bye blogger *enters influencer*
Influencers have taken over the blogging space since 2015. Consumers trust and interest in bloggers has decreased so influencers have taken the spotlight. Influencer and writer Xenia has a total audience of 5.2 million and stated “don’t call me a blogger. Bloggers do anything for money. I’m an influencer” (Drapers, 2017). Singer Tallia Storm agrees stating that “now it’s uncool to even be considered a blogger..they have lost their authenticity” (Storm, 2016). Unlike the stereotypical blogger, almost all influencers have a specific area of expertise. Influencers are writers, fashion editors, models, activists, designers and many more. What groups them is their power to influence and social capital. The term influencer and influencer marketing soared on Google trends and search requests in 2015. However marketing specialist Kevin Edwards (2016) has discussed that influencer marketing is really just affiliate marketing with a new name. Whether this term is just a buzz word, it cannot be denied that influencer marketing which “targets individuals with influence over potential buyers” (Wong, 2014) is extremely lucrative when carried out authentically and correctly. There is certainly a great opportunity for bloggers and influencers still in the industry when a following has been built organically and authentically (Atherton, 2016). Many new companies are emerging which purely offer influencer marketing services, see case study 6.4 in appendix to learn about Sidebuy and their services.
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Fig. 21 Pandora Sykes Tweet, 2016. Fig. 22 Riposte Magazine Scan, 2017.
“2017 will be the year that brands will gain more confidence in handing over created freedom and narrative control to influencers. This is the point where quality will win out over quantity.”
Influencer marketing is proving to be hugely effective, however there are new expectations and strategies for brands and influencers to succeed:
Fashion and Beauty Monitor. ‘The 7 hottest trends of influencer marketing’ 2017.
Authenticity is key Be authentic and real. Brands need to strategically research who they want to acquire against key performance indicators and brand values whilst ensuring they target the correct audience for the influencer and brand. Without this the post instantly feels inauthentic.
“As shoppers increasingly turn their backs on commercial bloggers Influencers are stepping in to swap shoppers opinions.” Goldfinger, 2016. Drapers
Influencers as creative director - Content creators Influencers are creative people and often have ideas for a project. When the concept comes from the influencer and not the brand this can lead to a more authentic concept. Hyundai commissioned influencer Jay Alvarrez; he was given full creative control over his vlog style video in which was then put into a TV campaign in Canada and received 300% rise in sales. Evidence giving creative freedom can lead to more interesting brand content. (See appendix 4.1 for this source) Content, aesthetic and engagement before numbers “Too many agencies and brands focus on the number of followers, but that viewpoint is outdated. A more authentic approach is to look at the aesthetic of the content they’re posting, how often they engage, who they’re following and who’s following them. By defining those factors you can build a genuine community of fan girls at scale” (Amber Atherton, CEO of My Flash Trash, 2016).
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“I think they’re easy for people with to make fun of, but I admire them as it would take a lot of work to put into social media, websites, blogging, contacting people to collaborate with, contacting brands... and you’d have to do it for a long time before making substantial/liveable income.” Fig. 22 Riposte Magazine Style Questionnaire response, 2016. Scan, 2017.