Content Types Explained
There are quite a few options when it comes to deciding what you want your creators to produce (also known as the deliverables). From posts to content, stories, IGTV, blogs…it can be overwhelming and to be honest, it’s such a creative decision that there is no right or wrong answer.
This is one area that we love to consult with brands on so don’t hesitate to reach out so we can help you pick the best for your goals.
In the meantime, here is some information to get you started.
First, a distinction between the types of images that can be created:
Images/ Content refer to images you want for your own purposes, on social channels, websites, printed materials, etc. These images are not posted by the creator on their own accounts.
Post / Images refer to the content you want the creator to post on their own account. These images can also be used by you in the other ways mentioned above, but these are the images you specifically want the influencer to use in your sponsored posts.
Types of Content:
Instagram Post:
In-feed posts (static images) are the bread and butter of Instagram influencing, however there has definitely been a shift in recent years to incorporate a more balanced set of deliverables.
That being said, in-feed images are great for a few reasons:
They live on the account for much longer than stories
Many contracts state that the in-feed post must remain for at least 90 days post campaign but it’s also very common for it to state that it must not ever be deleted
They provide space for a much longer caption and as a result of that, much deeper storytelling about your products
The drawback of in-feed posts is that it can be hard to drive an action from them as there is no option to provide a direct link (unlike stories, where anyone with above 10k followers can provide a direct “swipe up”).
There are a few ways of ensuring in-feed posts are still effective:
Giving the creator a promo code to include in the caption
Having the creator change their bio link to your brand / product page
Having the creator use another bio link tool like Linkin.bio by Later which turns their bio link into a shoppable/ linkable feed (this is one of our favourite tips & tricks – it’s a great way to drive conversions)
Content (Images):
It is very common for creators to include some bonus shots from their content production efforts. This is often accompanied by the in-feed post that they are hired for but you can also request a set number of shots or run entire campaigns that are purely for content, rather than including the creator to post.
For ex., if you are launching your brand or a new product, a content creation only campaign can be a really affordable way to get a lot of different content that you can use on your own social channels and website.
Either way, it’s always a good idea to get some extra shots with each influencer campaign you do. Creators never have an issue providing these and they are so useful for you to have.
Stories:
Stories have quickly become one of the most popular features on Instagram. Even though they only last 24 hours, they can also be saved to a Story Highlight indefinitely which lives on the creator’s account page.
Stories are much less expensive than in-feed posts because creators often post 5 or more “stories” each day, meaning there is more real estate for sponsored content.
They have just as much reach as in-feed posts in many cases and some people run entire campaigns with stories as the only deliverable, especially when the creator has above 10k followers (meaning they have the swipe up feature).
A minimum set of story slides should be 2-3 as one story slide often isn’t enough of an opportunity for your brand or product to be explained. You should also ensure the creator is writing out captions as well (even if they aren’t word for word) because most people don’t listen to stories with sound on.
Videos:
In-feed video: Posting a video instead of a static image is a great way to increase reach, as everyone loves video! These can be up to 60 seconds in length. Make sure that the cover of the video is visually appealing to increase viewership even more.
IGTV: This is an underutilized tool that can be one of the best ways to get your product / brand exposure. IGTV’s normally live under a different tab and often there aren’t many options for people to scroll through, meaning your sponsored content would be highly visible to the creator’s followers.
The IGTV can also be posted in-feed, showing 60 seconds of it before the audience is prompted to resume watching by switching to full screen video.
Live: Having a creator host a Live is a great idea when it’s something that requires demonstration, more storytelling or the ability for audience members to ask questions about the product. It can also be great for showing the product in use for example in a cooking show type production. Live’s can also be shared to IGTV for a more permanent home so you get the benefit of having engaging content but also while being able to save it for future viewership.
Blog Post:
In addition to the types of content found on Instagram (mentioned above), there are also blog posts. Blogs are a great way to maximize the SEO reach of your content and provide evergreen content (meaning it stays available via search, especially because you can’t google search for IG posts). This can be tacked on to any social media campaign you run.
