Influencer Marketing (IM), undeniably the Industry buzz word of the time – multi-faceted, complex, and ever-evolving.
Social media and Digital Marketing expert, Bianca Quinn-Diavastos, answers five Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) on the Phenomenon.
1. Is IM evergreen, or a passing craze?
Definitely not passing – locally, as well as abroad.
In South Africa, I question whether IM has reached its full potential. In my opinion, it has not quite found its feet here the way it has in some other countries. There are a few local industries that rely on IM quite heavily, whereas others don’t make use of it at all.
For example, I have found that the fitness industry in South Africa has found their groove and know how to utilize a powerful visual platform like Instagram to their advantage.
In other industries like beauty, travel, and restaurants we do have bloggers who act as influencers. They participate in talking about products or experiences, but they do not necessarily endorse them.
With regards to America, I am not convinced IM is utilized in an authentic manner. For example, a constant and apparently generic use of and association with some main-stream celebrity personalities. In their case the influence might be there with millions of fans hanging on to their every post and pic but, I am a bit unsure about the authenticity of their support for these products.
2. What are the ingredients of a successful IM campaign?
1) The right person
2) The right product
3) The right time
These elements are essential for a successful campaign.
Furthermore, it is important to find an influencer who genuinely loves your product or service, as supposed to being signed on for an endorsement without understanding your brand. You are getting it right when the brand and the influencer is an authentic match and it does not feel to the consumer like a financial transaction.
- What led to the trend to use influencers to market your brand?
The mere fact that the John Lewis pastel-colored Fair Isle “Baby Luxury Sheep” knit cardigan Princess Charlotte wore in her second birthday photo shoot on 2 May of this year sold out soon after the photographs became public knowledge, is a clear, practical demonstration of the fact that we live in an age of influence 
and aspiration.
In current marketing times, IM can assist your brand in reaching customers you might not reach through traditional advertising, all through the power of aspiration and the need to belong.
- Any brands you’ve seen recently that got it right?
In the USA, I think a brand who really gets it right with style, is Draper James.
They use Reese Witherspoon with great success in their campaigns. She is a great fit for the brand and, in my opinion, seeing her in one of their outfits make you want to click and buy their products. 
- Is there any specific online channel most suited for influencer campaigns or does it depend on the product, service, target audience and or influencer? (How do you pick a channel)
All the social channels work well for IM campaigns. It depends on the audience that you want to influence. It is important to know where they are.
Instagram has become a firm favorite because it is such a visual medium. It is also easier to feature near relevant content, you can also reach an audience much greater than the followers of your influencer.
Bianca Quinn-Diavastos is the Managing Director of the Digital Marketing agency Jetweb – “Digital on Demand”.
For more information about Jetweb, visit http://www.jetweb.co.za, or selected Social media channels:
– Twitter: @JetWebDigital
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ABOUT JETWEB:
“Digital on demand” – Jetweb is a full-service digital marketing agency handling all aspects of digital advertising.
Since 1999, we have connected our clients to their customers through innovative strategies focused on achieving results
ABOUT BIANCA QUINN-DIAVASTOS:
Bianca Quinn-Diavastos is the Managing Director (MD) of Jetweb.
She has worked in media and publishing since 2006, and has gained a diverse range of experience spanning the Marketing and strategic digital industries. Prior to becoming MD, Quinn-Diavastos headed up strategy for the agency for three years.
Her experience working for Media24 and Times Media Group has equipped Quinn-Diavasatos with an expert knowledge of digital and traditional media. She also has extensive experience in strategy, activations, Marketing, and business development.
She has a BA Business Communication (Honours) degree from North West University (Potchefstroom University).
