Influencer marketing as a social media/brand strategy, especially user generated content has grown exponentially over the last few years. Practically wiping out big budget television and radio commercials among others. 

The influencing marketing strategy works because of the attention grabbing, curated content, “parasocial” relationships running the social media space now. Audiences or let’s say targeted consumers have a high level of trust and relatability in influencers, who in turn hold some authority to “manipulate” decision making to sell them products.

And brands love this, i.e. the need to be in the faces of consumers everyday through collaboration with influencers with high reach which can convert into high sales, since product recommendations from influencers often feel more authentic than some catchy advertisement.

So what are the myths about influencer marketing and the real truths that debunk them;

Myth vs. Truth

1. Myth: A large online following alone makes you an influencer.

Truth: Within the social media space, some dodgy creators build personal brands through high following flipped pages, bots etc. which means following alone doesn’t create influence. True influencers have leverage in the authority and trust their large following have in them. A content creator with 10,000 highly engaged followers can bring in more product sales than someone with 1 million passive followers.

2. Myth: Brands only use influencers to go viral.

Truth: While brand awareness is important to brands, the true goal of product selling brands is high conversion rates and sales. This is why most brands use influencer marketing to build trust, reach audiences, launch products, allow micro and nano influencers create user-generated content, which long term can grow the business revenue. Brands chasing virality often and too kick can create enough buzz but fail to grow, especially if the representing influencer is cancelled or caught in some messy drama.

3. Myth: Influencers are just “glorified” salespeople.

Truth: Yes influencers typically follow sales pitches/scripts given to them by brands when introducing products to an audience. However, through user generated content, influencers create catchy stories, educate and build a community of loyal consumers for brands if done well. The value influencers generate goes way beyond sales, it comes from the relationships they develop with their audience over time and not all about promoting products.

4. Myth: Influencer marketing is a waste of money.

Truth: For many social media audiences and brand strategists, influencer marketing is oftentimes a big waste of money for brands. While traditional marketing was heavy on ads, commercials and brand activations, what influencer marketing looks like to viewers is big brands flying creators to fancy places in business class, luxury experiences, many PR packages, all for a short clip about the product.  

However, brands mostly choose creators whose audience aligns with the brand, investing in this online personality with a level of “authority” with expectation of a high return on investment. Poor planning, especially a system to convert audiences into paying customers is why the use of influencers to market products can fail.

5. Myth: Influencer marketing replaces brand loyalty.

Truth: All influencers do is introduce customers to a brand, i.e. brand awareness when brand loyalty is actually earned through product quality, customer experience, and consistent brand value. This means a brand owes it to the leads generated from influencer marketing a good experience and reason to stay.

While many people believe in the shortcomings of influencer marketing, this business growth model is no longer a trend. It’s now a key part of modern marketing strategies. When used thoughtfully, it helps brands connect with consumers in a more personal and authentic way.