Influencer Whitelisting: Everything Brands Need to Know

What is Influencer Whitelisting?

Influencer whitelisting is when a brand gets advertising permission from a creator to run ads through the creator’s social media account.

This means the ad appears directly from the creator, not the brand.

Think of whitelisting as a brand borrowing an influencer's voice to speak directly to their audience.

Here’s what that looks like in action! Givenchy Beauty partnered with a beauty influencer to promote their “second skin masks” via Spark Ads on TikTok.

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Since the creator is known for beauty content and product reviews, the post perfectly aligns with her audience. This makes the ad more authentic and engaging. That’s why brands love partnering with smaller creators who already have their followers' trust!

Here's a simplified breakdown of how whitelisting content works for influencer ads:

1. The influencer grants the brand access to their account for advertising purposes, either through Instagram Partnership Ads or TikTok Spark Ads. The process can be done using tools like Meta or TikTok's Ad Manager.
   
   
2. The brand creates and runs influencer ads using the influencer’s authentic content.
   
   
3. The ad is presented to the brand's defined target audience but looks like an organic post from the influencer (despite technically being paid media).

Key Influencer Whitelisting Concepts to Know

Understanding influencer whitelisting can feel like learning a totally new language.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Below are key terms to help you navigate whitelisting, ad permissions and everything in between.

• Dark posts are ads that don’t appear on the influencer’s profile but show up in targeted users’ feeds. 
  
  
• Influencer allowlisting is a process that enables brands to gain access to an influencer's social media account to run ads. This process is similar to whitelisting but adds a new layer, offering brands more control over how their ads are displayed while maintaining the influencer's voice and authenticity in the messaging.
  
  
• Advertising permissions refer to the specific rights given to a brand to use influencer-generated content for ads. This can be done quickly through the exchange of UGC ad codes.
  
  
• Creator licensing refers to how influencers agree on the rights and terms of how a brand can use their content in promotions.
  
  
• FTC guidelines refer to rules from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding how sponsored content is disclosed.
  
  
• Ad codes are platform-generated codes that influencers give to brands for approval to whitelist content. This is an alternative to traditional whitelisting that requires extensive steps of going back and forth in Facebook or TikTok Ads Manager.

Here is an example of what giving add to an ad code looks like:

Hopefully, these definitions clear up any confusion so you can run influencer ads with confidence.

What Are the Benefits of Influencer Whitelisting?

Whitelisting influencer content offers unique perks for brands and creators alike. Here’s why whitelisting is worthwhile for both sides:

For Brands

• Authenticity as these ads appear as if they’re coming from the influencer, making them feel more genuine.
  
  
• Improved performance as influencer-generated content is proven to boost engagement and click-through rates. This is true on both TikTok and Instagram as highlighted by recent UGC stats.
  
  
• Audience expansion via lookalike audiences helps brands reach new people who share similar traits with the influencer’s followers.
  
  
• More comprehensive analytics with access to creator-level data like impressions, clicks and conversions to optimize campaigns.
  
  
• ROI as brands can repurpose influencer content for a variety of campaigns, from product launches to seasonal promotions, squeezing more out of their overall marketing mix.

For Influencers

• Monetization as influencers can earn additional income through licensing their content.
  
  
• Creative control as creators maintain oversight of their content and how it’s used.
  
  
• Credibility through partnerships with reputable brands, which can enhance their professional image.
  
  
• Long-term collaborations as successful campaigns often lead to ongoing collabs with brands.

Step-by-Step Guide to Influencer Whitelisting

Here’s how to set up whitelisting influencer marketing in a few straightforward steps:

Step 1: Choose the Right Influencers to Whitelist

Before you can whitelist a single piece of content, you need creator content to boost.

• Look for creators who align with your brand values and target audience
  
  
• Prioritize influencers with high engagement rates over sheer follower count.
  
  
• Consider using platforms like Statusphere to match your brand influencers who match your campaign goals.

With our influencer marketing platform, you can set up campaigns that explicitly target influencers to create and run UGC ads on TikTok and Instagram. Brands can streamline the whitelisting process by automatically accessing our vetted creators, securing content rights and accessing ad codes in just a few clicks. 

Step 2: Establish an Influencer Agreement Agreement

Next, you need to make sure you secure content rights from creators for your ads.

• Draft a detailed creator agreement that specifically includes an influencer content whitelisting clause that includes:
  
  
  • Usage rights (e.g., duration, platforms).
  • Compensation details.
  • FTC compliance requirements.
    
