Influencer marketing is growing around the world, and a significant amount of activity is migrating to Instagram Stories. However, fraud is also growing, and that threatens the authenticity of influencer marketing.
Influencer marketing is a part of marketing plans for businesses around the world, especially in industries such as fashion, beauty, retail and entertainment. But high-profile scandals like the Fyre Festival show that this industry that sprang up to help brands forge authentic connections to consumers is facing increasing scrutiny of its own trustworthiness.
How much should marketers be spending on influencer marketing? The average share of budgets is only about 10%, but marketers are increasing their spending as their reliance on the tactic grows. In some Asian countries, such as China, the practice is even more important than in other parts of the world.
Why are marketers gravitating toward Instagram Stories? Influencers like Stories because they can be more candid and real than in feed posts, and because they can disappear. Stories are also helping to bring influencer marketing closer to the purchase decision, because they allow outbound links.
How big a problem is fraud in influencer marketing? Fraud is on the rise, and issues ranging from fake engagement to nondisclosure are still far from resolved. Some marketers such as Unilever have pledged to no longer work with influencers whose metrics they cannot trust.
Why the spike in interest in microinfluencers? A growing number of marketers are taking a back-to-basics approach, scaling back their use of celebrities and megacreators for so-called “micro-” and “nano-” influencers who have smaller audiences but may actually use a product and can speak authentically about it.
WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report pinpoints the ways marketers are using influencer marketing successfully and explores how they are getting past some of the vexing issues that threaten to hold the tactic back.
KEY STAT: A worldwide survey of CMOs found that 30.5% are increasing their focus on influencers as part of the advertising media mix.
Here’s what’s in the full report
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Table of Contents
Influencer Usage and Spending Are Still Rising, but There Are Important Variations Around the World
Instagram Stories Are a Rising Influencer Platform
Senior Manager, Influencer Marketing and Business Development
Interviewed January 29, 2019
Bryan Gold
#paid
Co-Founder and CEO
Interviewed January 24, 2019
Toto Haba
Benefit Cosmetics
Senior Vice President, Global Digital
Interviewed February 11, 2019
Ken Halvachs
Digitas
Associate Content Director
Interviewed February 5, 2019
Jessica Jensen
Qualcomm
Global Director, Digital Marketing and Strategy
Interviewed January 22, 2019
Lara Krug
Stella Artois
Vice President, Marketing, US
Interviewed January 31, 2019
Noah Mallin
Wavemaker
Head of Content and Experience
Interviewed February 8, 2019
Ross McCormack
Socialyse
Associate Director, Strategy
Interviewed January 24, 2019
Christine Ngo Isaac
Moët & Chandon
Brand Director and Head of US Consumer Engagement
Interviewed January 31, 2019
Brandon Perlman
The Gramlist
CEO and Founder
Interviewed January 23, 2019
Fabrizio Perrone
Buzzoole
CEO and Founder
Interviewed January 7, 2019
Jane Roy
Buzzoole
Vice President, Americas
Interviewed January 7, 2019
Krishna Subramanian
Captiv8
Co-Founder
Interviewed January 28, 2019
Tereza Vincalek
INCA (part of GroupM)
Agency Engagement Lead
Interviewed February 5, 2019
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Marketing Professionals in Select Countries Who Feel They Can Identify the Right Influencer to Target with Their Initiatives and Affect Customer Behavior, Aug 2018 (% of respondents)
Social Media Platform Where US Internet Users Are Most Likely to Hear About New Products, Services or Events from Influencers*, by Gender, April 2018 (% of respondents in each group)
Daily US Social Network Users* Who Have Purchased a Product/Service Based on an Influencer/Blogger or Celebrity Recommendation, by Platform, Dec 2018 (% of respondents in each group)
Marketing Professionals in Select Countries Who Feel They Can Identify the Right Influencer to Target with Their Initiatives and Affect Customer Behavior, Aug 2018 (% of respondents)
Social Media Platform Where US Internet Users Are Most Likely to Hear About New Products, Services or Events from Influencers*, by Gender, April 2018 (% of respondents in each group)
Daily US Social Network Users* Who Have Purchased a Product/Service Based on an Influencer/Blogger or Celebrity Recommendation, by Platform, Dec 2018 (% of respondents in each group)