There are many ways to customize and automate the campaign workflow. Whether you are running unique curated campaigns or an ongoing ambassador program, the workflow can be optimized to streamline processes for both your team and the influencers you work with.

This article contains suggested workflow configurations, tailored to different influencer marketing goals.

In this article:

• Curated campaigns (default workflow)
• Onboarding campaigns
• Ambassador programs
• Product-only campaigns

Curated campaigns

While the default workflow can support a variety of different processes and goals, the 12 default stages are designed specifically to cover the full range of tasks included in a typical, curated influencer marketing campaign.

In a typical curated campaign, influencers are reviewed after expressing interest to participate, receive payment or product before and after posting, and go through several stages of review and confirmation. 

The following suggestions are tailored to curated campaigns that follow this format, with most of the default stages enabled.

Suggestion 1: Disable any stages you don't need.

The simpler the workflow, the easier the campaign is to complete, both for influencers and for your team.

If you don't need to send product before influencers post, disable the Pre-Payment stage. If you don't need to review content before and after influencers post it, disable Draft Review or Post Review. 

However, don't skip any stages you do intend to use in the interest of shortening the workflow; a clear understanding of each influencer's status is easier to obtain when tasks are represented by their own stages.

Suggestion 2: Only add mandatory deliverables in campaign setup. 

For influencers to move out of the Draft and Content Creation stages automatically, they must fulfill all of the deliverables in the Influencer Deliverables section of campaign setup. 

To simplify draft submission for influencers and ensure that they can progress through the workflow automatically, only add deliverables that every participant must fulfill.

If you'd like influencers to create additional content beyond what is labeled as required, communicate that using messages or the campaign brief.

Whenever a post is required on at least one social media platform, Later Influence will also track content from all the other social media platforms that are connected. You do not need to add influencer deliverables on a specific platform for Later Influence to track content on that platform.

• For example, in a campaign where influencers must create an Instagram post, plus an optional Pinterest post, only the Instagram post is added in the Influencer Deliverables section. Influencers will have to submit a draft for the Instagram post, but not the Pinterest post. They will progress through the workflow automatically once the Instagram post is tracked, but the campaign will also track the optional Pinterest content if they choose to post it.

Suggestion 3: Set message templates to send automatically.

The default message templates in every campaign are aligned with the default workflow stages. You can automate all the outreach required to run a typical campaign by automating the default message templates as outlined below.

Message template suggestions are included for campaigns with draft review and without draft review.

If you disable any of the default stages, adjust the content of message templates and the automation accordingly.

A confirmation message is presented any time you move influencers to a workflow stage that will trigger a message to send automatically.

Onboarding campaigns

Onboarding campaigns are used to build your database of influencers in the platform. You may wish to onboard influencers who you've worked with previously or collect applications from loyal customers through an onboarding form on your website. 

All influencers who complete an application are added to your private My Members database. Influencers from your database can be added directly to new campaigns without needing to apply. By building up your database, you create a curated pool of influencers that you can call upon quickly for future campaigns.

Suggestion 1: Disable all stages except for Invited, Applied, Content Creation, and Complete.

When the only task influencers need to complete in a campaign is the application form, disable every stage that is not required to support that.

The Applied stage must be enabled for campaign applications to work. The Invited and Applied stages are linked and cannot be enabled separately. The Content Creation and Complete stages are required for all campaigns.

Suggestion 2: Create a custom "Application received" message template to send automatically when influencers reach the Applied stage.

Proactively address any follow-up questions that influencers may have by sending a message automatically when they complete the campaign application. Confirm that their application was received and indicate what the next steps may be in your partnership.

Suggestion 3: Ask influencers to create a "welcome post" to complete their onboarding. 

If you would like influencers to create a post in addition to completing the onboarding form, include instructions in the message you send to influencers who reach the Applied stage or in the message where you provide the application link. 

Influencers will be promoted to the Complete stage of this workflow when any deliverables in the campaign setup are met. 

If influencers need to post for their application to be considered, inform them of the deliverable when you provide the application link and set the "Application received" message template to send automatically only once they reach the Complete stage. Review applicants from the Complete stage and move them to a new campaign for follow-up actions. 

Ambassador programs

Ambassador programs are a great way to work with loyal brand advocates at scale, creating large amounts of content and awareness at a relatively low cost.

Ambassador programs often task the same influencers to create content for new campaigns month over month. Influencers may be required to post for each campaign they are added to, to complete a certain number of campaigns per year, or not required to post at all.

Suggestion 1: Disable the Candidates, Invited, and Applied stages.

When you already know who will participate, you can skip the entire Candidates phase of the workflow and add ambassadors directly to the Participants phase.

Depending on your needs, you may wish to begin the workflow at Confirmation, Pre-Payment, or Content Creation. 

Ambassadors must be members in your database before they can be added to a stage in the Participants phase. Ambassador programs typically use onboarding campaigns to create memberships. If you wish to add new ambassadors to your program, use an onboarding campaign as described above.

Suggestion 2: Disable any other stages you don't need.

Ambassador program campaigns typically don't utilize Pre-Payment, Confirmation, Draft Review, or Post Review due to the nature of the partnership.

Disable any stages you won't use to streamline the workflow. 

Some ambassador program campaign workflows contain only the bare minimum stages: Content Creation and Complete. In these campaigns, ambassadors are added directly to Content Creation, receive posting instructions, and move to Complete automatically when they meet the deliverables.

Suggestion 3: Set instructions and reminders to send automatically.

In many ambassador program campaigns, the only message templates that are needed are Posting Instructions and Post Complete. Set these message templates to send automatically at the relevant stages of your workflow.

Reminder templates are particularly helpful in ambassador program campaigns where ambassadors may not be incentivized to post. Set reminders to send automatically ahead of the due date and shortly after to get as many ambassadors to post as possible.

Product-only campaigns

Curated campaigns that provide brand products to influencers in lieu of cash payments or gift cards are often referred to as product-only campaigns. You may run a product-only campaign as a way to activate a large number of influencers with smaller followings at a low cost. 

While product-only campaigns can see higher drop-off rates than paid campaigns, simplifying the workflow is an easy way to increase influencer engagement.

Suggestion 1: Disable the Post-Payment stage, but don't skip Confirmation. 

Product-only campaigns typically send products to influencers at the Pre-Payment stage, allowing them to use the products to create content.

When products are shipped to influencers, the Confirmation stage is a critical step to ensure they have provided the correct addresses before your team sends packages.

Suggestion 2: Set reminder message templates to send automatically.

Reminder emails can help to ensure all influencers post after receiving product, since the drop-off rate may be higher than in a paid campaign. 

Suggestion 3: Skip Draft Review, but opt for Post Review.

Submitting draft content and incorporating feedback may feel like a tall order when an influencer is receiving product as the only payment. The Post Review stage can be a useful replacement for Draft Review in these cases.

The Post Review stage enables you to easily review content created by influencers before they reach the Post-Payment or Complete stages, without requiring any additional input from the influencer. If you discover unsatisfactory content at this stage, work with the influencer and your Later Influence team to determine a solution.

Of course, expectations vary with each partnership and drafts may always be required for certain industries or products. You are encouraged to use draft review in any campaign where it serves your goals.