Are Social Media Influencers Worth the Investment?

The right answer to this question is not every social media influencer is worth the investment. Actually some of them can have a negative effect on your brand, those un-influencers. Followers, engagements and likes, are the data that most marketers use to choose and report on influencers marketing, but in this case they are not telling you the full story.

Micro vs Macro influencers

While macro influencers enjoy the higher number of followers and therefore the higher cost per post which could amount to hundred thousands. Macro influencers have the higher engagement due to being part of a community.

Communities have proved effective, it is no surprise that most commercial brand are turning towards them. Real estate companies are building communities, malls have shifted from mega construction to charming community malls, schools and even social media algorithm take distance into consideration. All of these factors make micro community oriented influencers more effective than global celebrity influencers.

Endorsement and Placement

Brands have taken different approaches in terms of product placement in influencers posts. Mostly you will see products being used and reviewed, some will have pictures of their products with their logos. Whatever is the approach, the word-of-mouth marketing is still the most effective and this is why community is still the most effective. An authentic influencer talking about a real experience and endorsing a product is a 100 times better than paid influencers. The best strategy is to know your audience and who is influencing them, reach out and have a conversation, how could you be of help to this community and take part in it, rather than paying your way to a short lived reach.

Create your own Influencer

While working with influencers during a short term campaign might be a good idea depending on your target. You must have a long term plan of creating a brand’s influencer, it might even be you if you don’t have the resources to hire one. After all who could be a better brand advocate than the person who owns the brand and understand its real identity. Establishing an authoritative figure capable of discussing the topic related to the industry and building this personality can save you a lot when you need an influencer to drive your business.