Great Expectations: 5 Myths About Influencer Marketing

The last few years have seen increasing demand for influencer marketing as one of the hottest topics in the digital marketing world. As more and more brands pour money into this relatively new form of marketing, there are bound to be myths and misconceptions about what it takes to build a successful influencer marketing strategy. Moreover, brands often tend to have some unrealistic expectations about working with influencers.

Without further ado, let’s dispel some influencer marketing myths and help you understand the realities of working with influencers.

Myth #1: Any Influencer With a Large Following Can Be Successful

One of the most common influencer marketing myths is that any influencer with a large following can be successful. In reality, it's not just about the number of followers an influencer has. It's also about engagement rate, relevance, and influence.

An influencer with 100,000 followers but a low engagement rate will not be as successful as an influencer with 10,000 followers and a high engagement rate. Why? Because the latter is more likely to have a higher degree of influence over their followers. Engagement trumps follower count almost every time.

Myth #2: Working With Influencers is Expensive

Working with influencers doesn't have to be expensive. There are several ways to work with influencers on a shoestring budget.

One way to do this is to work with micro-influencers. Micro-influencers are influencers with a smaller following but tend to have a higher engagement rate. This means they're more likely to have a greater influence over their followers, and can be a more cost effective option than working with mega influencers.

Another way to work with influencers on a budget is to look for influencers willing to trade promotions for products or services. For example, if you're a clothing brand, you could offer to send some free clothes to an influencer in exchange for them posting about your brand on social media. Not all influencers will be willing to consider this, but it’s worth adding to your strategy.

Myth #3: Influencer Marketing Only Works on Younger Generations

Although some people think influencer marketing is only for young demographics like millennial and Gen Z, it can be successful with any age group.

One of the reasons why influencer marketing is so successful is because it's a form of word-of-mouth marketing. And we know that word-of-mouth marketing is powerful regardless of age.

So, don't write off influencer marketing if your target audience is older. It could still be successful.

Myth #4: Influencer Marketing is a Quick Fix

A common influencer marketing myth about successful influencer marketing is that it's a short-term solution. That is, people think you can simply start collaborating with influencers and experience results right away.

But successful influencer marketing, like any other form of marketing, takes time to build up. It's not a quick fix. So, don't expect to see results overnight. Like everything else, the best marketing strategies are deployed with consistency, over time.

Myth #5: Influencers Must Brand Themselves as Experts to Be Effective

Finally, there's a common misconception that influencers must brand themselves as experts or thought leaders in order to be effective. In other words, people think influencers need to have a large platform and be well-known in their industry to succeed.

But that's not necessarily true. There are many successful influencers out there who aren’t experts, nor are they well-known in a particular industry. Instead, they're successful because they're relatable and authentic. People aren’t always looking for expertise - sometimes they’re just looking for relatability.

The Bottom Line

There’s no magic formula for successful influencer marketing, so don't buy into the hype. Do your research and plan your campaigns carefully. That's the best way to ensure success.