The inexorable march of influencer marketing towards becoming a cornerstone of modern marketing endeavours, particularly within the African landscape, is being accelerated by the relentless expansion of social media ecosystems.
As these platforms entrench themselves within the fabric of societal discourse, brands are obliged to reorient their communicative strategies. This includes placing increasing reliance upon the persuasive potency and reach of social media influencers to penetrate their target markets with a patina of genuineness and participatory engagement.
The pronounced trajectory is substantiated by the vertiginous growth in social media penetration rates across the continent’s population. This is coupled with the younger demographic (called the beyond the 2000s in some quarters) emerging as a particularly susceptible and highly prized audience segment. South Africa provides a very useful case study.
The Evolution of Media Consumption in South Africa
In 1994, South Africa had a captive audience that relied on newspapers, ETV, limited access to satellite television (higher middle class and upwards), and SABC TV for news and information.
The contemporary media landscape presents a stark departure from its antecedent, with South Africans now ensconced within a globalised audience, privy to an unprecedented plethora of media platforms and sources.
The advent of social media has catalysed the emergence of a novel cohort of influencers, who, wielding considerable sway, are recalibrating the contours of public discourse, galvanising conversations, and modulating behavioural patterns. This seismic shift underscores a paradigm wherein the vectors of influence are increasingly vested in these digital opinion-shapers, who dexterously navigate the interstices of online ecosystems to mould perceptions and dictate trends.
The Audience is no Longer Docile
The marketing, public relations, and communication landscape is now beset by an audience that has shed its erstwhile docility. This audience now evinces a pronounced propensity for critical discernment. In the absence of calibrated influence, this audience lies vulnerable to the solicitations of the plethora of influencers currently colonising the market, who, with varying degrees of success, modulate perceptions and choreograph narratives.
That is the unavoidable space facing communicators. Gone are the days when the public depended on mediated communication; put differently, the mountain is getting steeper for companies in relation to modulation of their audiences.
This prevailing dynamic underscores the exigency for strategic communication initiatives to reorient their outreach vectors, lest they surrender terrain to rival voices using influencers to compete for cognitive hegemony.
Re-orientation is No Longer a Choice
Entities, corporate and institutional, intent on navigating the forthcoming decade with efficacy and efficiency must undertake a necessary strategic reorientation. Failure to do so will ensure that their present-day carelessness and callousness yield a historical notation that can only recognise an erstwhile prominence and an era that was.
The Impact of Apps on Influencer Marketing
The rise of apps like TikTok has had a significant impact on influencer marketing in South Africa.
Tik Tok’s short-form video format has made it easier for influencers to create engaging content that resonates with their audiences. The app also makes it easier for brands to reach a wider audience, as content is served based on user preferences rather than just follower count.
As a result, TikTok has become a popular platform for influencer marketing, particularly among younger demographics. TikTok has also democratised influencer marketing, making it possible for anyone to become an influencer, regardless of their follower count or background. This has created new opportunities for brands to partner with micro-influencers and nano-influencers who have a highly engaged audience.
There is an endless number of mega and upcoming influncers on apps like tik Tok.
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Influencer Marketing and Social Media
The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the influencer marketing landscape in South Africa. AI-powered tools are enabling brands to identify the most effective influencers, track campaign performance, and measure Return-On-Investment.
AI-driven content analysis tools help brands to identify potential influencers and analyse their content to ensure it aligns with the brand’s values and messaging. AI-powered chatbots are also being used to automate influencer outreach and communication, making it easier for brands to manage multiple influencer partnerships.
Additionally, AI-driven virtual influencers are becoming increasingly popular, offering brands a more controlled and cost-effective alternative to human influencers. However, the use of AI in influencer marketing also raises concerns around authenticity and transparency. As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, it may become increasingly difficult for audiences to distinguish between genuine and sponsored content.
The Good Side of Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing can provide opportunities for marketers.
Influencers can be Seen as Peers
On the good side, influencer marketing allows brands to reach their target audience in a more organic and authentic way. Influencers are seen as peers, rather than faceless corporations, making their recommendations and endorsements more relatable and trustworthy.
Access to the Audience
Influencer marketing also provides brands with a unique opportunity to reach different demographics and communities.
Partnering with Local Influencers
By partnering with local influencers and leveraging social media, brands can increase their reach and engagement, driving sales and revenue.
