Influencers are back in the spotlight, yet again. And it's not all sunshine and lollipops... it's ice cream of all things.
You may have heard about CVT Soft Serve in LA, and how Joe, the frustrated co-founder displayed a sign on his ice cream van saying he charges influencers twice the price because he was tired of being hit up for free soft serves by self-important individuals with a fledging Instagram account.
Look, I get it. I’m a small business owner too. I’d get jack of people asking me for free stuff in exchange for ‘exposure’ that I don’t actually need. Let’s face it, it comes across as arrogant and is simply insulting to those who work so hard to peddle their wares.
The story went global and locally Network Ten’s The Project picked up on it this week, enlisting Instagram superstar, TV host and all-round go-getter, Emmylou MacCarthy, aka Emmylou_Loves to weigh in on the topic of Influencers. In the short time that a commercial television segment allows, she shared some valid insights about how she manages her personal brand and online profile, how she works with brands and ways she engages with her tribe.
What was more interesting were the details Emmylou later reflected on and shared with her tribe across her Insta stories… as she regularly does. She revealed some of the stats behind a handful of the successful brand collaborations she has undertaken recently and the impact they have had on her brand partners.
One example was Bosisto’s. Emmylou briefly mentioned their oil diffuser one evening on her Insta stories at 11pm at night. Before midday the following day these oil diffusers were sold out nationally in all Chemist Warehouse stores – that is less than four hours that the stores were even open for trading!
She also mentioned working with period underwear brand Love Luna. Again, she shared information about their products on her Insta stories, which resulted in a 40% increase in sales across the Easter weekend alone. Incredible results.
This, my friends, is the power of Influencer Marketing.
I’m not sure how much these brands paid Emmylou, but just to put things into perspective, the cost of a full-page print advert in a monthly magazine like Marie Claire will set you back approximately $20K. Yep, you read that right. TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. And that doesn’t include the design of the print advert.
You can’t engage much with a print ad either. You can’t hit the DM button and ask what size that dress is or where that cushion on the couch in the background comes from, because you’ve been hunting for one just like it forever. There is no real connection.
Advertising in traditional media has its place, but if you are a small business trying to grow your brand, the cost of advertising in this is space is probably not an option. And even if you could afford it, will it be value for money? Is it going to get the reach and engagement you want? Is this the place to connect with your audience?
This is why so many big brands include an influencer campaign in their overall marketing mix.
We all know there a plenty of dud ‘Influencers’ out there who are chasing the free stuff, wasting people’s time, clogging up Insta feeds with a barrage of blatant ads and not disclosing details. However, there are so many more genuine Influencers who invest so much of their time, who pour so much of themselves into connecting with their audience, creating amazing content that adds value for those following along.
If you find the right influencer, it can help propel your brand into the stratosphere. And it doesn't have to cost and arm and a leg... maybe just an ice cream.
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