When I started Mochi Kids, it was small — scrappy in the way many early-stage businesses are. We were an e-commerce brand first, eventually growing into a brick-and-mortar retail space, learning in real time how to stretch every dollar and make meaningful connections with our customers.
Influencer marketing wasn’t a line item in a formal budget back then. It was relationships. It was sending product to creators we genuinely admired and hoping it would resonate enough that they would share it with their audience.
Sometimes it did. Sometimes it didn’t.
But as our business grew, so did our understanding of what influencer marketing actually requires to work — and what it looks like when brands get it wrong.
Today, influencer marketing is one of the most powerful tools we have used to build awareness and trust. It has helped us grow from those early days into a recognizable brand with a loyal community. But that growth didn’t come from treating creators like free distribution channels. It came from learning to treat them like partners.
And that’s where many brands still miss the mark.
The most common influencer marketing mistakes
Even as the industry matures, I still see the same patterns, especially among growing brands trying to scale efficiently. Most of these mistakes come down to one core issue: undervaluing the work behind the content.
Here are three that matter most.
1. Treating gifting like a contract
In the early days of Mochi Kids, gifting was a meaningful way for us to get our product into the hands of content creators. When you’re small, it’s often the only option — and there’s nothing inherently wrong with that.
But gifting should be exactly what it sounds like: a gift.
Too often, brands attach silent expectations. They assume that sending product guarantees a post or that it establishes an ongoing relationship. When that doesn’t happen, frustration builds.
The reality is simple: If you need a deliverable, you need an agreement.
Creators are running businesses. They are making thoughtful decisions about what they share, how it aligns with their audience and whether it fits into their broader content strategy. A gifted product might inspire content, but it doesn’t obligate it.
Understanding that distinction early would have helped us build stronger relationships from the start.
2. Not paying creators and calling it strategy
This is where I see the biggest disconnect.
At one point, I was added to the PR list for a well-known, multi-million-dollar baby brand. From the outside, it looked like a coveted partnership.
But at an industry event, I heard a leader from that brand explain their influencer strategy: They had never paid an influencer. They relied entirely on gifting, closely monitored who posted and quietly removed creators who didn’t maintain a certain level of output.
Eventually, I was removed too.
That experience stuck with me; not because of the removal itself, but because of what it revealed. Not paying influencers was framed as a point of pride, as if efficiency and effectiveness were the same thing.
They’re not.
When you don’t pay creators, you limit your potential. You’re working with whoever is willing — not necessarily whoever is best. You miss out on skilled storytellers who know how to create content that performs and converts.
At Mochi Kids, we’ve worked with creators at many levels. We haven’t always been able to afford the biggest names, and that’s okay. Some of our most impactful partnerships have been with micro-influencers and creators who were growing alongside us.
What mattered wasn’t their follower count. It was their ability to create thoughtful, high-quality content and connect with their audience in a genuine way. When we compensated them fairly, even at a smaller scale, we saw the difference immediately. The content improved. The relationship deepened. The results followed.
Influencer marketing works best when it’s rooted in mutual respect. Compensation is part of that.
3. Assuming usage rights come for free
Another lesson we learned over time is that content has value beyond the initial post. When a creator shares a beautiful image or video featuring your product, it can be tempting to reuse it across your own channels: your website, your ads, your email campaigns. But unless that usage is explicitly agreed upon, that content isn’t yours to repurpose.
Some of the best-performing content we’ve used has come from creator partnerships where usage rights were clearly defined. It allowed us to extend the life of that content in a way that benefited both sides.
What our influencer strategy looks like
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a founder, it’s that influencer marketing isn’t about shortcuts — it’s about alignment. The most effective partnerships we’ve built at Mochi Kids share three things:
Clarity. Expectations are defined upfront. What’s being delivered, when, and how it will be used.
Compensation. There is a clear exchange of value. That might look different at different stages of a business, but it’s always intentional.
Collaboration. Creators are treated as creative partners. We give some direction, but we also trust their perspective because they understand their audience better than we do.
If there’s one shift I’d encourage brands to make, it’s this: Stop looking for shortcuts. The brands that win in influencer marketing aren’t the ones getting the most for free — they’re the ones building real partnerships with the right people. Start small if you need to, invest where you can, and grow alongside your creators. That’s where the real return is.