When identifying potential influencers to work with during the discovery stage, several red flags need to be attended to, as they could potentially harm a brand or agency’s image:

1. Inconsistent engagement rates: If an influencer’s engagement rate fluctuates wildly, it could be a sign they’ve purchased followers or engaged with ‘like for like’ tactics. Such practices can lead to poor campaign results as the audience is not genuinely interested in the influencer’s content.

2. Lack of relevance: An influencer may have a high follower count, but if their content theme or audience demographic doesn’t align with your brand, the partnership won’t be productive.

3. Inauthentic content: Influencers who frequently post sponsored content without authentic engagement or personal stories can alienate their followers.

4. Negative online behavior: Look out for influencers with a history of problematic behavior or controversies, as such behaviors could potentially harm your brand’s reputation.

5. Influencer’s Frequency of Posts: Infrequent posting can indicate a lack of commitment or enthusiasm, which might reflect in their promotion of your brand.

As a platform facilitating the influencer discovery process and campaign workflows, Flinque can help identify and sort through these potential issues by providing detailed audience analytics. Platforms like Flinque assist in ensuring the influencers brands are considering have an authentic, engaged audience and content relevant to the brand’s messaging. Remember, the most suitable platform will depend on your specific needs and team requirements.