Three persistent prejudices about influencer marketing

Influencer marketing still raises questions for many advertisers. They are skeptical about how the tool works and what successes can be achieved with it. Björn Wenzel, founder and Managing Director of Lucky Shareman, clarifies the situation and corrects three persistent prejudices:

1. the influencer must represent the target group

The influencer himself does not necessarily have to represent the target group. It is much more important that their followers reflect the target group. To put it simply: the 20-year-old travel photographer is of course not only followed by people of the same age, but by people of all ages who are interested in travel, nature, photography, etc. Or in the fashion sector, people tend to follow younger people.

2. influencer marketing only fulfills branding goals

Brands can achieve a wide variety of goals with influencer marketing. In addition to brand awareness, promotions, lead generation or direct sales can be promoted. Product launches can also be emotionally staged by brand ambassadors. Collaboration with influencers also produces high-quality content which, if contractually agreed, can be used by the brand for further advertising measures.

3. influencer marketing cannot be controlled

For a brand, influencer marketing means letting go to a certain extent, but not that it cannot be controlled. Establishing a trusting working relationship with influencers is the first important stage of protection. Campaign briefings, contractual regulations and any advance approvals of the content to be published also guarantee security. Postings should also be constantly monitored during the campaign to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

The Author: Björn Wenzel is Managing Director of Lucky Shareman, an influencer marketing agency based in Hamburg. Lucky Shareman sees itself as a consulting and implementation partner for brands and agencies that want to realize individual influencer campaigns.