Trendsetter or oversaturated hype? Influencer fatigue challenges marketing
According to a recent Marketagent study conducted in cooperation with the Austrian Marketing Association and the PRVA with 600 communication professionals from Switzerland and Austria, influencer marketing is the least attractive form of digital advertising - at the same time, many believe it is becoming increasingly important.
Influencer marketing is at a turning point: while younger industry insiders and large companies continue to see potential, the general appeal of this form of advertising is declining. This is shown by a recent study by Marketagent in cooperation with the Austrian Marketing Association (ÖMG) and the Public Relations Association Austria (PRVA), in which 600 marketing and communication experts from Switzerland and Austria were surveyed.
Have we had enough of content creators?
In the attractiveness ranking of digital forms of advertising, influencer marketing is in last place - in Switzerland, only 37% of advertising professionals find it attractive, in Austria 41%. Older communication professionals are particularly critical: only 26% of experts aged 50+ still find this form of advertising attractive (under 30s: 70%). Influencer marketing is also only viewed positively by 2 out of 10 Swiss respondents.
Nevertheless, around 4 in 10 (39%) domestic industry insiders expect influencer marketing to become increasingly important in the coming years - paradoxically, in an environment that is increasingly showing signs of "influencer fatigue".
"Hardly any other topic is currently being discussed as controversially as influencer marketing," explains Thomas Schwabl, founder of Marketagent Switzerland. "While large corporations such as Unilever want to massively increase their use, we are hearing more and more about influencer fatigue and declining importance. And our study results are just as dualistic: While influencer marketing is rated the least attractive of all digital advertising formats, more than half of the communication experts surveyed expect it to become more important in the future."
Content creator in transition: attitude instead of glossy
The biggest challenges in connection with influencer marketing are the oversaturation of consumers (49%), the loss of authenticity (48%) and the problems surrounding fake followers and bots (48%). Around two thirds of those surveyed are experiencing the first signs of fatigue, with 24% already talking about very pronounced fatigue. When selecting content creators, the focus should therefore be on authenticity (87%), content quality (86%) and thematic relevance (82%). Marketing professionals consider reach to be of secondary importance. On the contrary: micro-influencers in particular (10,000-100,000 followers) are considered the most effective option according to 32% of respondents.
"In an increasingly oversaturated digital world, it is not the size of the reach that determines success, but the credibility of the message," says Roland Zeindler, Managing Director of Marketagent Switzerland. "Authentic, relevant content is more important today than ever before - and it is micro-influencers in particular that marketing and communication professionals believe have the greatest potential here."
Despite criticism, many industry insiders appreciate the advantages of influencer marketing: addressing specific target groups (39%), reach (38%) and setting trends (31%) are cited as key strengths. The use of influencers appears to be most suitable for addressing new target groups (42%), increasing awareness (40%) and promoting impulse purchases (39%).
