Influencer marketing is gaining momentum in South Africa

The profession of social media ‘influencer’ is growing in profile and appeal across South Africa, although the country still has a long way to go in catching up to markets such as the US and Europe. This is according to Anne Dolinschek, Head and Chief Strategist at marketing consultancy Nfluential.

A communications expert, Dolinschek has been in the world of public relations (PR) since the start of her professional career nearly a decade ago. She has worked at major marketing and PR firms such as Ogilvy and Magna Carta, and launched her own marketing consultancy by the name of Nfluential in 2019.

Nfluential is a part of the Nfinity Group of Companies, and specialises in the up and coming domain of influencer marketing. Influencers are social media personalities that have glamorous and attractive lifestyles, who can add significant value to a brand by endorsing it on a social media platform.

A number of companies are looking to channel this value by engaging influencers, and Nfluential has emerged to help these companies strategically design their influencer marketing campaigns to have maximum effect. The new field is a product of evolving consumer preferences, as influencer endorsements appear to have more mass appeal than traditional marketing channels.

Influencer marketing is yet another factor that is leading to a considerable reshuffle and evolution in the marketing. In South Africa, many companies have realised the value of marketing, and are looking to use technology and other means to devise marketing strategies that work in contemporary environments. 

Digital marketing agencies have emerged in recent years, and have found much success in such a scenario. Firms will now be considering influencer marketing as a potential area of investment, given the increasing demand amongst South African businesses.

“The influencer marketing industry is still young in South Africa in comparison with other global markets. It has boomed over the last couple of years and brands are starting to use it more effectively as they understand the industry better. South Africa is also unique and we are forging our own identity through learning what does and doesn’t work in our market,” said Dolinschek.