When it comes to choosing influencers for brand partnerships, many people think it’s all about the numbers. How many unique monthly visitors does the influencer’s blog receive? How many Instagram followers do they have? What’s their average Instagram in-feed post engagement rate?

These are all important to consider, of course, but a non-numeric qualification should also be on your influencer vetting list:

Do they have a track record of securing earned media placements for their projects?

With our focus on home brands, we’re constantly pitching editors at home décor publications. Sometimes, it’s a new collection or a brand partnership. Other times, it’s a source for a trends story.

Securing coverage of projects that include your brand’s products in shelter publications is the primary goal of any public relations (PR) pro working with home clients. It takes time, persistence and the right project that taps into a trending interior design news hook. Why not give your brands a leg up by working with influencers who are already on the radar of those editors?

Smart influencers already have a PR plan for their home renovation projects and have lined up interest before the first wall is painted. Some will strive for online coverage, while others may have offered an exclusive to a specific publication for print coverage. The latter may require you to wait until the project is published before publicizing the project.

Read domino.com, mydomaine.com, cupofjo.com and others, and you’ll see many influencers quoted in articles on design trends or whose own projects have been profiled.

If you count earned media placements among your influencer marketing goals, make sure to be transparent about it with influencers. Ask them whether they can commit to including your brand or product in their pitch and talking points to editors. Of course, they can’t control what gets covered, but by having these conversations early, your brands will stand a better chance of inclusion when PR opportunities arise.

And when they do, that means a coveted third-party endorsement and even more eyes on your brand.

Photo credit: Jeff Mindell