Instagram Influencer Marketing and Fakers

Posted: February 12, 2019

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="435"] Image: Social Media Today[/caption] Influencers continue to achieve new heights in marketing trends across social media platforms. While many are still trying to figure out the best way to use social media, influencers already have that knowledge and brands looking to expand their reach on social media platforms seek them out for their ability to gain followers and grow communities. One big problem with that is that often brands fall victim to "fake" influencers, who present themselves as influencers to attract ad revenue dollars. Taking some time to weed through them to make sure you're engaging with legitimate influencers can save you from investing and getting no results. Andrew Hutchinson, Content and Social Media Manager of Social Media Today, shares several processes that you can use to ensure you're avoiding fake influencers.

As Influencer Marketing Becomes More Prominent, Fakers are Likely to Come Under Pressure

Influencer marketing is set to become one of the key digital promotion trends of 2019, with more brands looking to maximize their reach on social platforms by utilizing the skills and knowledge of those who know them, and have been able to use such tools to build strong, engaged communities. With algorithms putting a premium on engagement, creating effective, attention-grabbing content is key - and while most brands are working to 'crack the code' with their own posts (via giveaways, inspirational quotes, expensive graphics, etc.), platform influencers have already done this, and can connect brands with their ideal target market. But there are still some major flaws with this approach. The biggest concern with influencers is that they might be faking it. Given the rising brand interest in the process, there's also growing financial incentive for individuals to amass a ton of followers, and to present themselves as 'influential' in order to attract ad spend. The influencers brands want to work with are those that actually see real engagement, but measuring such can be difficult, particularly for businesses which are still trying to understand the intricacies of the social media marketing landscape, and what specific metrics and factors mean. Read the entire article, As Influencer Marketing Becomes More Prominent, Fakers are Likely to Come Under Pressure, on Social Media Today.