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Generic social media ads are a thing of the past. Influencer whitelisting has become a much more powerful alternative.
Studies show that whitelisted ads can outperform traditional branded content by 20 to 50%, thanks to the added layers of authenticity and trust they bring.
However, influencer whitelisting is not a straightforward process; it requires careful planning and the right influencers to achieve optimal results.
To help you leverage this strategy successfully, we have crafted this comprehensive guide that covers:
P.S.: Are you planning to launch an influencer whitelisting campaign? The first step would be to hunt the right influencers. And for this, inBeat.co can help you out! Our powerful search engine makes it easy to discover nano and micro creators. Plus, our Free Toolkit lets you track key metrics like CPA, CPM, and CTR so you can optimize your campaign and achieve data-driven results. Book a FREE Demo Now!
Influencer Whitelisting: Brands use influencers' profiles to run targeted ads, enhancing authenticity and engagement compared to traditional ads.
Key Benefits:
Types of Whitelisting:
Best Practices:
Cost Factors:
Final Tip: Success hinges on the right influencers and transparent agreements. Tools like inBeat.co assist in finding creators, tracking engagement, and budgeting effectively.
Influencer whitelisting refers to a process where influencers grant your brand permission to run paid ads using their social media profiles.
This allows you to access their audience while controlling the influencer content, targeting, and duration of the campaign.
Since the ads appear through the influencer’s account, they appear more genuine. This can significantly boost engagement rates compared to traditional branded ads that may lack the personal touch of content creators.
Influencer whitelisting is an extremely beneficial approach if done right.
Some of its important advantages are:
There are four major types of influencer whitelisting, as discussed below:
Boosting branded content is one of the most popular methods of influencer whitelisting.
In this approach, you take content already posted by an influencer on their social media profile and amplify it through paid advertising.
Its primary advantage is that it extends the reach of authentic, influencer-generated content that has already proven to engage the influencer's followers.
You can select custom audiences to target, which allows for achieving higher engagement and conversion rates.
This image shows how Miro boosts branded content by a LinkedIn influencer, Shyvee Shi. As a side note, this post is from a campaign managed by inBeat.co’s sister platform, inBeat Agency.
Dark posting, also known as dark ads, refers to a strategy where you run targeted ads through an influencer’s profile.
They are not visible to the public on their social media feed and only appear to specific audiences that you target.
The result is a higher ROI and better engagement rates, as the ads feel more personalized and less intrusive to the user.
Allowlisting takes influencer whitelisting a step further by granting you access to use the influencer’s social media account to run ads but with a formal approval process.
This ensures the influencer approves the campaign, messaging, and objectives before the ad is launched.
A major advantage of this influencer marketing strategy is its suitability for campaigns that need legal clarity.
It typically involves usage rights agreements that outline how long the content can be used and where it may be promoted.
For allowlisting, you can use Meta’s native tools, like Branded Content Ads, to get quick permission from influencers.
The below image demonstrates how this works.
Partnership ads are a more collaborative form of whitelisting, where you work together with influencers to design ad campaigns that align with both the influencer’s voice and your brand’s messaging.
One of the main benefits of partnership ads is the ability to reach a larger audience, along with the influencer’s existing following.
Moreover, such collaborations result in more successful campaigns, as both parties are invested in the ad’s performance.
It is all about combining both organic and paid reach in a single campaign.
The below post depicts an example of this influencer whitelisting type from another campaign handled by our sister’s agency inBeat for their client, Miro.
Now, let’s discuss some proven tips from our inBeat experts for running a successful whitelisting influencer marketing campaign:
The whitelisting process starts with choosing the right influencers based on your campaign goals and target audience.
So, make sure to collaborate with those who offer high engagement rates, even if they have a moderate number of followers.
To find the right influencers effectively, you can follow the strategies below:
Alt tag: inBeat’s tools for checking influencer engagement and authenticity
Pro Tip: When selecting influencers for whitelisting, review their past partnerships to see how well they performed in previous whitelisting campaigns. Analyze metrics like engagement rates, conversions, and audience response to predict how effective they will be when their profile is used for your ads.
A brand account is a fundamental step to managing and scaling your influencer whitelisting efforts.
It ensures your influencer collaborations run efficiently and your brand assets are securely managed within a unified system.
Let’s have a look at how to set up a brand account:
Pro Tip: We suggest carefully assigning user roles to your account. Grant permissions like Admin or Ad Account Analyst based on each person’s responsibilities to ensure that only the necessary individuals have access to critical functions. Also, regularly audit these accesses as your team evolves or the campaign extends.
A clear and transparent whitelisting agreement is important to avoid misunderstandings, define expectations around content usage and compensation, and protect both parties’ interests.
It is equally essential for compliance with legal and advertising guidelines.
Let’s see how you can negotiate the agreement without any hiccups:
Pro Tip: When negotiating whitelisting agreements, you can use influencer relationship management tools, which can greatly simplify the process. These tools provide contract templates, automate communication, and track agreement terms to ensure transparency and avoid any miscommunication by keeping the terms clearly documented for future reference.
Testing various audience segments and ad creatives is another crucial way to optimize your influencer whitelisting campaigns.
In fact, 77% of organizations use A/B testing to enhance their conversion rates.
Let’s see how you can do this effectively:
For example, test one version with a video and another with a static image, or try different messaging to see what resonates best with your audience for impactful influencer whitelisting.
Pro Tip: For effective A/B testing of your whitelisted ads, make sure to leverage ad mockup generators. inBeat.co’s free ad mockup generator allows you to create and test multiple ad variations across different social media platforms before launching. This helps visualize how each ad will appear and perform so you can fine-tune elements like design, copy, and CTAs.
A solid content strategy is critical for successful influencer whitelisting because it ensures that the content resonates with both the influencer’s audience and your brand’s goals.
Moreover, it is a driving factor for achieving desired results.
The following tips can help you craft a winning content strategy:
Pro Tip: inBeat experts suggest leveraging performance analytics tools like Sprout Social or Hootsuite to track metrics such as engagement rate, click-through rate, and conversions. You can use these insights to optimize and refine your content strategy for future whitelisting campaigns and ensure continuous improvement.
Generally, influencers charge 20 to 30% of their collaboration fee for whitelisting.
Before outreach, make sure to get details on the estimated rates of your desired influencers through tools like a cost collaboration calculator to ensure they fit your budget.
Now, let’s have a look at different factors that influence the exact whitelisting costs:
Pro Tip: inBeat experts suggest weighing follower count against engagement rate to ensure you are getting the best ROI.
Influencer whitelisting is effective in enhancing your social media advertising efforts by blending the authenticity of influencers with precise targeting.
When executed correctly, such campaigns can bring significant engagement, conversions, and sales.
Key Takeaways:
The success of any whitelisting campaign starts with the right influencers. That's why it's essential to choose creators who align with your brand values. inBeat.co’s powerful search engine helps you find those perfect influencers. Plus, our platform lets you evaluate their engagement, authenticity, and estimated costs with our robust toolkit. Book a FREE Demo Now!
