Influencers Here to Stay, Though Issues with ROI, Budgets and Regulatory Compliance Linger

In gauging the pulse of industry, PRNEWS found that one area of major interest at the Social Shake-Up Show in Atlanta last month was influencers: whether or not to use them, how to use them, where to find them, how to compensate them, how to determine ROI and how to ensure compliance with government regulations.

Spending on influencer marketing is estimated to reach $6.5 billion this year, and a survey of nearly 400 PR pros that PRNEWS and Meltwater conducted in January found 82 percent were either using influencers or considering it. Nearly half (49 percent) were using influencers, the survey found (see PRNEWS, Feb. 2019).

A five-country study of influencer marketing from Rakuten Marketing found that 60 percent of shoppers interact with an influencer daily. The survey also found that most marketers plan to increase their spending on influencers. Nearly 70 percent of American consumers told Rakuten they trust a product recommendation from an influencer as long as the influencer discloses her relationship with the brand.

Micro-Influencers Dominate
Spending on micro-influencers is rising, while budgets for celebrity influencers are ebbing. U.S. marketers said they are willing to spend up to $32,000 on a campaign with a micro-influencer (30,000 followers or fewer) compared to $39,000 with a celebrity influencer (500,000+ followers).