The trend of digital marketing has been changing very fast, but I think one of the most growing regions in 2018 is so-called Influencer Marketing. Since I have worked for a digital marketing company in Tokyo now, the word “Influencer” and “Influencer Marketing” became common and not a single day passes without hearing these words. According to a new survey “Influencer 2020” conducted by Influencer Intelligence and Econsultancy, 84% of respondents said that proving ROI is critical in the Influencer Marketing field. I think that the majorities of marketers are not satisfied with the current ROI performance in this region. As you see, 84% is a significant number. Every industry players should take notice of this number carefully and thoughtfully. Why do many marketers struggle to utilize Influencer Marketing as a solution of ROI now? This kind of situation is a severe problem as well as an influencer fraud issue.
As a matter of course, matrics ROI is critical in the digital marketing industry. ROI is the biggest challenge for many advertisers, and they continue to search for methods which can meet the criteria of ROI metrics. If the performance in Influencer Marketing doesn’t meet their standards, they won’t try to continue to deal with Influencer Marketing anymore. According to my experience, there are two types of clients in this field. Some companies fit the Influencer Marketing method very well. On the other hand, others don’t fit at all. The most important thing for advertisers is to consider whether or not they themselves fit Influencer Marketing. At the same time, the most important thing for agencies is to consider whether or not their clients fit Influencer Marketing. They have to ask their clients who fit Influencer Marketing to adopt this kind of new marketing style. If they try to ask the clients who don’t match it, nobody can be satisfied because of mismatch.
By the way, what kind of companies fit Influencer Marketing very well? In my opinion, Influencer Marketing method fits the company which has remarkable products or service. Their products or services are unique, accessible, and valuable usually. Simply put, a so-called brand company has a vast potential in this region. I have tried to approach small-mid size companies before, but I really struggled to deal with them. They don’t have the products or services which fit Influencer Marketing well and even enough budget to compensate right Influencers as well. As many experts and marketers say, we have to focus on dealing with brands which much the Influencer Marketing method. If you are not so-called brands, you might have to think of a different way other than Influencer Marketing. If you are an agency, you should abstract approaching small-mid size companies to propose an Influencer Marketing campaign.
As mentioned above, brands fit Influencer Marketing method in many cases. Why don’t others fit the bill? In my opinion, the reason why Influencer Marketing needs authenticity and transparency more than traditional advertising. If certain celebrity endorsed a specific product or service in a TV commercial, you would feel nothing about it even though he or she don’t like it. Everybody knows the existence of the so-called advertisement. Almost all consumers don’t care about it no matter what celebrities said in the advertising place.
On the other hand, If social media influencer lied in their account, that’s a severe problem. Maybe, such an influencer will have a massive backlash from their audience and society. They won’t continue to work as an influencer anymore because trust and honesty is the most important thing for them. If influencer doesn’t like or hardly know something about product or service, they can’t endorse it at all.
Other than product or service, advertising or marketing budget is critical. Unfortunately, Influencer Marketing is a developing marketing method. Many marketers struggle to discover a right influencer and analyze the performance or measure the effect of the campaign. If the advertiser can’t afford to pay the advertising fee, they won’t continue to do that. If they stick to ROI metrics more than all, it is challenging for them to deal with this unmatured means, Influencer Marketing. The attempt to something new is essential, but the company which can’t afford the risk of influencer marketing should take other methods which are matured, rational, and unfailing way.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean that only A-list company should adopt Influencer Marketing. On the contrary, I really think even small-mid companies should try to take so-called Influencer Marketing if they have a product or service which is strong, remarkable, and valuable. If so, it is not difficult for the influencer to recommend or endorse the objective of the campaign. It might be better than traditional advertisement because influencer’s message might be able to spread over a wide area within no time. It is critical for them to contemplate whether or not they fit Influencer Marketing methodology.
Every industry players should recognize the chemistry in the Influencer Marketing field. So-called brand company fit Influencer Marketing method in many cases, but some small-mid size company might match it if they have a unique, remarkable, and valuable product or service. The most critical thing in Influencer Marketing is to try to pursue reality. The Influencer has to recommend or endorse the objective they can like or feel the sympathy with because the Influencer Marketing demands authenticity and transparency more than the traditional advertisement.
Daisuke Kobayashi
I have worked for OPT, the digital marketing agency in Tokyo for more than 14 years. OPT has played an active role in this industry, and we have many clients who are brands companies in the Japanese market. I started to deal with “word of mouth” service on a Twitter platform in 2010. I’m in charge of Influencer Marketing business now. Primarily, I have focused on the reach for so-called Influencer Marketing in the global market recently.