Pacification Through ‘Baraclavas’
Many companies make influencers part of platforms where their role is to, whilst wearing their ‘baraclavas’, pacify the audience on behalf of the company whose product is at stake.
Bad Side of Influencer Marketing
Unfortunately, some brands and influencers have used underhand tactics to manipulate the system. Any underhand tactics in marketing are deplorable, but these are the lowest levels that deceptive influencers tend to employ.
Liars (perceived or real) Can Damage a Product
Sometimes influencer marketing tends to be inauthentic and deceptive when done deceptively and incorrectly. Some influencers have been known to promote products they don’t even use or believe in, which, once discovered, can damage the brand’s reputation.
Imaginary or Fake Followers
The lack of regulation in the industry has also seen a lot of deceptive influencers with imaginary or fake followers and fake engagements, which can make it difficult for brands to measure the success of their campaigns. Some influencers are notorious for this and have been known to even buy fake followers and engagements to increase their reach and influence.
The proliferation of fake followers and engagement has become a pressing concern within the realm of social media influencing. The practice of artificially inflating one’s online presence undermines the authenticity of genuine connections and poses a significant risk to brands seeking to collaborate with influencers.
If you’re the possible victim customer, avoid discussing too much once you realise you might be dealing with sponsored voices. It is imperative that brands (who might end up being victims if they were not part of the scheme) exercise due diligence when selecting influencers for partnerships, verifying the legitimacy of their online presence and engagement metrics. Failure to do so may result in wasted resources and reputational damage.
Obsession with Short-cuts
So when digesting opinions or suggestions, you must always attempt to determine if the view given was authentic or was it a sponsored version. Check if that view is not one that has been remixed to fit a particular mode of thinking sponsored by an obsession with short-cuts.
Non-Disclosure of Sponsorship
Some entities are very quick to disclose the sponsors that they have. You may end up wondering if that is not because of the working agreement with their resource taps. I say this because some of them are buying influence from influencers in social media. Some influencers have been known to promote products without disclosing their relationship with the brand, which is a breach of advertising regulations.
Basically, these are clandestine tactics that mislead instead of lead. The practice of undisclosed sponsorship poses a significant challenge to the integrity of influencer marketing. When influencers promote products without transparently disclosing their relationship with the brand, it erodes trust in the marketing process.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in South Africa has established guidelines mandating clear disclosure of sponsored content. Brands, too, bear responsibility for ensuring compliance with these regulations. The failure to disclose sponsorship not only contravenes regulatory requirements but also jeopardises the credibility of influencer marketing as a whole. Transparent disclosure is essential to maintaining consumer trust and upholding ethical marketing practices.
Social Media in South African Politics in Juxtaposition with the Beyond 2000 Milieu
The evolution of media consumption patterns in South Africa has profound implications for political parties. The youth demographic, particularly those born after 2000, exhibit distinct preferences and priorities that diverge from preceding generations. Their affinity for digital platforms makes them more vulnerable to influencers (more, not exclusively) through social media. This underscores the imperative for political parties to adapt their communication strategies to accommodate this phenomenon.
Influencers have become pivotal figures in the social media landscape, wielding significant influence over the opinions and voting behaviours of younger demographics. To effectively engage this cohort, political parties must cultivate relationships with influencers and develop targeted social media strategies that resonate with their values and concerns. Failure to do so may precipitate a disconnect between politicians and the electorate, potentially yielding adverse electoral consequences. Conversely, parties that successfully harness the potential of social media and influencer marketing may establish a compelling narrative that captivates younger voters and enhances their electoral prospects. This phenomenon is not unique to South Africa, as similar trends are observable globally. The employment of influencers enables parties to tap into existing social media ecosystems, leveraging the credibility and trust that influencers have established with their followers. The largely unregulated nature of this space raises questions about the potential for manipulation and the impact on democratic processes. As such, it is pertinent to consider the role of regulatory bodies and governments in overseeing the intersection of social media, influencers, and politics.
The Future of Influencer Marketing in South Africa
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, influencer marketing is likely to remain a key component of marketing strategies in South Africa. With the rise of new social media platforms and the increasing popularity of online content, brands will need to continue to adapt and innovate in order to reach their target audience.
Read part VII soon!!
Zikomo!!