How would you compare Influencer Marketing vs. Digital Advertising?
Influencer Marketing involves selecting content creators in a certain niche that are called to create a series of content that educates end-users on a certain product/service with the objective of creating awareness, engagement, and conversion (purchases) whereas digital advertising is the practice of delivering content (promotional or storytelling) to users through various online and digital channels such as your websites, social media channels, and apps.
Which social platforms do you think will be most popular in the next five years for influencer marketers?
Instagram/YouTube/TikTok
How do you currently find relevant and high-quality influencers for your marketing campaigns?
Influencer discovery platforms.
How would you decide which influencers to work with?
I would ask them for their profile data (ex. Engagement rate, followers) and history.
How should brands use Instagram influencers to grow their business? What is your personal experience with Instagram influencing?
As a lifestyle and motivational Instagram content creator, I picked a niche that best suited my personality. This way, I find it fun and easy to post regular content that I’m passionate about as I have a good deal of knowledge and interest in it. By doing this, brands that align with my content can partner with me to promote their services and products for monetary exchange and other benefits that would increase my social presence. That’s how Instagram influencers are being utilized in our industry.
For e-commerce businesses, what are trending social tools and strategies to get traction via Instagram? Are you currently using any tool yourself?
Instagram Shopping is a cool feature that allows creators and influencers to tag brands and their products in their posts. Doing that creates an exciting new way for users to shop straight from Instagram.
Which content categories (i.e. verticals) are likely to become the most popular on Instagram for influencers?
Whatever the style of content, adhering to Instagram’s algorithm as a creator puts them in a favorable position for their posts to rank #1 on their followers’ homepages and puts the creators’ posts on the explore page where people who aren’t following them – and brands – can discover their content.
What advice would you give to a new business that wants to gain and grow its paid sponsorships?
I advise businesses to write out specific objectives for their business and how they want to use digital advertisements to grow. They should be precise in their goals and post regular, consistent content for potential customers to find that business online. A marketer should be involved by organizing paid advertisements which requires a brand to purchase ad space somewhere online to spread their message to a larger audience. Choose an audience that will help meet those goals.
How do you think Influencer Marketing will grow among small businesses in the near future?
Nano influencers have the highest engagement in any community. I highly recommend small businesses to utilize them as they are often the thought leaders for their respected niche and can influence their followers to buy into a brand.
How do you currently collaborate and pay Instagram influencers? Name any tools and strategies you use.
South African influencer agencies such as Humanz SA and theSalt (just to name a few) have influencer software programs that connect brands and influencers for paid sponsorships.
