A common story: a perfume shop in Jeddah pays a well-known influencer for a single story. Views hit a big number, follows rise for a few hours, and then a handful of orders come in. The owner can't tell whether that was a bad result or a normal one, because before the post went up he never decided what he'd measure or how. Most of this is fixable before you pay.
How do you choose the right influencer for your product?
Start with the influencer's audience before their fame. Ask whether the people who follow them resemble your customers in country, age, interests and ability to buy. A cooking influencer in Amman with fewer followers may sell more kitchenware than a general celebrity with millions of followers spread across several countries.
Then look at their content. Do they talk about products like yours in a way their audience believes? When did they last post an ad, and how many do they post a week? An account that has turned into nothing but ads has lost some of its followers' trust. Ask yourself, too, whether their style and tone fit your company's image. A sarcastic influencer may bring a lot of attention and still hurt a company selling a service where customers need to feel trust and seriousness.
What should you ask an influencer for before agreeing?
Ask for audience data from inside the app. Professional accounts on Instagram and TikTok show how followers break down by country, city and age, and a screenshot of those insights is more honest than any media kit.
- Audience breakdown by country, city and age.
- Average views on stories and videos over the last few weeks.
- Results of past ads for products similar to yours, if available.
- Their license number, if they advertise in Saudi Arabia.
Read the comments on their posts. Repetitive generic comments from accounts with no profile pictures, or engagement that doesn't match the follower count, are reasons to stop and look closer.
One big influencer or several small ones?
Each option has its use. Small influencers in a specific niche give you an audience closer to your product and a chance to test more than one message. A big influencer gives you wide reach in a single day.
| Several small influencers | One big influencer | |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Narrower and closer to a specific niche | Wide and varied |
| Risk | Spread across several accounts | Concentrated in one post |
| Testing | You can compare results between them | One result that's hard to interpret |
| Management | More coordination and follow-up | Less coordination |
Many companies start with several small accounts and then work again with the ones who brought results. Repeat collaboration with the same influencer usually gives a clearer result than a single post, because their audience sees the product more than once and sees that they're still using it. If the budget allows, agree on two or three posts over a month instead of one.
What should the agreement with an influencer include?
Put everything you expect in writing before you pay, even as a clear message if there's no formal contract. Most disputes after a campaign come from things nobody agreed on in advance.
- The number and type of posts and stories, and when they'll be published.
- Whether you review the content before it goes up, and how many revisions are allowed.
- The link and code they'll use, and how long the link stays up.
- Your right to use the video in your ads or on your website, and for how long.
- How and when payment happens, and what happens if the content isn't published on time.
What's legally required when advertising with an influencer?
In Saudi Arabia, anyone advertising through their social media accounts needs a Mawthooq license from the General Authority for Media Regulation, so ask for the license number before you pay. The rules in this area get updated from time to time, so check the current requirements on the authority's website.
Wherever you are, followers should be able to see that the post is an ad. Instagram and Facebook offer a "Paid partnership" label for sponsored content. Using it protects both sides and lets you see the post's insights.
How do you measure an influencer campaign?
Set up measurement before anything is posted: a discount code unique to each influencer, and a link with UTM tags pointing to a specific page. Then you can see in your store and in Google Analytics how many orders came from each account and compare that with what you paid.
- A numeric goalOrders, bookings or signups
- A code and link per influencerSeparate discount code and UTM link
- Landing pageThe product itself, with a clear way to order
- PublishingWith the paid partnership label
- ComparisonCost per order for each influencer
Don't judge from the first few hours alone. Some people see the post and buy days later, or search for your name on Google instead of tapping the link, so watch branded searches and direct visits over the following week. If the influencer gives you the right to use the video in your ads, it may turn out to be one of the best things you test in Facebook and Instagram ads. Make sure the link leads to a page that's ready, as covered in the online store launch checklist.
We help companies choose influencers, set up measurement and follow the results as part of our digital marketing service. Send us your product and the accounts you're considering, and we'll review their audiences with you.
Questions our partners ask
Is a big influencer better than a small one?
Not necessarily. A smaller influencer in a specific niche may reach an audience closer to your product at a lower cost. A big one makes sense when your product is aimed at a very wide audience.
Do influencers need a license in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Advertising through social media accounts in Saudi Arabia requires a Mawthooq license from the General Authority for Media Regulation. Ask for the license number before you agree, and check the current requirements, since they may change.
How can I tell whether the followers are real?
Compare the comments with the follower count, and read them. Repetitive generic comments from accounts without profile pictures are a warning sign. Ask for screenshots of the audience insights inside the app.
Written by the Visual Innovate team, the people who build, host and follow up systems, websites and apps for our clients in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Egypt.
