We can all agree that influencer marketing, in fact marketing in general, should never be approached with a one size fits all approach.
Nonetheless, it should not be ignored that the majority of insights available around influencer marketing are curated with the Western business in mind.
Therefore, to apply these same principles to our African markets, there is a need to reassess the information and decide how and if it aligns with our business landscape and practices.
These are some of the reasons that informed the creation of the influencer marketing insights website, an avenue designed to provide different influencer marketing perspectives concerning the African business landscape; taking into consideration the best practices of the various stakeholders, cultural influences and socio-economic factors that impact how we, as Africans, navigate marketing.
To kick start this journey is the launch of the first influencer marketing report in Ghana, “Influencer Marketing Adoption among PR, Marketing, and Advertising Professionals in Ghana: An Exploratory Study.”
This independent study was authored by Priscilla Aseye Nanam Febiri, an influencer marketing specialist and Co-author Emmanuel Mireku, a market research consultant. This report explores the current state of influencer marketing in Ghana from the perspective of 70 professionals within the creative industry.
A key finding from the survey revealed that the efficacy of influencer marketing remained debatable and challenges such as identifying suitable influencers and high expenses hinder the adoption of the channel.
Though this finding is not new to professionals who navigate this space, the value now is having it backed with data, which allows for better decision-making. We can be sure now that we are relying on accurate insights rather than relying on intuition or guesswork, which can often prove problematic when making a case for the adoption of the channel.
The recommendations also reveal many opportunities for further research, to better understand how all stakeholders involved can continue to maximise the channel. With such data, we can begin to explore best practices and regularise the use of the channel in a way that is mutually beneficial to all users in Ghana and on the continent.
The data-driven approach adopted is geared towards the goal of promoting a culture of continuous improvement, where influencer marketing in Ghana is concerned. This will, in turn, open more doors to identify areas for optimization and monitor progress over time to ensure ongoing success and growth in a way that is beneficial to content creators/ influencers, professionals within the creative industry and businesses as a whole.
Written by Priscilla Aseye Nanam Febiri (Influencer Marketing Specialist)