of the campaign, to avoid any scenarios that could potentially damage reputation. ‘This includes double- checking that the content aligns with Advertising Standards Authority guidelines,’ she adds.
POWER OF SOCIAL INFLUENCERS If social influencers pose such risks, how have we got to a position where social influencers have amassed so much power? ‘True social influencers have amassed a following by producing content from a place of passion,’ notes Jackson. ‘People follow them because they feel connected to the content they are posting as it resonates and speaks to them in a way that’s ‘human’.’ She adds that, to a social audience they are people like me or people I want to be. The truth is social influencers work on many media
levels: they are entertainers, news providers, product recommenders and people truly understand them. ‘The ‘power’ for companies is that people choose to follow a social influencer meaning they are essentially a captive audience,’ notes Jackson. ‘Working with influencers can be powerful if a brand can fit into an influencer’s storyline in a way that feels natural and fits seamlessly into the audience’s expectations in a way that advertising does not.’ Rivett-Carnac agrees, highlighting there are two
elements to the social influencer power base. ‘First, the size of the audience due to the digital revolution means it is easy to get huge reach. Second is the nature of the relationship – there is a real relationship between the audience and the influencer compared to traditional advertising channels.’
PEOPLE LIKE US There has been a growth in companies embracing the social influencer approach for one simple reason, notes Guthrie, adding: ‘Because it works.’ He believes wider business, sociological and
psychological perspectives have also played a role in the rise of social influencers. ‘Institutions no longer enjoy our blind trust. Nor
do big brands. Nor big business. Nor religion. Nor Government. Nor the media, as a whole. We do, however, still trust people like us,’ he says. ‘We feel that influencers are those people. People
we can relate to. Their experience becomes our evidence. We follow their recommendations. We don’t yet see their content as advertisements.’ Guthrie suggests that as consumers, we have grown ‘savvy’ – and are therefore immune to the
CorpComms | February/March 2020
guile of advertisers. ‘We’d rather trust the opinion of someone just like us, someone who’s really used the product, to tell us whether the product works or not and whether it’s worth the purchase price.’ He notes that beyond immediate friends and
family we have turned, by extension, to social media influencers. ‘They are people like us – but at scale,’ he notes. ‘We find them more relatable, more engaging than traditionally authoritative voices. A less polished, more authentic, intimate voice which moves us to change our behaviours or opinions.’ Guthrie also suggests that the way we discover
brands has changed. ‘A brand is no longer what the brand tells the consumer it is. Today a brand is what consumers tell each other it is. We turn to Google to search for product research. Increasingly, we turn to social media. Over a third of 16 to 24-year-olds now use social media as part of their product research process. And, on social media, we are three times as likely to follow a social media influencer than we are to follow a brand directly.’ This puts into perspective
where the power of social influencers comes from, but in turn, raises a big question about how social influencers can be controlled by companies. ‘Problems with control arise
when brands enlist the help of third party platforms who make promises of ‘reach’ by touting the brief and putting it out to a data base of influencers that haven’t been vetted for their relevance to the brand or campaign,’ warns Jackson.
Social influencers are passionate about protecting
this relationship and will prioritise their audience’s needs over anything else
CONTROLLING THE INFLUENCERS In addressing the issue of how social influencers can be controlled by companies, Robinson, offers a three- pronged approach. First, identify and engage the right kind of influencer. ‘Prioritise authenticity and genuine engagement over follower numbers. Find influencers who already like your brand – that’s half the battle.’ Second, work collaboratively. ‘Don’t stifle their
creativity or ideas. An influencer understands their audience better than any brand, and will know what works,’ she says. Lastly, formalise the company-social influencer
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