What is Whitelisting in Social Media? Everything You Need to Know

Influencer marketing is still popular. Rather than a mainstream celebrity or a company, many people turn to relatable Instagram users to learn what products or services they should use. If you’re aspiring to be an influencer or you’re part of a brand, it’s important to know the terminology surrounding this field.

One such term you may have seen thrown around is influencer whitelisting (or allowlisting.) What does it mean? How can the knowledge of this term help you grow? This post will help you figure all of this out.

What is Influencer Whitelisting in Social Media?

To figure out what this term means, let’s look at an antonym for whitelisting, blacklisted. Odds are, you know what this is, but if you don’t, here’s the definition.

Blacklisting is when you prevent a person, group of people, or a company from a product, service, or getting gigs. For example, an actor who does something controversial may be blacklisted from major Hollywood studios.

Therefore, the whitelisting meaning is simple: it’s when you allow someone to be a part of a product, service, or gig. Influencer whitelisting, meanwhile, is when an influencer grants a brand permission to advertise on their social media accounts.

What is an Example of a Whitelisted Post?

An influencer whitelisted post is any sponsored content an influencer may showcase. For example, say there’s a popular bartender influencer on Instagram. A bourbon company, let’s call them Farmer’s Pride, is whitelisted to be on their post.

The bartender may post, “I tried making some cocktails with Farmer’s Pride,” showcase several drinks, and review them. If the influencer is clever, it won’t seem like an ad. It will seem that the bartender walked to the liquor store and chose a drink at random. But there will be a disclaimer somewhere on the post saying that it’s sponsored.

Different Types of Whitelisting Influencer Content

Influencer whitelisting doesn’t just refer to one post. It can refer to several pieces of content you’ll find online.

This is when the influencer creates authentic content that tags the brand they’re working with. The brand then gets access to the influencer’s account to boost the post so a wider audience sees it.

Branded Content

This content, also known as boosting, is similar to the example shown. It’s a post from the influencer in which they mention the brand and use them. While it’s marked as sponsored content, the post is authentic. In many cases, the brand may ask the influencer to give their honest feedback.

While the post is on the influencer’s social media, the brand can still request permission to access the posts, including paying for the post to be boosted in the algorithm and in the ads.

Partnership Ads

Partnership ads can mean one of two things, depending on who you’re asking. For Meta Platforms like Instagram and Facebook, they rebranded the phrase “branded content” to “partnership ads.” Not only that, but Meta has allowed for different ways for brands and influencers to collaborate on a post.

However, partnership ads also refer to a post made in a country that legally requires the content creator to declare its partnership. An influencer cannot weave an ad into what appears to be an organic experience; they have to disclose that, yes, this is an ad.

Dark Posting

Dark posting is when an influencer posts sponsored content designed to only be shown by their target audience and not anyone else. This type of post can work well for A/B testing, or for running an ads campaign. Users who may not share an interest in the product or service will be less likely to see the post on their feeds.

Whitelisted Vs. Brand-Owned Ad

You may hear the terms “Whitelisted ad” and “Brand-owned ad” and be unsure of their differences.

A whitelisted ad is a post from an influencer sponsored by a brand. Meanwhile, a brand-owned ad is directly on the brand’s social media account. The ad may show the influencer, but the brand has full control over when and how frequently it posts the ad.

In other words, it’s all about who has the prominent control, and both can have their pros and cons depending on what’s more important: the influencer or brand recognition.

What Content Works Best for Whitelisting Influencer Marketing?

The best content depends on your audience and what content performs best for you. Here are some types of content that may work well:

Live Streaming

This is when you broadcast yourself in real-time. If your audience likes to see real reactions without any editing, go with this type of content. It is also great for unboxing videos. Live streams also give your fans a chance to talk with you or even send you donations, helping you earn more.

Short-Form Videos

Straight and to the point, these well-edited videos are usually under 60 seconds (or three minutes) and are shot vertically. Unboxing videos also work well for short-form content. This content can have unique graphics, stickers, and other engagement forms, or just be you talking.

Q&A

In this video, people will ask you questions about the product you are promoting, and you can make a separate video answering them. This format is perfect if people are skeptical about the product or service or are unsure about it for another reason.

Photography

If your influencer product is clothing or something else that works best as a photo, this may be your route. Take a selfie or a glamour shot of you trying on a shirt or makeup. Your audience will want to look as stylish as you do.

Story

Storied content usually lasts for 24 hours. This type of content may be good if the sponsored content involves a flash sale or you charge more for a permanent post. That said, some platforms that allow storied content also allow you to archive it.

What is the Process for Whitelist Posting?

Most influencers will go through a similar process.

•       Discovery: This is where an influencer finds a product to work with or vice versa. One way to land influencer deals is to have a clear niche and plenty of engagement. Even smaller users can be micro-influencers if they have engagement.

•       Negotiation: You may discuss payment, type of content, and duration in the negotiation process.

•       Creation: The influencer makes the content and then posts it at the right times.

•       Tracking: Finally, both the influencer and the company will test to see what content works well and which doesn’t.

How Do I Get Started With Whitelisted Influencer Content?

It can be a long process before you get whitelisted content deals. Generally, it will go like this:

Find Your Niche

What products or services are you passionate about? Can you make photo or video content and really sell it?

Know What Social Media Platforms to Be On

Older audience? Facebook. Young? TikTok. Some platforms will have a mix of both older and younger generations and everyone in between.

Grow Your Audience

Post content that your audience will be interested in. If needed, spend a little money to boost your content.

Remember, you don’t need millions of followers. Small brands and businesses will want to work with you even if you’re a micro-influencer, especially for brands that may have a smaller budget.

Reach Out

If you’re a brand, you may reach out to influencers by searching hashtags or by looking at an influencer directory site. If you’re an influencer, keep creating great content, and a brand will soon reach out to you. Alternatively, reach out to a brand, but only one where you stand by their products.

Craft the Perfect Influencer Content

When influencers and brands work together, they need to make high-effort content. The ideal piece of content will be something engaging, but not too salesy.

Key Takeaways

Now that we’ve discussed what influencer whitelisting is, let’s wrap everything up:

•   Influencer whitelisting is when an influencer makes a post approved by a company or brand.

•   It is a mutually beneficial relationship, with the influencer getting paid while the brand gets more exposure.

•   Several types of whitelisted content exist, usually depending on the disclosure or type of audience the post is targeting.

•   Almost any type of content can be great for influencer whitelisting. It mainly depends on the audience and the kind of content you specialize in.

•   You don’t need to have a big account to get influencers. As long as you create engaging content and have engagement, you may get brand deals from smaller accounts.

•   Meanwhile, brands can manually search or look at influencer directories to find the right fit for their product or service. The right influencer will have an audience who is interested in your products and will promote your product not as an advertiser but as a happy customer as well.

And that’s a wrap. If you want to grow your presence on a social media platform, becoming an influencer or working with them can be a smart move.

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