Johannesburg - Influencers or social media influencers have become an integral part of our lives.
If you are not an influencer, whether on social media or in mainstream media, you are prepared to fall by the wayside, and with the power of a smart phone, influencing and being an influencer has become the new and easiest way to fame and fortune.
Some influencers, depending on specific media campaigns, can make as much as R100 000 in just one swap.
Others have become millionaires, while plenty of others are just starting out, including some of the biggest stars of this game, including Lasizwe, Bryan Kazaka, Mr Smeg and many others. Some are big on Twitter, like Mr Smeg, while others are big on platforms such as TikTok.
There truly is plenty of fish in the sea as brands trip over themselves to access numbers associated with specific social media influencers.
One of the people who understands the world of influencing is Jolene Roelofse, an entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in marketing and an MBA in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Copenhagen Business School. Roelofse describes herself as being passionate about creating opportunities and access to markets for brands and innovators.
She says her agency, Fluence Africa, has been working with micro-influencers since 2018 and has seen the growth of this thriving industry along with the demands that come with it.
“Our agency, Fluence Africa, has been working with micro-influencers since 2018, and we have seen exponential growth with both influencers and brands.
“We act as a conduit between influencers and brands, linking brands with the right influencers who have the following and audiences to bring across their brand key messages, driving brand love and loyalty,” she said.
She has worked with influencers across the colour spectrum and with brands such as Builders, McCain, Philips Domestic Appliances, Dior, Mazda, Varsity Vibe, Huawei, and Telkom, and she believes there are enough opportunities for young people to participate as long as there is a clear and organic authenticity between brands and those seeking to influence people on their behalf.
“There are enough opportunities for young people to get into this space, provided that their authenticity and their ability to tell a story visually and knowing their audiences is there to draw brands in.
“What we also look for is content and influencers who are relatable and someone with a unique way of looking at and interpreting everyday life,” she said.
When it comes to the key ingredients of becoming a successful influencer and the criteria brands look for, Roelofse says high reach and high engagement rates, coupled with high impact content and just great overall visual storytelling of their brand key messages, are some of the key elements needed.
“This is what our role as an agency is: to ensure influencers have the required reach and engagement, and we are removing the barriers to creating content with the launch of our Content Hub, where influencers will have access to brands, videographers, and locations. We also direct them to create impactful visual storytelling through their content,” she said.
The Star