As I perused the data coming from another survey of influencers about the state of influencer marketing, I kept thinking, “Yeah, this sounds right.”
Just over 80 percent of influencers say they prefer mostly monetary compensation. The other 20-or-so say they prefer products and services as compensation. Over half say they would accept products and services in lieu of compensation if the value were equal to their normal fees for said engagement.
More than half of the influencers surveyed long for a regular paycheck from brands, indicating long-term engagements are desirable. Only 41 percent say they wish to be paid by post and not per campaign. Package deals are the norm now.
Some 36 percent wish to be paid for influencer marketing work up-front while another 46 percent will wait until the end of a campaign. No one wants to be paid more than seven days after a campaign ends.
Of the brands surveyed for this particular research, four-in-10 prefer to work with social media influencers rather than celebrities.
That all checks out, right? Sounds like what you would expect right?
Would it surprise you to know this survey of 2,000 influencers, brands and consumers was for the influencer marketing industry in Sub-Saharan Africa? Because it is.
As self-centered and myopic as we in the western world can be, Plaqad’s second annual Influencer Compensation Report is both enlightening and validating. It reveals the true global nature and maturity of the influence marketing industry to those of us who live in self-serving ecosystems like America than often view the world as far behind our progressive bend.
At the same time, it has us nodding heads thinking, “Yeah … the influence marketing industry there is very much alike that which we have here.”
The report’s publisher, Plaqad, is an influencer marketing platform for the region. It even has an influencer scoring tool that allows influencers to connect their platforms and see just how influential they are.
Perhaps these facets of the influence marketing space in Sub-Saharan Africa are surprising to me and others as the result of White privilege. Or, perhaps more fitting, Western privilege.
As I’ve begun to explore influence marketing programs in other countries for clients, I’ve not yet found a market where the world isn’t just as far along and sophisticated about influence marketing as the U.S., Britain or other markets. Consumers are very different in some countries. Japan, for example, shies away from Facebook as the individual voice there is a social faux pas. Its’ people tend to prefer Twitter, or even Instagram, where some degree of anonymity can be provided.
While I’ve not had the pleasure of working in Sub-Saharan Africa to date, leafing through Plaqad’s report, seeing example after example of vibrant, engaging creators like Dimma Umeh, Apaokagi Adedoyin Maryam, and Chibuike Josh Alfred, I can say I can’t wait for the chance.
America today is learning to understand how flawed its own self-image is, especially when it comes to racial equality and social justice. Maybe once we come to terms with that truth we can begin to accept the rest of the world has just as much to offer.
For most of your businesses or brands, the influence marketing pay rates in Nigeria, Ghana or the Ivory Coast won’t ever matter. But for some of you, your business knows no geographic boundaries. The Internet makes the world your marketplace. Be careful not to let assumptions, biases or ignorance stand in the way of the opportunities that lie beyond them.
And check out that rather enlightening report just to get a taste of what influence marketing is like in at least one stop around the globe.
Be sure to check out my discussion about the differences in influence marketing and public relations in the U.S. versus the United Kingdom in my chat with Onalytica’s Alistair Wheate which airs this week on Winfluence – The Influence Marketing Podcast.