Dive Brief:

• TapInfluence surveyed influencers, with 42% saying alignment with a brand’s core values is the top motivating factor partnering while only 11% cited compensation as a driver, the company reported in a press release.
• Other findings from the survey include 65% of influencers reported Instagram is the top social media platform for growth and 75% said photos were the most engaging type of content for their audience.
• The key takeaway for marketers according to TapInfluence is that they need to show influencers the value in forging a relationship and not rely on motivating them with money.

Dive Insight:

Influencer marketing is still in its relative infancy and continues to rise in popularity as marketers seek ways to get a message out with an air of authenticity rather than having an audience feel they are being marketed to. But influencers are still very much an unknown entity, with marketers still trying to figure out the best way work with them. 

The study from TapInfluence provides a roadmap on how marketers can best strategize building relationships with influencers. One of the more interesting results from the research was that photos were by far the top content type for engagement according to influencers. Video has been highly touted as the content type of choice for social media, especially on mobile, but only 36% of respondents said their audience prefers video.

“Some brands treat influencers as outsourced marketing which loses the quality and power of what these incredible creators and curators of content can offer,” said TapInfluence CEO Promise Phelon in the press release. “Our study reinforced what we knew — brands that have strong affinity with consumers, work with influencers that align with their brand values and allow space for the influencer to create great content for their audience tend to be most successful with influencer marketing.”

With the FTC cracking down on influencer marketing disclosure, marketers should also take care that any effort includes clear disclosure the influencer posts are sponsored.