    
• Specify whether your brand can modify or edit the influencer’s content.

Step 3: Secure Advertising Permissions

• This can done immediately through exchanging Partnership Ad Codes or Spark Ad Codes.
  
  
• Alternatively, use tools like Facebook Ads Manager or TikTok Business Manager to request access to the influencer’s account.

Step 4: Create, Repurpose & Promote Your Whitelisted Ads

With approval and content access, it's time to make your ad.

• Repurpose the influencer’s existing organic content, collaborate on new creative or simply boost the post as it is.
  
  
• Pay close attention to your ad targeting.
  
  
• Test different formats, especially on Instagram (such as Reels and In-Feed Posts).

Step 5: Monitor & Optimize Your Influencer Ads

Finally, you need to assess the performance and KPIs of your influencer campaigns featuring whitelisted content so you can optimize your ad targeting and creatives in the future.

• Track key influencer metrics like impressions, click-through rates and conversions.
  
  
• Adjust targeting, messaging or creatives based on performance.
  
  
• Consider sharing results with creators to maintain transparency and strengthen the partnership.

Consider that there's no need to manually track every ad’s performance with platforms like Statusphere which monitor the progress of your whitelisted influencer posts and ad campaigns in one place, so you can easily see how organic content and paid promotions are performing side by side.

Best Practices for Influencer Whitelisting

To get the most out of whitelisting influencer content, stick to these tips:

• Set crystal clear expectations in a detailed agreement outlining content usage, duration, and compensation.
  
  
• Leverage data and use audience insights to refine your targeting and messaging.
  
  
• Test creatives and content formats to see what performs best with your target audience.
  
  
• Partner with the right influencers who genuinely reflect your brand’s mission and aesthetic
  
  
• Stay compliant with FTC disclosure rules with no exceptions.

Challenges of Influencer Whitelisting

While whitelisting in influencer marketing has clear benefits, it’s not without its hurdles:

• Potentially complex setups with tools like Facebook Ads Manager can be tricky to navigate.
  
  
• Control concerns as finding the right balance between brand oversight and an influencer's creative expression can be challenging.
  
  
• Compliance risks as missing FTC disclosures can lead to penalties.
  
  
• Lost time as manually whitelisting high volumes of creators can be incredibly tedious and eat into your team's resources.
  
  
• Duration disputes as negotiating content rights “in perpetuity” rights can be a sticking point.

Instagram Partnership Ads vs. Traditional Instagram Whitelisting

Instagram Partnership Ads offer a streamlined version of traditional whitelisting thanks to ad codes. 

Instagram Partnership Ads

• Simplified setup. Easily request permissions and run ads through Meta’s branded content tool.
  
  
• Advanced targeting. Access audience segmentation features directly within the platform.

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Traditional Instagram Whitelisting

• Flexibility. This approach gives brands greater creative control over ad content and formats.
  
  
• Customization. Traditional Instagram whitelisting also allows for more tailored campaigns but requires way more coordination with the influencer.

TikTok Spark Ads vs. Traditional TikTok Whitelisting

TikTok Spark Ads are like a shortcut to whitelisting, designed to amplify existing content seamlessly.

Here's how Spark Ads differ from traditional TikTok whitelisting:

Spark Ads

• Authentic engagement. Ads allow users to interact with a creator's original post (likes, shares, comments).
  
  
• Ease of use. Spark Ads involved minimal setup required compared to manual whitelisting.

Traditional Whitelisting

• Full Control: Brands can create entirely new ads using influencer content.
  
  
• Greater Customization: More options for advanced campaigns but requires extra effort.

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How to Easily Turn Influencer Content into High-Performing Ads

With constant algorithm changes and rising ad costs, getting the most out of your influencer content is a must-do.

That's a reason why more and more brands are doubling down on influencer-driven paid ads.

When you have the right creators posting about your brand at scale, you can turn organic posts into high-performing ads that cut through the noise and drive real results.

And that's where Statusphere's software can help.

Our micro-influencer marketing platform connects brands with vetted creators. Brands can purchase UGC ad codes directly within our platform and automatically have built-in content rights for repurposing with every post earned within our software.

Translation? Since content rights are built into every collaboration, you can turn your top-performing influencer posts into ads ASAP.

Want to see how our software works? Get in touch with our experts to learn how Statusphere can help you scale your influencer marketing with guaranteed content for ads.