Influencer Marketing Communication : Balancing Brand Information and Freedom of Creativity

If influencer marketing is successful depends among other things on the credibility and trust of the influencer’s message towards his/her followers. There are different factors that affect an influencer’s credibility. These characteristics are specific components that the marketer needs to consider and carefully decide on. Further, it is a balance to incorporate the brand’s message into the influencer’s content, who is an autonomous person with his/her own style. The choice of different influencer characteristics and the balance between incorporating the brand’s message was researched by conducting 12 qualitative interviews with marketing professionals. The findings show that there is a balance in the overall process of the influencer campaign. Marketers need to consider if influencer marketing makes sense, setting influencer marketing goals, making sure the influencer fits completely to the brand, campaign, and goal. Further, marketing professionals need to understand that even if they're trying to incorporate their brand message into the influencer's content, they should trust the influencer in the content creation by giving them all relevant information, building a framework and leaving their freedom in creativity with the content creation, while also establishing a personal relationship to the influencer.