What do you do if influencers criticize your work?

Influencer marketing is a powerful way to reach your target audience, but it also comes with some challenges. One of them is how to deal with influencers who criticize your work, either publicly or privately. Whether they are unhappy with your product, service, or collaboration terms, you need to handle their feedback professionally and respectfully. Here are some tips on how to do that.

1 Listen and empathize

The first thing you should do when an influencer criticizes your work is to listen and empathize. Don't get defensive or angry, but try to understand their perspective and feelings. Thank them for their honesty and acknowledge their concerns. Show them that you value their opinion and appreciate their partnership.

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Akilah Harper

Creating Digital Presence | Creator Marketing | Social Media Strategist | Generative AI Enthusiast
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Working with influencers is a reciprocal relationship. It's important for brands and agencies to be willing to recieve feedback. The influencers are the experts on their audience and often quite knowledgeable in their niche. Hence, their feedback will be quite valuable.

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Charles Mance

Building MXO
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We love it. This shows that not everyone has to like your work. I'd rather someone like/not like my work then they feel indifferent about it. Honest feedback is gold, even if it bruises your ego. Listen openly, consider it all, then pick the gems that help you grow.

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2 Evaluate and respond

The next thing you should do is to evaluate and respond to their criticism. Ask yourself if their feedback is valid, constructive, and relevant. If it is, then you should take it as an opportunity to improve your work and address their issues. If it is not, then you should politely explain your reasoning and stand by your work. Either way, you should respond promptly, professionally, and courteously.

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Brad Squires

Engagement Catalyst for small wineries
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One brilliant approach is to use the criticism in your marketing. For example, create an email campaign: Here's what you told us [excerpt the criticism] ... and here's how we've improved.

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3 Learn and improve

The last thing you should do is to learn and improve from their criticism. Whether you agree or disagree with them, you should always take their feedback as a learning experience. Analyze what went wrong, what went well, and what you can do better next time. Implement the changes that are necessary and beneficial for your work and your relationship with the influencer.

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Linda Ivri ✨ Community-Based Marketing

Content Creation & Strategy | Influencer Marketing | Community Development & Events |
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While it's always important to be open to feedback, an influencer doesn't necessarily understand all your goals and concerns. Moreover, they have their own priorities and like anyone else, their own agenda It's important to listen to the feedback, and then decide how you want to move forward. Do you agree? What can you do better next time? Thank them (genuinely!) for helping you grow. If you disagree, thank them for their feedback and attention to the matter. If you feel like it will be well received, you can share your perspective. However, remember it's not your position to educate them.

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4 Avoid and prevent

Criticism is inevitable, but by following best practices, you can avoid or prevent some of it. Make sure to communicate clearly and frequently with the influencer about expectations, goals, and guidelines. Provide resources, support, and feedback to help them create quality content. Furthermore, respect their creative freedom and authenticity, and don't micromanage or pressure them. Lastly, reward them fairly and timely for their work, and show them recognition and gratitude.

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5 Handle and resolve

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you may encounter a situation where the influencer's criticism is too harsh, unreasonable, or damaging. In that case, you should handle and resolve the conflict quickly. Reach out to them privately and try to understand their motives and intentions. Express your disappointment and dissatisfaction with their behavior, and ask them to stop or delete their negative comments. You could also negotiate a solution that is acceptable for both parties, and document it in writing. If necessary, end the relationship with the influencer, and seek legal advice or action.

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6 Grow and thrive

Finally, remember that criticism is not the end of the world, but a chance to grow and thrive. Don't let it discourage you or ruin your reputation, but use it as a catalyst to enhance your work and your influencer marketing strategy. By doing so, you will not only overcome the challenges, but also create more opportunities and value for your brand and your audience.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Sarah Adam

Head of Partnerships & Influencer Marketing, Wix | 16K followers
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Honest feedback is a gift. Put your ego aside and listen to it. You don't have to agree with it and it is not necessarily true however it may include insights that, if taken rightly, can really push you forward. So listen, digest and then decide which takeaways you want to keep.

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What do you do if influencers criticize your work?

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4

5

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1 Listen and empathize

2 Evaluate and respond

3 Learn and improve

4 Avoid and prevent

5 Handle and resolve

6 Grow and thrive

7 Here’s what else to consider

Influencer Marketing

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What do you do if influencers criticize your work?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Listen and empathize

2 Evaluate and respond

3 Learn and improve

4 Avoid and prevent

5 Handle and resolve

6 Grow and thrive

7 Here’s what else to consider

Influencer Marketing

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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