You can’t do without influencers – at least that’s the conventional wisdom in marketing. Whether it’s beauty, fitness, clothing, or even apps and PC games, only those whose products are presented on YouTube and TikTok can sell to a younger target group. In short clips, first impressions, packaging and functionality count. Here’s what your products need to be able to do to be ready for YouTuber and TikToker.

Realistic packaging or gift box?

The temptation to send well-known influencers with millions of subscriptions products in particularly beautiful gift packaging in order to convince them personally is great. But marketing via YouTube and TikTok is not about convincing content creators. Think of influencers as performers who present a scripted product, regardless of what they personally think of it.

Influencers are only successful if they can convince others to present authentic emotions when unpacking and trying out products. This requires a lot of practice and also scripts that creators either write themselves or are given by the companies.

Products should always be presented as end customers will later purchase them in the store. This is increasingly true for digital products as well. It’s frustrating when Let’s Play Channel plays a game that comes with thousands of details, and players realize after purchasing it that all of those details are cosmetics that have to be purchased individually. A certain bonus is in order. A greeting card, a limited design, but the basic product should look like it is shown in front of the camera.

But the actual product is only one of several relevant factors that turn the so-called “unboxing experience” into a real event for end customers. The art of this trend is to create a unique customer experience and to convince the target group of the product before it has even been unpacked.

In order to achieve this, it comes down to packaging design, for example. It should be eye-catching, designed with attention to detail and fit the brand. The product itself should be carefully, high quality and attractive packaging. For this purpose, tissue paper for wrapping and paper wool as a filler.

What is actually unboxing?

Influencers refer to the practice of unboxing a product in front of the camera as unboxing. Rarely does this happen in the livestream. Much more often, professional videos are produced in which, in addition to the unpacking, the key data of the product are mentioned or the product is tried out directly.

YouTube and TikTok are, on the one hand, platforms that are largely free for users and offer endless content tailored to their interests. On the other hand, content creators from all over the world are building their own business here, which can include advertising deals in addition to revenue from ads. Influencers therefore usually unbox as part of a paid assignment from the manufacturing companies, or their agencies.

An exception to this are smaller channels that also unbox products provided for free or show “hauls”. They buy products from a merchant at their own expense, and show the audience what they personally like to purchase. However, this method is becoming increasingly rare.

Maximum equipment, maximum effect

In a paid cooperation around products, you as the manufacturer have it in your hands which variant of the product the influencers promote. This is especially important if the product range has large price differences, or if the product must fit the person advertising it.

This can be easily demonstrated using the example of a new perfume. Let’s say your new product comes in a men’s version, a women’s version, and a non-gender-specific version. There are also small and large pack sizes and a special limited edition bottle for collectors. In consultation with the promoting channel, you should provide one bottle each of the large bottles or one-time special edition, as well as trial sizes for the influencer’s partner.

This gives the person presenting a realistic overview of what is on offer and can describe the sounds. At the same time, it makes an excellent impression when you, as an advertising partner, provide the most expensive edition for testing and, usually, keeping. Of course, the product should also be shipped sealed in the original packaging. Testers and B-goods are never suitable for advertising.

Check quality before sending

There’s only one scenario worse than making businesses look stingy, and that’s when your product arrives defective. It is true that influencers are prepared for this and produce product test videos in advance. But here and there are also YouTubers who do not want to lie to their viewers and contractually regulate from the beginning that they will broadcast their honest opinion. What this means for you is that if the product doesn’t work on the first take, the audience will know.

Each product must therefore be extensively tested and examined long before the advertising deal. Whether sports equipment or camera, cooking gadget or food – everything has to be right. Only when the market launch is imminent and all possible functional errors have been corrected may the professional advertising partner see the product. Exceptions are beta tests or, for example, games that are still being worked on but can already be ordered on platforms like Steam.

Not only the general product must be completely ready to use and designed, but also the individual product that is sent for the advertising partner should definitely be checked. Are all parts present, is the description included, is the packaging spotless? Then a member of your team can gift wrap the merchandise with the utmost care, include a card or high-quality promotional gift, and arrange for it to be shipped in a branded box.

Important: As soon as a product is presented in videos, the demand for it increases. Make sure your product is ready to ship as soon as it airs!

Are you ready for criticism?

One of the most important questions companies need to ask themselves before sending out their items for unboxing and showcasing on YouTube and TikTok is whether the product will stand up to scrutiny. Contractually agreed, you have the possibility to specify a script, in which wording your brand and product will be described. However, not all content creators are willing to make this deal. A renowned cooking channel, for example, will not only make a selection of which products to feature in its kitchen, but will also insist on being allowed to express its opinion.

If your new rice stove, coffee grinder or pizza oven performs poorly compared to other products, the cooking expert may criticize your product. This is another reason why you should never work with just one channel, because different channels have different audiences.

But how can you tell if you’re ready for criticism? First of all, the product must be so well tested that it works absolutely safely and only minor things can go wrong that pass for operating errors. Second, the campaign must not depend on this one order. Marketing should include a combination of ads, landing pages, digital and possibly analog advertising. Your product needs to be promoted in-store, but also in a Facebook campaign. The more dispersion, the less influence a single misstep has and the more likely customers are to buy the product despite the one-off criticism.

Get to know YouTube and TikTok yourself

Many companies promise themselves something from the cooperation with influencers that they cannot provide. Familiarize yourself and your team with the platforms before launching the campaign and requesting collaboration. TikTok in particular requires more than clumsy advertising. What counts here is brevity, wit and respect for the medium.

Campaigns that address young people in “youth language” or are polished to a high gloss quickly flop on TikTok and YouTube. Working with large channel operators is therefore a great way to present products organically in the Creator style, making them appear more credible. Even a script that does not fit the channel can destroy the video and the effect on the viewers.

The most important tip can therefore only be: When presenting products, trust the experience and sense of authenticity of influencers. Nearly every product benefits from human presentation in a video. But for this, it is essential that you and your product are prepared to interact with creators, viewers and media representatives.

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