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The influencer landscape in South Africa has evolved rapidly over the past few years. With approximately 75,000 influencers across various categories, from fashion to food, brands are spoiled for choice when it comes to collaboration. However, there’s a glaring issue - many brands are still using influencers wrong, leading to a lack of sincerity in their messaging, missed opportunities for authentic engagement; and ultimately, not maximising their ROI.
This insincerity, especially in heavily branded content, creates a disconnect between influencers and their audiences. While an influencer might have been the perfect fit for a brand at first, the moment that collaboration feels forced or over-controlled by the brand, the relationship becomes strained. South African influencers across categories, including the largest - fashion, beauty and lifestyle - have highlighted that the more freedom they have, the more natural and impactful the content becomes.
Brands Should Let Go of Control of their Influencer Campaigns
One of the most significant problems is that brands are often too reluctant to let go of creative control. In South Africa, the tendency to impose strict brand guidelines often results in influencers producing content that feels more like an advert than a genuine recommendation. This approach ignores one of the most important factors for success in influencer marketing - authenticity. In fact, the surveyed influencers themselves have stated that creative freedom is the most important element of a successful campaign.
Brands need to be brave and allow influencers to create content that aligns with their personal style, even if it deviates from the brand's predetermined message. This isn't a call for influencers to disregard brand identity altogether, but rather a shift towards a more collaborative, less rigid approach. The reality is that influencers understand their audience best. After all, it's their relatability and creativity that built their follower base in the first place.
Stop Chasing Big Influencer Names—Think Small, Think Impactful
Another critical misstep brands make is overvaluing reach and impressions. The idea of working with big influencers and celebrities might make sense on paper, but in practice, this approach doesn’t always yield the best results. Often, smaller, niche influencers have a much more engaged audience. Nano-influencers (those with 5,000-10,000 followers) have the highest engagement rate in South Africa at 4.55%. These smaller influencers provide a unique opportunity for brands to target specific, highly engaged communities.
It's time to stop thinking about numbers and start thinking about impact. A smaller, more niche audience can offer much deeper and richer engagement, which is ultimately more valuable than superficial reach. The goal should be to find influencers who can create genuine, organic content that resonates deeply with their followers.
Niche Influencers Are the Future
If brands really want to make a difference in how they approach influencer marketing, they need to start identifying niche influencers who are aligned with their values and goals. But here’s the kicker—brands should not force these influencers to conform to their ideals. Instead, they should collaborate in a way that amplifies the influencer’s voice while subtly integrating the brand’s message.
The Sweet Spot: Nano Influencers and Creative Freedom
The 2024 Influencer Playbook clearly highlights that nano influencers not only come at the lowest cost but also deliver the highest engagement. Marrying these influencers with the perfect brand fit and allowing them the creative freedom to do what they do best is the recipe for success.
Many brands are stuck in the old-school mentality of trying to control the message. But here's the truth: the more a brand interferes with the influencer's creativity, the less authentic the content becomes, and the more likely it is to underperform. Brands that are brave enough to let go of control and trust the influencer to communicate in a way that resonates with their audience will see far better results.
Conclusion: A Call for Brave Brands
Influencer marketing in South Africa is filled with potential, but only for brands willing to take a brave, new approach. By allowing influencers to have creative freedom, focusing on niche over reach, and embracing nano influencers who offer higher engagement rates, brands can break through the noise and make a genuine impact. It’s time to stop playing it safe and start letting creators do what they do best - create.
Wanna Find Out More About Influencers In SA?
Discover the secrets to influencer success with the 2024 Influencer Report brought to you by The Racket Club and YOUKNOW Technologies. Packed with insights on creative freedom, nano influencers, and impactful campaigns, this guide will help you maximise engagement and ROI.
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