both of her examples included customized domain email addresses vs. an @gmail.com or @yahoo.com email. If your brand has a customized domain email address, you increase your professionalism. Think about it from your own perspective, would you be less likely to work with a company or brand if they didn't utilize a custom email? If the answer is yes, then be the difference and purchase a custom email for yourself. ​​

9) ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF

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PR Mailing Lists: Find the contact information for your favorite brand and send a message that includes –

• Introduction, how did you find them and why do you love their product
• Share your insights/analytics and let them know what you bring to the table
• Now that you have laid the foundation, they may be inclined to keep you on their radar

10) MONETIZED – BLING, BLING $$$

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Now that you’re poppin’ all through the net and on social media, Hennessey offered a few tips help you level up:

• Answer your emails! Don’t lose out on an opportunity for potential partnerships because you’re non-responsive.
• 70/30 rule – Don’t annoy your following with only sponsored posts, because they followed you to get to know you originally. 70% organic content & 30% sponsorships.
• If you want to know how to determine the fee you charge for collaborations, the following fee calculator was provided: Distribution fee + Talent fee = Amount to charge

 
Price is influenced by 5 factors (Page 137-138):

• Number of followers
• Engagement rate
• Content quality
• Recognizability - Does audience know your name and face, or unique skill set?
• Demographics of your audience

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She went on to talk about how many influencers today have agents, but as I mentioned earlier, this blog post highlighted the must-knows for rookies, like myself. This book definitely opened by eyes to a new space that is for the taking … if done correctly. Don't feel the need to soak in her exact words as you should remain true to yourself and pull the tips that speak to areas for your own improvement.

​Remember as we embark on this journey together; let’s agree to be ourselves and to show our genuine spirit through our content.

#StayMoTiFFated

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