You see a new product in store that catches your eye. What’s your first reaction? If you said looking it up on social media for other people’s opinions/experiences, then you’re most probably living in the 4IR with us.
Following the COVID-19 outbreak and the shift to a more digitized world, influencer marketing has become much more prevalent – not only in the world of digital marketing but also within social media.
Despite this shift, there are still so many misconceptions around Influencers and the work they do.
These are four of the most common myths believed about influencers. Let’s unpack them.
1. Popularity = Influence. The bigger the influencer, the greater the reach, the bigger the target audience.
While this might be true in some cases, it is not always so. We have found that post reach and engagement are not solely based on the number of followers an influencer has, but rather a number of factors. This can include the quality of the content, the day and time posted, how hashtags are used, and, most importantly, if people can relate to the content.
2. All Influencers are the same.
Influencers are differentiated by their niche and personal brand. Yes, there are many influencers who create content that could fit into one specific category, e.g. skincare, haircare, fashion, etc. This, however, still doesn’t mean that influencers with the same niche and personal brand create the same type of content. Influencers are content creators and use their creativity along with their personal brand and niche to differentiate themselves from the rest, regardless of whether it falls within the same category as another influencer.
3. Influencers only create social media content.
Though social media (Instagram especially) is the platform most commonly used by influencers to market products and services, this isn’t the only way they do it. Many Influencers also market products and services through word-of-mouth and blogs. At Brand Advisor and Beauty Bulletin, influencers can also leave reviews on products listed on our websites.
4. They are only promoting products because they are getting paid.
Most brands target certain influencers that they feel could best market their brand, and sometimes they do offer paid partnerships for this. At Brand Advisor and Beauty Bulletin, influencers are offered products as an exchange for content creation. This is how honest, real reviews and narratives are achieved.
It is very easy to misinterpret the reality of influencers and the content they create when you see them on social media, but there is much more to influencers and content creation than what meets the eye (or the screen). Influencers are real people, like you and me. The only difference is that they use their social media platforms to inform and educate us on products and services based on their personal experiences; which could ultimately make our lives as consumers easier, as well as spread the word for brands on their products/services.
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