During a time of rapidly changing news consumption habits, many newsrooms have turned to established influencers and content creators to grow their follower count, reach new audiences, and amplify their reporting.
However, newsrooms might struggle to find the right influencers or content creators who match their tone and audience, or might be unsure of what boundaries to set with creators who have their own strong voice and messaging as part of their brand.
At News Reimagined — a creator-focused summit produced by the National Press Club Journalism Institute and URL Media — Adrienne Johnson Martin, co-executive director of Memphis-based, non-profit newsroom MLK50, and Krysta Villeda, chief operating officer at digital-only Latino news and culture outlet Pulso, offered advice from their own experience working with influencers and content creators.
Influencers vs. content creators
The terms “influencers” and “content creators” are often used interchangeably. For Villeda, there’s value in making a distinction between the two. She defines influencers as those who have over 50,000 followers and are “creating conversation” on a large scale, while content creators have smaller audiences and are often deeply engaged with their given community.
Knowing which of the two to approach for a partnership depends on what a newsroom seeks to gain or achieve. Smaller content creators might be able to help newsrooms build trust by utilizing their established connection with their communities, for instance, while an influencer can help “move the needle” in the conversation on a given issue and to a larger audience.
Budget matters, too. Content creators are likely to be satisfied with a standard rate of $200 to $250 per video, Villeda said, while influencers have more experience with representing brands and might have a higher standard rate. Some creators and influencers negotiate contracts through a manager and might charge more for their services to pay their manager’s fees.
Choosing the right voice
It’s important for newsrooms to partner with influencers and content creators who authentically match the outlet’s tone, and who are genuinely passionate about the mission. “Audiences can just tell when they’re not,” she said.
Martin suggests that news outlets create a list of traits they’re looking for in an influencer — do they smile a lot and gesture frequently, for example, or are they authoritative and polished? Is it important that they are bilingual or have a regional accent that would connect with a certain community? Consider their sense of humor, too, which can be a powerful engagement tool but should also fit the outlet’s overall tone.
Remember that influencers and content creators have established trust with their communities by crafting their own voice, Martin explained: “You have to allow them to be who they are.” When editing scripts, make sure that you’re editing for their style and not your own.
It’s vital to know what kind of content you’re looking for, too: Is it explanatory-style journalism or “man-on-the-street” style reporting with live interviews? Certain influencers and content creators might be stronger in one style but not another.
Setting rules and boundaries
While there is increasing overlap in the age of social media, influencers are not necessarily journalists and might not know the journalistic process. It’s important to communicate expectations, rules, and boundaries at the beginning of any partnership.
Influencers need to know that any newsroom they work with can be held liable for what is said in the organization’s name and should understand the risks to the newsroom if content reflects poorly on it, Martin said. One way newsrooms can mitigate this risk is by ensuring candidates align with their values during the vetting process, she said.
On the other hand, newsrooms should be aware that influencers might not follow their rules for branded content — such as no swearing — in other non-branded content, unless the two parties come to an agreement about this. Again, familiarity with an influencer’s content and voice before partnering can help newsroom leaders avoid reputational problems.
Be upfront with influencers on your do’s and don’t’s, Villeda added. Make clear that your newsroom has the right to edit scripts and videos before publication, as well as how many edits an influencer can expect. It’s important to clarify details like how many videos an influencer is expected to create, the publishing schedule, and if the content will be published on the influencer’s or newsroom’s feed.
Building a partnership
With any new influencer or content creator, Villeda negotiates a fee for an initial run of six to eight videos if published on the organization’s social media pages — or three videos, if published on the influencers’ own — to test whether the partnership can meet goals and the working relationship with the influencer is positive. From there, longer partnerships are possible.
Martin detailed how MLK50’s first creator in residence, Amber Sherman, began with a one-year contract, but developed into a longer-term partnership. One benefit of a longer term partnership, Martin found, was the ability to have an influencer cover reporting gaps — in their case, an xAI data center being built near Memphis.
For journalists looking to pitch partnering with an influencer or content creators to their outlet, Martin suggests looking at areas where your outlet is lacking — such as a lack of young readership — and look at concrete ways an influencer could meet that gap: “Look at what you’re doing now and if you’re being stagnant,” added Martin. “Look for opportunities for growth and how you can make an argument for an influencer.”
Tags: content creators, creator journalism, influencers, Leadership