Cast your mind a few years back. Marketers – with their broadcast mentality – would send a brand message, via a television advert, to viewers. Due to declining TV viewership, marketers (still with that broadcast mentality) simply use an influencer (read celebrity) to broadcast their message via social media platforms. Though this is effective in some cases, there is far more to influencer marketing than meets the eye. “Think of the meaning of the word influence,” says hyh’s Ryan McFadyen, speaking at the IMC Conference held recently in Midrand. “Influencing is about the ability to change one type of behaviour to another. Through research, we know that marketers love macro influencers – celebrities with thousands of followers on social media. Yet, ultimately, if you’re looking to change consumer behaviour, it’s more important to look at the power of influence more holistically.” McFadyen points out that in SA, just 10% of conversations about brands happen online. This means that 90% ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.