How to Employ Influencer Marketing During the Pandemic

Many marketers are hesitant to engage influencers during the pandemic. They're concerned with seeming out of touch.

Indeed, marketers could face significant PR backlash over an influencer campaign. For example, they could get hurt with campaigns that promote luxury goods to consumers who lack basic necessities. In addition, campaigns could subject marketers to legal liability. Examples include influencers going off-script and making unsubstantiated claims about health benefits of products to treat the novel coronavirus. [Additional legal concerns are below.]

Despite these risks, influencer marketing can reap significant benefits during COVID-19. Influencers are uniquely poised to capture consumer attention, particularly as social media becomes many consumers’ primary communications outlet, replacing friends, co-workers and even family.

Faced with a largely homebound fan-base, marketers can harness the power of influencers to connect with consumers in a genuine and authentic way, provided campaigns are structured appropriately.

Below are some ideas for structuring influencer marketing campaigns during COVID-19.
Build Goodwill
While marketers hire influencers to tout the benefits of their products, this is not the only messaging consumers want to hear now.