The Influencers
“If you focus on work that matters to you and discover significance in yourself, you put yourself in a position to build something that strikes a deeper chord with others.” ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? - Alex Hughes
Let's begin with a little Jeopardy!? The category is, “Marketing”? The answer is Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Justin Bieber and Josiah Westwood.? If your response is,? “Who are five social media influencers?”, you were close, but this is Jeopardy, you must be exact.? The correct response is, “Who are five influencers?”? You see, Josiah Westwood lived in the 18th century, long before social media existed, but he is considered by many to be the, “Father of Modern Marketing.”? He was a potter who created a tea set for Queen Charlotte (wife of King George III) and publicized himself as the “Potter of Her Majesty.” This title and the royal family's stamp of approval deemed his brand as a staple, and our first influencer came to be.
How things have changed!? According to Influencer Marketing Hub, at the end of 2023, the social media influencing industry had a value of $21 billion.? Emily Hund, a research affiliate at?Penn’s? Annenberg School proposes, “It is difficult to imagine an organization or consumer today who is exempt from contending with the realities of a world shaped by influencers.” (“Why the Influencer Industry Needs Guardrails”, HBR, May-June, 2024).? And as we look to the future there is good news and bad news; two trends will emerge.??
The first trend reflects the bad news, the human element will be removed.? Artificial intelligence (AI) will take a greater role in bringing together the best influencers and?target audiences.? Essentially, algorithms will analyze an influencer’s audience and engagement data to determine if they are a good fit for a brand’s campaign. The good news is found in the second trend; a focus on authenticity.? As influencer marketing has grown in popularity, some influencers have become less authentic. This has led to a rise in demand for influencers genuinely passionate about the products they promote, and who have built their following based on their values, authenticity and relatability.
I guess I’m old school, but I never really considered an influencer as one whose primary role was to market a product, rather an influencer was one who helped mold character.? Hence, in my mind two questions emerge
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?The first question is personal and I encourage you to follow my lead and create a list of those who not only influenced you in your earlier years, but those who continue to be a positive influence in your life today.? Take some time to reflect on that list and consider what you learned from them.? Equally important, take a moment to express gratitude to those who are still living.? Don't be the one at the funeral who says, ?“I wish I had taken the opportunity to thank them for being such a positive influence in my life.”??
The second question is a greater challenge.? Influence is defined as, “the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something.” So the question becomes how do we build capacity?? Through character, meaning and authenticity.? Look at that list of those who influenced your life?? If it’s like mine, the list is composed of people who never considered themselves as “Influencers”.? Their influence emerged from what they did.? They were people of character.? They found meaning; be it in their work, faith, or community activities, and it was evident in everything they did.? Their work resonated with them, and their actions alone brought a sense of authenticity to their lives.? The words they expressed were simply an added bonus.?
The writing on the wall speaks to a future filled with those who will make intentional efforts to influence many aspects of our lives, including our votes in an election year.? But it is critical to remember that the choice to accept or reject that influence remains with each of us.? I will look for character, meaning and authenticity.? That is how I will be influenced, and how I will strive to present myself to others.
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Embrace the Challenge.
Senior Director | Global Brand Management | Marketing Compliance | Marketing Program Management + PMO | Digital Strategy | Communications Strategy
10 个月I love your perspective Rick! In regards to marketing, I find that many people don’t really understand how influencers make money. Affiliate marketing only works when it’s authentic, otherwise the ‘influencer’ isn’t going to make money. But authenticity isn’t the only thing you need…That’s why not just anyone can consider themselves an ‘influencer.’ The other thing many don’t realize is that you don’t just decide to ‘become an influencer so that you can make a living with affiliate marketing.’ The most successful influencers follow their passions, share value, and build their following first…then determine what brands align with what they promote. If an ‘influencer’ doesn’t have an audience first, there is no money to be made. The lesson for young people is fully aligned with your “old school” view: build your personal brand and influence first, then the opportunities for affiliate marketing will follow.