See what is happening in our world – who is influencing whom and why.
Success comes from an accurate focus on influencer marketing
June 11, 2020
Influencer marketing is one of the most powerful channels of communication for any marketer – if it is done properly.
There are tons of horror stories out there, from celebrities to beauty queens to sports stars, of social media going absolutely postal over a tweet or post that is either not appropriate for the audience or racist / sexist / homophobic / just plain wrong.
So how do you filter who gets to be the face of your brand or the mouthpiece for your message?
You speak to experts.
Not everyone with access to a Twitter feed or Instagram account knows what they’re doing. And not every influencer marketing ‘professional’ understands the importance of getting the right person for the right job and the right audience. Many agencies have a set book of influencers with whom they have relationships, and they try to force fit these influencers into their campaigns. With disastrous results.
Context is king in influencer marketing. The right person, at the right time, for the right client, with the right message.
For example, would you believe a famous chef if they were giving you beauty advice? Chances are, probably not. Stick to your recipe, Gordon!
BUT, what if it was Nigella Lawson giving skincare advice? A beautiful, powerful, successful woman who spends her days in a hot, humid, smoky, steamy commercial kitchen?
Different story.
Successful influencer marketing needs to focus on getting the mix right. You need an agency that has the ability, and the influence, to attract influencers from anywhere in the world. You need an agency that knows that a fitness product needs an athlete for maximum exposure, but also has the intelligence to realise that a busy female executive can also appeal to office workers looking for exercise equipment and tips. And can open up an entirely unexpected direction and market.
There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ methodology to creating a successful influencer marketing campaign. It needs proper thought, careful strategies, proper budgeting and expert management.
And it starts at the beginning. From the strategy stage, influencer marketing should form a part of any campaign. It is a top down approach that helps to eliminate any risks of bias or conflict of interest and brings the perfect person or people into your campaign to give an authentic voice in a world that is on the hunt for falsity and deception.
Stephane Rogovsky
Stephane is a 41-year-old Belgian citizen. He grew up in Brussels, lived in Switzerland, before moving to South Africa. Authentic conversations with real people inspire Stephane, an entrepreneur with more than 15 years’ leadership experience, utilising strategic foresight, analytical abilities, and trend spotting in diverse areas. He founded R-Squared Digital, a leading Influencer Marketing Agency that partners with some of the largest brands, media, and advertising agencies in South Africa and internationally.