More brands are using social influencers as part of their marketing strategies but using influencers isn’t always all it’s made up to be, according to new research.
A report by Gartner L2 has found that a number of brands actually experienced a dip in engagement when using influencers.
Engagement on brand posts featuring influencers dropped a quarter at 25 per cent in the watch and jewellery category while other brands themselves only receive ‘nominal impact’ on their own handles through the use of influencers.
Meanwhile, influencers themselves receive a ‘disproportionate’ boost to their own handles at a roughly 13 per cent increase in engagement, the Gartner L2 report says.
“There are still diamond-in-the-rough opportunities to find the next influencer, but brands can reduce the risk by building out a roster of diverse influencer,” the report says.
Luxury jewellery brand Tiffany’s post engagement dropped on average 21 per cent when mentioning influencers.
While personal influencer marketing may not be all it’s made out to be brands still benefit from increased exposure, according to the report.
Brands need to think about finding the right influencer for their brand particularly one where there may be ‘organic mentions’ from influencers, the report says. Brands should also look to find smaller influencers that are compatible with their brands to build a steady stream of traffic.
Transparency is also critical in using influencers, the report says, particularly where there are large partnerships, to mitigate controversy.
But for watch and jewellery brands, “sticking to their own inner brilliance” and away from influencers might be the best way to go, Gartner L2’s Alizah Farooqi says.
By Georgia Clark
This article first appeared on retailbiz
