Influencer marketing represents an effective way for brands to tap into authentic creator audiences. When it comes to turning that influencer content into ads, terms like “allowlisting” and “dark posting” tend to cause confusion. If you are using an influencer platform for brands, understanding these concepts is key. This post breaks down what allowlisting, whitelisting, and dark posting actually mean – plus ideal use cases.
What is Influencer Allowlisting?
In the context of influencer marketing, allowlisting refers to the process of obtaining permission to use creator content in ads. Brands coordinate directly with influencers or leverage built-in platform tools. Allowlisting enables brands to repurpose UGC posts as part of their paid social campaigns.
Native Allowlisting
Native allowlisting provides streamlined access to influencer assets thanks to built-in platform tools. For example, Instagram’s Branded Content Ads or TikTok’s Spark Ads allow quick toggling of advertising permissions.
This represents a more seamless version of the classic “whitelisting” process. It also eliminates the need for manual outreach and negotiations with each creator.
Native Allowlisting Shines When…
- Speed is essential – no time for manual outreach with influencers
- Your brand has an existing network of creators who readily share permissions
- Immediate access is needed to toggle permissions on/off
- Minimal tweaking of assets/copy is required to create ads
What is Influencer Whitelisting?
Much like allowlisting, the idea behind whitelisting is to reuse influencer content as branded ads. The difference lies in process. Whitelisting requires manual coordination between brands and creators to access post assets/permissions.
For instance, brands need to obtain TikTok Spark codes or Instagram post URLs from influencers. Access must also be granted to use posts as Spark Ads or via Instagram’s Ads Manager. The “whitelisting” term comes from the fact that influencer content is essentially white-labeled by brands as ads.
Manual Whitelisting Excels When…
- Brands have the bandwidth for one-on-one coordination with creators
- Marketers understand best practices for copywriting, ad targeting, etc.
- There is ample high-quality content to potentially whitelist
What is Influencer Dark Posting?
Whereas allowlisting and whitelisting focus on repurposing existing UGC posts, dark posting is different. With dark posting, influencers create unique promotional posts specifically for brands to use as ads.
These dark posts resemble organic content in terms of look, feel, and messaging. But they are never actually published on the creator’s feed. Rather, dark posts live solely as social media advertisements run from a brand’s ad account.
Dark Posting is Ideal When…
- Brands want control over messaging while using authentic influencer content
- There are defined processes for vetting creators and optimizing ads
- Creating new custom assets (no repurposing existing UGC) aligns with campaign goals
Debates over allowlisting vs whitelisting or dark posting are less important than knowing your campaign goals. Each tactic plays a role depending on priorities around content freshness, permissions access, custom assets, branding guidelines, and more. The key is aligning branded content strategies to objectives. Tracking performance data such as cost per conversion will reveal what works. Using an influencer marketing platform for agencies, flexibility is crucial for marketers.
