Influencer marketing is HUGE these days. It is not a mere tool for advertising anymore. It has evolved as the cornerstone of the online marketing landscape over the last few years. Take an example of Instagram marketing. Can you believe that it is a billion-dollar industry now? So, it goes without saying that the importance of influencers and influencer marketing is experiencing a continuous rise.
Like any other booming industry, influencer marketing also sometimes gets overcast with the clouds of misconceptions. So today, we will try to burst the bubbles of misconceptions and unearth the truth. So, let’s get going!
Influencer Marketing Can Be Completely Automated
With the rise of various e-commerce businesses, the influencer marketing industry primarily functions following two methods to pick the right influencers. Firstly, an e-commerce business can seek help from an agency, or it can get in touch with a marketing platform. Many marketers make the mistake of considering marketing platforms as fully automated substitutes for marketing agencies. To put it simply, influencer marketing cannot be completely automated.
Many brands need nuanced marketing campaigns and certain processes that cannot be managed by automation. Besides, the agencies provide first-hand experience in selecting the right influencer, chalking out the perfect marketing strategy, and executing the plan. Further, an automated platform cannot create personal interaction with the leading influencers around the world and handle customized campaigns.
Influencer Marketing is Not Significant Anymore
Well, the good marketers will surely share a good laugh over it! The truth is completely different. More and more physical and e-commerce businesses today are adopting the method of influencer marketing. They are allocating a major share of their marketing budget to influencer marketing. Business owners understand that people spend a huge amount of time on social media, and hence influencer marketing should be given more importance.
Brands Can Directly Deal with Influencers without an Agency
It may sound hard, but it’s stupid! Many brands today do not acknowledge the importance of an agency in influencer marketing. They think that they can work directly with the leading influencers. The reality is completely different. Coordination is extremely crucial in influencer marketing, and that demands a time-intensive effort from a dedicated workforce. Besides, it is impossible for every brand to possess the breadth of expertise ranging from the updated knowledge of FTC regulations to making influencer agreements and the legalities related to content ownership or licensing. And don’t forget the basics! Only a marketing agency knows how to achieve the desired result by utilizing all the social media networks and channels.
Also, many brands think that the influencers will respond to them upon being contacted. However, the reality is different. So, it is important to hire agencies that will follow up with the influencers and use other communication methods.
Federal Trade Commission Compliance is Not An Issue:
Another major mistake made by brand owners is assuming that FTC compliance does not matter. As already discussed, the influencer marketing industry is witnessing rapid growth. Simultaneously, the Federal Trade Commission is becoming more stringent in the matter of proper advertising disclosure. Besides, the FTC never shies away from sending stringent warning letters to celebrities, brands, and influencers if there is any violation related to the disclosure of brand partnerships.
Influencer Marketing Result Cannot Be Measured
A common misconception doing rounds today is that the result of influencer marketing cannot be measured. In other words, a business owner cannot assess influencer marketing ROI or Return on investment. But, thanks to digital tracking technology, the bubble seems to disappear. This tracking technology allows the influencers to measure the number of sign-ups, click-throughs, downloads, and website traffic created by sponsored content. So, influencer marketing is digital in nature, and it is more measurable than conventional advertising.
Here also the influencer agencies play a vital role. They have the knowledge to use quantitative metrics like website traffic and sign-ups to impeccably measure the efficacy of a campaign. Further, the agencies help a brand determine the ROI metrics as per its campaign requirements and goals.
Influencers are Good for One-Off Campaigns:
A long-term association with an influencer is always beneficial for a brand. When an influencer dedicatedly speaks about a particular brand, it creates a sense of genuineness among the viewers or prospective customers. Besides, the influencers can really impact the sales of the brand with product feedback and recommendations.
Influencer Marketing Can Be Paused After Initial Success
Many brands have the misconception that influencer marketing can be stopped after enjoying some initial success. They think that if they conduct a campaign with a handful of influencers for a week or a month, they will get the desired result. But, you cannot simply do away by pausing your campaign. Be ready to lose out on exponential growth if you pause after one post, as your prospective customers will be deprived of being consistently exposed to your brand and its products/services over a span of time.
In other words, an effective campaign is one that focuses on a particular product, service, or event that revolves around a specific time frame. For example, you may partner with influencers to promote a new product, a seasonal sale, or a discount so that people react to the content and take action. If you schedule the campaign for a long time span, the viewers may lose the connection or interest in taking action.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has been able to negate some of the misconceptions related to influencer marketing. Get in touch with a leading agency today and see how influencers can engage more customers.
The Armful Media Content Team is a group of skilled writers, researchers, and strategists passionate about influencer marketing. We create content that drives real results, engages audiences, and builds trust, helping brands expand their reach and connect with their audience in meaningful ways.
