Pros and Cons of Influencer Marketing for Handmade Businesses

In today’s fast-paced digital world, influencer marketing has taken the marketing landscape by storm, and it’s no different for handmade businesses. 

If you’re curious whether working with influencers is right for your handmade business, you’ve come to the right blog post!

In this post, I’ll be discussing the ins and outs of influencer marketing,, and sharing some valuable tools to help you make the most of this marketing approach.

So, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s dive into the wonderful world of influencer marketing for handmade businesses!

The Pros of Working with Influencers

Influencer marketing can be a powerful tool to amplify your handmade business’s reach and exposure.

From skyrocketing your brand awareness to tapping into new markets, influencers can help you level up your marketing game in an authentic, engaging, and oh-so-effective way. 

Here are some reasons why influencer marketing may be a good fit for your business.

Increased reach and exposure. Influencers, even those with relatively low followers (under 100K), tend to have an engaged audience that’s new to you. Working with them can increase the visibility of your creations to a broader audience.

The Trust Factor. Having an influencer present your items to their followers gives you some “street cred”! Word of mouth is the best form of advertising, and their followers trust their recommendations.

Additional Content. If you create an agreement that allows you to use the influencers’ photos and videos, you can include their content on your social media profiles.

Reach Your Perfect Customers. Do your homework on potential influencers. If their followers are your perfect customers, you will reach exponentially more people who will love your products.

Influencer Marketing Can Be Cost Effective. If you find the right influencers, they usually charge little to work with them. Some newer influencers may do an exchange of just products! Overall, this type of marketing can be more cost-effective than traditional marketing methods.

The Cons of Influencer Marketing

While influencer marketing can be an excellent strategy for promoting your products, it’s essential to consider the potential downsides.

From potential budget constraints to issues with authenticity, it’s crucial to approach influencer marketing with a critical eye to ensure it aligns with your business goals. 

Here are some of the challenges and limitations of influencer marketing for handmade businesses.

Authenticity Concerns. If you work with someone who isn’t truly a fan of your products, it can negatively impact your brand. Viewers can quickly tell when someone is talking about a product they love versus a product they were paid to love.

It Does Cost Money. Influencer marketing could be more cost-effective than traditional online marketing. However, it will still cost you something. Whether it’s the cost of a free product (and shipping), or a fee the influencer charges, you’ll need to pay. Make sure you can afford it before doing business with someone.

You Have Limited Control. Some influencers will ask for your input on their posts, but many will not. You must let go of control and allow them to create content with your product how they want.

 Sometimes their messaging will align differently from your own. Be prepared to discuss what you are uncomfortable with, and include this info in your agreement.

You May Get “Ghosted .”There are many stories of influencers who…disappear. Unfortunately, this is a risk, especially if you’re sending out free products. See how they do with communication leading up to your agreement. 

Try to see if they’re getting good feedback on other sponsored posts. Be prepared for possible delays and other issues. 

Getting Started with Influencer Marketing

When it comes to influencer marketing for your handmade business, research and selection are essential to ensure success. Finding the right influencers who align with your brand values, target audience, and marketing goals is crucial to achieving a meaningful partnership.

Start by researching influencers that attract your “perfect customer .”Consider their content quality, engagement rate, audience demographics, and overall brand alignment. 

Look for influencers who have a genuine connection with their followers. You can look at their comment sections to see who engages with them and how frequently.

Once you’ve identified potential influencers, the next step is to carefully select the ones that best fit your handmade business. 

Take the time to review their past collaborations, ask for testimonials or case studies, and analyze their performance metrics. 

Look beyond their follower count and focus on the quality of their engagement and the relevance of their audience to your business. 

You may get DMs from influencers looking to work with you, but YOU must vet them before saying yes. It will waste everyone’s time if they’re not a good fit for your business.

Tools to Help You Work with Influencers

So how do you find these unicorn influencers that will elevate your brand? There are a few ways to do this research. I recommend doing a combination of the following. Plus, use your intuition. You can tell if someone is genuinely interested vs. someone just looking for the money.

Hashtags and Keywords. Search hashtags and keywords that are relevant to your business, and see what influencers are also using them. 

Use Influencer Discovery Tools. Several influencer discovery tools available online can help you find influencers based on criteria such as location, niche, engagement rate, and follower count. Some popular influencer discovery tools include SocialBee, BrandSnob, and Heepsy.

Check Social Media Platforms’ Influencer Recommendations. Many social media platforms have built-in features recommending influencers based on your interests, followers, or engagement. Explore these features on platforms like Instagram and YouTube to discover potential influencers already popular among your target audience.

Engage on Social Media. Once you’ve identified potential influencers, engage with them on social media. Like, comment, share their posts, and show genuine interest in their content. Building a relationship with influencers before reaching out for collaboration can help establish a rapport and increase the likelihood of a positive response.

When working with influencers, always follow applicable laws and regulations, such as disclosure requirements. 

Building authentic relationships with influencers who align with your brand values can result in fruitful partnerships that benefit your handmade business in the long run.

Pros and Cons of Influencer Marketing for Handmade Businesses

Working with influencers can be a great marketing tool for your business. However, it has its downside. If you do your research and have the funds to support it, influencer marketing can be a great way to grow your business!

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If you’re starting your handmade business online, I have a guide just for you! Check out “Online Must-Haves for Makers,” and you can get your online shop up and running in hours!