What do you do when an influencer you work with creates a huge scandal and the news goes viral? This is a question you may have to ask yourself as a brand. Influencer marketing is all the rage, but what happens when things go wrong? In this blog post, we’ll explain how to deal with an influencer scandal and what actions to take if your brand image gets damaged.
Steps to manage a bad buzz generated by an influencer
An influencer scandal is a situation in which an influencer, who is supposed to promote a brand or product, instead creates negative publicity. This can happen through social media posts, personal behavior, or other public activity. Influencer scandals can damage a brand’s reputation and cause a drastic decrease in sales.
The state of play of the scandal caused by an influencer
One of your ambassadors has caused a scandal and everyone is talking about it? The first step is to step back and assess the situation. The idea is not to react in a rush to make a decision you may regret. Is the influencer in question a valuable part of your marketing strategy? If so, you will need to weigh the pros and cons of continuing to work with them. Maintaining your collaboration will mean publicly assuming that you support him and that you share the same views and values. On the other hand, if the influencer is not a particularly important asset, it may be best to end the collaboration. It also depends on the extent and content of the scandal and the longevity of your partnership relationship.
Time to act
Once you’ve made the decision to continue working with the influencer or not, you need to take action. If you have decided to separate, be sure to do so in a professional manner. It is also important to take steps to protect your brand image from further damage. It will be worthwhile to involve a team specialized in crisis communication and to issue an official statement. Contact us if you need our support in such a situation.
How to restore your brand image after a bad buzz?
The key to saving your brand image after a bad buzz is to take immediate action and take a clear stand. You need to show your clients that you take the situation seriously and are committed to protecting their interests. In addition, you need to put systems in place to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future. By taking these steps and communicating them, you can rebuild trust with your customers and protect your brand.
A bad buzz can happen to any brand – even the best prepared ones. But by following these steps, you can minimize the damage and protect your brand image.
Prevention against a possible new influencer scandal
Finally, it is important to learn from your mistakes. Make sure you understand what really happened and put procedures in place to prevent it from happening again.
Influencer marketing can be a great way to connect with your target audience and build your brand. However, it is important to be prepared for things to go wrong. By following these steps, you can minimize the damage an influencer scandal can cause and protect your brand image.
There are a few steps brands can take ahead of an influencer campaign to prevent an influencer scandal:
- Do your research: before partnering with an influencer, be sure to thoroughly vet their content and communication. Examine his or her past speech and see if there is anything that could be harmful to you later on
- Draft a contract: When partnering with an influencer, make sure to draft a detailed and airtight contract. This will protect you. Read also Protecting image rights and intellectual property in influencer marketing
- Monitor its activity. Even after partnering with an influencer, it’s important to keep an eye on their business. If they start posting things that don’t match your brand, take action immediately. Read also E-reputation: an essential criterion
By following these tips, brands can reduce the risk of influencer-related scandal. However, even if all the right boxes are checked, there is always the possibility that something could go wrong. It is therefore important to take precautions beforehand, to stay alert and to be able to react quickly.
