Influencers & Content Creators: 5 Brand Deal Red Flags
When you’re new to the world of content creation, the idea of working with brands can be exciting and altogether overwhelming. It’s important to look out for red flags and scams in order to protect yourself. Especially when it's a brand you are unfamiliar with.
So how can you tell if an offer is legit or fake?
Here are five red flags to look out for:
NO BUSINESS EMAIL
The very first thing to check when receiving a brand offer is the email format. Always check where the email is coming from. Any email sent from Gmail, Yahoo, ect diminishes the validity of a brand. Small businesses can be an exception, but it is easy to spot the difference between startups and scams. Do your research and use your best judgment.
PURCHASE WITH DISCOUNT CODE
You should never have to pay to work for and promote a brand. Unless it's a code that completely covers the cost of product, shipping, and any other expenses then it is most likely a scam (even if you get the product)!
Food or drink items that can be purchased locally may be an exception. Brands like Sparkling Ice that are sold in stores have you purchase your choices, but will reimburse what you have spent. Most of the time this is done through trusted influencer platforms, no code necessary.
THEY DON'T USE YOUR NAME
If you ever get a message that starts off with "Hi, Sweetie, Hun, Dear!" just delete it. They spent zero time in creating a genuine collaboration and have sent the same message to hundreds of different people. Plus, it's unprofessional. The bare minimum a brand can do is to look at your name on your profile.
LACK OF PERSONALIZATION
If the brand email is completely impersonal and doesn’t mention anything specific about your content other than “we love your content,” this is also a generic template that is batched and sent to multiple influencers at a time.
Just like you want to be familiar with a brand, you also want the brand to be familiar with you and the type of content you actually create.
TEXT HYPERLINKS
Common hacks happen when there is a link inside the email. It will usually be disguised as a hyperlink, but in reality the link leads somewhere else. Always hover over a link before clicking. The exact url will be shown in the bottom left corner of your computer screen.
Most legitimate hyperlinks will be short, directly linking to a specific website. If a hyperlink is filled with a bunch of indistinguishable text, do not click on it.
The promise of proper compensation for content creation can be enticing. However, if you are still worried about if a company is legit or a scam, a simple check on Scam Detector can give you clarity.
Scam Detector will compile information on a brand and rate its validity in depth from when a website was created, suspicious activity and more. It can also help review scams that try to use well-known companies as a front such as Amazon or Paypal.
Most of all, trust your instincts. If something just doesn’t feel right after all your research, it is best to ignore the offer and delete the email.