Understanding How Influencer Marketing Influences Brand Growth

Taylor, C. R. (2020). The urgent need for more research on influencer marketing. International Journal of Advertising, 39(7),889-891.

In an editorial published in 2020, the author discusses about the issues surrounding the use of influencer marketing and the current status in the use of influencers in a company’s marketing strategy. While it is normal for researchers to find insights on researchable areas in their respective disciplines, the author insists that influencer marketing and advertising in general should be evaluated from popular press such as business periodicals and advertising trade publications. The new trends in this field is likely to lead to a convergence of ideas which is essential in advancing the current state of the research model. The author insists that the current status makes research in influencer marketing research urgent. The author further notes two key factors that makes it necessary to conduct immediate research. First, it is noted that the outbreak of COVID-19 has had an impact on the way marketing can be used in the digital space. Secondly, it was noted that there is an increasing trend in the consumption of media by the youth. These habits can make researcher and policy makers to reflect on the past and the future of the concept. It has been reported that only a quarter of the people who used influencer marketing before the COVID-19 outbreak believed on its effectiveness. According to the author, it is important to consider all the key areas of influencer marketing when trying to understand how it influences brand growth. The author also narrows down to researchable aspects in influencer marketing which include ethical issues, segmentation, and influencer characteristics. A further analysis can be conducted to understand how influencer marketing performs in different social media platforms, and of course not forgetting different categories of social media influencers.

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