According to a new study from EMarketer, the new wave of influencers (stars on Instagram and YouTube, as well as other channels) say that when it comes to working with brands, money is not their only object.
Crowdtap polled 59 US influencers, most of whom were bloggers, with an average aggregate social footprint of 248,000. More than three-quarters of respondents said that one of the primary factors that makes them likely to work with a brand more than once is being granted creative freedom.
Factors Making US Influencers Likely To Work With a Brand More Than Once | |
Factor | % of Respondents |
Grants creative freedom | 77% |
Offers competitive compensation | 68 |
Respects me as they would any publisher | 54 |
Understands interests and approaches with relevant opportunities | 49 |
Brand’s mission aligns with my values | 47 |
Source: Crowdtap, November 2015 |
While compensation was a factor among 68% of US influencers, respect and being treated as any other publisher was also important to them. In fact, a quarter of respondents polled said that not needing to be treated like other publishers was one of the leading misconceptions they faced.
Goals of Influencers When Working With Brands (% of Respondents) | |
Goal | % of Respondents |
Increase reach/grow audience | 55% |
Create quality content for their audience | 45 |
Shape their image | 29 |
Acquire perks (discounts, samples) | 25 |
Earn income | 24 |
New experiences (trips, events, etc.) | 22 |
Source: Schlesinger Associates, June 2015 (An influencer is defined as “one who is able to monetize options and create reactions about a specific topic, has a large audience/base of followers, and has a high degree of participation in the conversation on a given subject.”) |
Though influencers look for creative freedom and respect when working with brands, marketing and communications professionals worldwide believe that one of the main goals of influencers is to increase their own reach and grow their own audience, according to a May 2015 study from Augure and Schlesinger Associates. Less than half of respondents said that creating quality content for their audience was a goal influencers had when working with brands. Even less, 29%, said that shaping their image was an influencer’s goal.
For additional information from EMarketer, please visit here.