Is Influencer Marketing Really Worth All Of The Hype?
- Tavia Cox
- Feb 4
- 6 min read
In today’s world we are surrounded by celebrities and influencers, and often times in marketing we rely on these people to help us connect with our target audiences and assist us in creating content and promoting our products on their platforms, but is influencer marketing really worth all of the money and hype? When we think about the topic “Is influencer marketing helping or hindering a company’s marketing efforts in the long run?”, there are several different aspects to consider we must decide if the pros outweigh the cons or vice versa. I asked several experts of all ages in different fields this exact question to get their opinion on this topic and this was their take.
The first expert I thought to ask was Shenea Walker, a Fashion and Lifestyle Influencer, according to Shenea, “If the influencer aligns with the brands’ platform, tone and messaging then it better helps consumers understand the brand and possibly how that consumer identifies themselves with said brand since they value the influencer”. However, “one con would be that in can be somewhat hard for brands to track the success of an influencer collaboration and if it was actually worth it.”
Hearing about the pros and cons of influencer marketing from someone who actively works in the marketing industry as a content creator and lifestyle influencer, was an interesting take. Influencer marketing can be very beneficial if you select the correct influencer for your brand specially. Choosing to work with an influencer simply because they’re popular or have a high engagement rate with their audience isn’t the best choice. Influencer marketing can be a powerful tool for companies hoping to target specific audiences or niches but in order to do that the company must ensure that they’re choosing the “right” influencer.
The influencer a company chooses to represent them must be someone that:
1. Understands the product as well as the brand
2. Likes the brand or product
3. Believes in it and uses the product, not simply promoting it because they’re being paid to and ultimately deceiving their audience which is another pandora’s box of problems.
If influencer marketing is done right there are several benefits, if its done wrong it can be a detriment.
My next expert is the founder and CEO of Succession Marketing, Ana Barrera, who says that “as a marketing agency, I’ve seen both sides of the coin when it comes to influencer marketing. Many of my clients have successfully leveraged influencers, especially on platforms like TikTok, to boost brand awareness and engagement, driving impressive results. It helps brands tap into niche communities and gain consumer trust faster than traditional advertising. However, I’ve also seen businesses invest heavily without a clear return on investment (ROI), often due to mismatched audiences or ineffective execution. While influencer marketing can be a powerful tool, it requires strategic planning, the right partnerships, and continuous performance tracking to ensure it’s worth the cost. Additionally, brands risk potential PR issues if influencers act unpredictably or don’t align well with the company’s values.”
There is that phrase again, “influencer marketing can be a powerful tool”, so far it seems to be a common theme that while influencer marketing can indeed be beneficial, it’s unpredictable and it comes with the risks because there is no real way to measure how effective it actually is. Investing money into an influencer or influencers without a knowing exactly what your return on investment (ROI) looks like can be very tricky because there’s no exact way to determine if your business is actually making money or not through these influencer campaigns.
According to Umair Usman, a researcher who focuses on consumer psychology, “Influencer marketing is doing both, and according to recent research, a major factor is the influencers' number of followers that divides them into mega- and micro-influencers. According to Beichert et al. (2024), influencers with lower following usually are more effective for marketing campaigns due to higher engagement levels with the audiences, thereby leading to a high ROI, as compared to mega-influencers. However, things may change and backfire depending on the audience as well. For instance, audiences typically respond negatively to posts made by influencers that announce product launch (Leung et al. 2022), but they may also judge the extent to which the content is being controlled by the brand, as opposed to the influencer, and depending on the level of control imposed by the brand, they may react more or less negatively to it (Pradhan et al. 2023).”
Hearing that influencers who have a lower following can be more effective, and in turn lead to a higher ROI for companies is an interesting take that I hadn’t considered before. It makes a lot of sense because smaller followings mean that their audiences may find them more personable or relatable, which in turn would motivate them to buy the products and support their favorite influencers. However, as someone who is also a consumer, I can see both sides of the coin I often find myself wondering how truthful are influencers being about the products that they review?
Are they just providing a good review for the company because they get paid for it, or do they actually like the product that they’re reviewing?
Naomi Aganekwu, a marketing visionary, states that influencers “boosts brand awareness by exposing your business to an influencer’s pre-existing, engaged audience. If companies aren’t leveraging influencer marketing, then they’re going to be left behind. They help to build trust with potential customers since people see influencer recommendations as more authentic than traditional ads. Influencer marketing also allows for targeted reach by partnering with influencers in aligned niches, ensuring your product resonates with the right buying audience. However, dollar ROI isn’t guaranteed, as tracking conversions and measuring brand awareness can be challenging, and sponsored content may receive lower engagement than organic posts.
So far it seems as though the biggest cons to influencer marketing, boils down to ROI and authenticity. It makes me wonder if there was some way that we can measure and guarantee ROI, and validate that the influencer is trustworthy and not providing a review simply because they’re getting paid to would influencer marketing be more successful? Naomi makes a very valid point when she says, “if companies aren’t leveraging influencer marketing, then they’re going to be left behind”. I have to say I wholeheartedly agree with her statement, in today’s society what your audiences’ favorite influencer says to their audience has a very big impact on how their audience purchases, the brands they support, the opinions they may or may not have against certain brands, etc…Let’s see what our last expert has to say on this topic.
Danielle Cordova, a social media & digital marketing specialist, says “Influencer marketing helps companies build trust and authenticity by leveraging influencers’ established credibility with their audience. This can lead to increased brand awareness and higher engagement. It allows businesses to reach niche markets more effectively, as influencers cater to specific demographics that align with the company’s target audience. On the other hand, the long-term impact can be inconsistent, as influencer partnerships are often short-lived, and trends change rapidly, making it difficult to sustain lasting brand loyalty. There is a risk of inauthenticity or influencer controversies that can damage a brand’s reputation if an influencer’s actions or values do not align with the company’s”.
The question; is influencer marketing helping or hindering a company’s marketing efforts in the long run? is a tricky one in my opinion. There are a lot of different aspects to consider, influencer marketing can be a very powerful tool when used correctly by companies. Companies can use influencer marketing to help them reach certain niches, target audiences, or even demographics that they may not have been able to without the use of influencers. However, investing a lot of money into an influencer without being able to calculate or determine if the business is making money or if the ROI is worth it can be a bit of a slippery slope. Overall, while there are a lot of risks that come with influencer marketing, I believe that the benefits outweigh the risks if it’s done right. As long as the company is choosing to work with influencers that make sense to their brand then the campaign should ultimately prove to be a success.
When determining if an influencer is the right choice for a brand the business needs to consider aspects such as:
What type of content does the influencer promote? Is it on track with the product they’re asking the influencer to promote?
How does the influencers audience view the influencer? Do they think that they’re reliable? Personable? Do they believe that they tell the truth, and not just promote products that they’re paid to?
Is it a product that the influencer uses or will use?
Does the influencer align with the brand?
What are the beliefs of the influencer?
The list goes on, there are a lot of important aspects and questions a brand needs to consider when selecting an influencer to work with them. If influencer marketing is done right there are several benefits, if it’s done wrong, it can be a detriment.
I would love to know what you all think and what your take on influencer marketing is as well. After everything you’ve read and your own opinions, is influencer marketing really worth all of the hype?
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