The team at Brandsnob desired to create a messaging platform where Brands and influencers can connect.

In the highly entertaining yet noisy landscape of Instagram, companies faced challenges in finding compatible influencers for collaborations. Through preliminary research interviews conducted using the Job to be Done framework, we identified the need for a platform with seamless onboarding and industry filtering. The hypothesis was that by addressing these challenges, brands and influencers would find value in engaging more and closing deals more frequently.

To ensure a seamless onboarding experience, we recognized that influencers and brands already had multiple accounts, and it was essential not to add another cumbersome step to their journey. Additionally, considering the proliferation of messaging apps, we aimed to ensure that our app's messaging capability was on par with other features offered by competing platforms.

As the sole Senior UX designer, I led the design and research direction of the project, employing the Job to be Done methodology. Collaborating with the software developer, founders, and the content and marketing team, we conducted ideation sessions to generate innovative ideas.

From the early stages of the project, we engaged with users who were brands and influencers to gather valuable insights that guided our product development. These interviews confirmed the initial need for a comprehensive platform where all users could connect. Furthermore, we identified the absence of a crucial user persona: agents. Consequently, we reworked the app's user experience to accommodate this essential finding.

The app was developed and introduced to a beta group consisting of influencers, brands, and agents. Feedback from all user personas indicated an enjoyable experience while using the app. However, through analytics and further user interviews, we identified additional pain points related to closing deals and pricing. Some influencers lacked clarity on what to charge, while others found the negotiation process unpleasant. To address this, we developed a pricing menu as a solution, aiming to streamline and simplify the pricing negotiation experience.

By employing the Job to be Done methodology, Brandsnob was able to create a messaging platform that effectively addressed the needs and pain points of brands, influencers, and agents, fostering seamless connections and facilitating successful collaborations.

Once brands were able to easily find and engage with influencers and agents, the overall journey became streamlined. All parties experienced more engagement and more agreements being closed. We learned a tremendous amount about the influencer market industry and the essential needs of all key players involved.
In addition, analytics and follow-up interviews revealed that there was more work to be done. For example, many new influencers continued to find it difficult to talk about pricing despite the menu feature implementation. They stated that they didn’t know how to properly price their content. Further research into influencer education and menu enhancements are a recommended avenue worth exploring.