Criticism of Influencer Marketing: Disadvantages of Hypes – WDR (German TV)

Young bloggers and influencers today reach 10,000 fans, some 100,000 and some millions. If I’m allowed to cite one of the classic movies, Spiderman’s uncle said the moment he died, “out of great power, comes with great responsibility.” How is it in influencer marketing?

Change of topic, today a new “sugar law” was adopted in the UK, which taxed products with high sugar content additionally. As a social media expert, WDR wanted to ask us about this sensitive issue for the current hour this evening at 18:45. Soft drink manufacturers are increasingly relying on the marketing strategy influencers. Influencers reach young target groups, very precisely and very specifically, with a high degree of commitment. Especially on YouTube, videos are consumed not just for a few seconds, but intensively over several minutes.

1. Youtube home pages algorithm and subconscious advertising
2. How does the YouTube algorithm work?
3. Differentiation: How easily is advertising for young people recognizable?
4. This is how sugar gets healthy through marketing messages
5. Difference between classic advertising and influencer marketing
6. Advantages and disadvantages in influencer marketing

Youtube home pages algorithm and subconscious advertising

In the algorithm of YouTube, recommendations for us appear on the start page, whether they were shot privately out of the living room or produced commercially, that is to say in the real sense of advertising are not immediately apparent to us. More and more large companies and companies use this direct contact, the immediate recommendation, to convince young target groups of their product and to make new brands fans for the coming decades. Then we take a critical look! If you want to see the full article on Influencer Marketing and influencing target groups, you can find it here in the WDR (German TV) media library (from tomorrow).

How does the YouTube homepage work? How does the YouTube algorithm work?

Each time you visit the YouTube homepage, you’ll see videos that you’re probably interested in. The YouTube algorithm responds in particular to which video titles we choose and which video lengths. Here are the videos filtered. This gives me z.b. in the interest of “football” videos from the field of football. Especially from channels, which I already follow as a user anyway, I get permanent recommendations. This ensures that YouTube can always access material that I like. The disadvantage of this is that discovering new video footage is very difficult, because the material that we see is always what I want to see.

Differentiation: How easily is advertising for young people recognizable?

At first glance, advertising on YouTube is difficult to see. As in all influencer marketing campaigns, personal character plays an important role in blogger videos. The secret of success: Authentic, honest postings submitted by private individuals. A commercial aspect, (should) not be recognized.

When large companies and corporations book bloggers for their marketing campaigns, fans will see a video of their favorite blogger, not a commercial, but an authentic clip. As we get older, we learn the differentiation between advertising and authentic content. Especially for a young target group, however, a separation between authentic content and commercialized advertising is difficult to recognize. Especially through skilful marketing methods of older people who use the knowledge of their own youth to reach today’s youth.

Active Responsibility also plays a role in advertising

In particular, when it comes to advertising in young target groups, that is the address of young people, sometimes even children, everyone is required to take special care in their own work. Which contents are taught and which values? All these questions I have to ask any media maker, self-critical in his work. The very idea of ​​maximizing profits should not be in the focus when advertising with young people. Especially when marketing products, care must be taken that the protection of this particular target group is always maintained. Critical is therefore to be considered if wrong incentives are set.

This is how sugar becomes healthy through marketing messages

Targeted marketing messages in advertising are by no means new and a true classic in advertising. Already 10 or 20 years ago there was criticism z.b. to a fruit yoghurt for children. We suggest “healthy fruits, delicious fruits and vitamins”. In the end, however, the content consists of quark, dyes and above all: sugar.

• In what way should one promote (positive) for such, particularly sugary product?
• How healthy is a commercial appearance for such a product?

All of these questions have been asked by creative people many years ago.

Difference between classic advertising and influencer marketing

The difference between classic advertising and influencer marketing: Back then, advertising was labeled as what it is, advertising. In influencer marketing and product placement in videos, such a differentiation is no longer given. If the Youtube homepage recommends us this clip, or if it just starts in the video after being seen, the user’s influence is low. However, we perceive ourselves as authentically pre-given video that probably fits our interests. Exactly here is the sticking point, advertising is no longer recognizable as such. This results in a discourse that we should lead as a media maker. The WDR has done some of today’s critical reporting on the new sugar law in the UK and how do influencer marketing campaigns of large soft drink corporations collide with the aspirations that young people live healthily (and that we teach them this lifestyle) ?

Influencer marketing in the future: criticism persists

Influencer marketing had not reached zenith by a long shot, and criticism of strategies and methods will increase in the future. Even bloggers and influencers will eventually have to face the responsibility. They are still young, but at some point they will not be 18 or 19 years old and will themselves recognize and accept their social responsibility. This will create a new generation that will lead the discourse with future influencers. How this controversial topic will develop, we will of course accompany you in detail as a social media agency.

Advantages and disadvantages in influencer marketing

There are several pros and cons that are emerging in Influencer Marketing. Basically, as a social media agency, we always talk about reach. For campaigns, specific reach and demographics are posted. For the right bloggers are sought. The current possibility of having “everyone” become a station has given rise to various stations: in the past there were few media houses, today there are countless stations all over the world, in every country and in every city. They influence people with their content, which was initially produced privately and increasingly commercialized. This results in not only opportunities but also risks, as described in the WDR contribution.

Advantages of Influencer Marketing

In particular, the direct approach of target groups and the high level of commitment within this process are worth a lot. While classic advertising is shown incidentally, on posters or distracting between films, this speech is very personal and direct. Referral marketing plays a big value here.

• Great trust between influencer and follower
• Reach exceeds classic advertising
• Followers are multipliers at the same time
• Direct and immediate feedback

Disadvantages of Influencer Marketing

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, great power also gives rise to a great responsibility. Large magazines like Vogue reach as a fashion magazine in Germany 126,000 people with each edition. 100,000 people, some of them are 15 or 16 year old kids. In doing so, you exert almost the same influence as an established media magazine, with a large journalistic or editorial team in the background. This imbalance not only creates opportunities, but also risks for target groups and consumers.

Bad campaigns without “attention to detail” take influencers and company reputation
Risk booking the wrong reach and overlapping bloggers (same reach, duplicate spend)
Advertising on Youtube is expensive

Youtube User Worldwide

Top 49 Cities of the World

Recently 1.481.840 people in New York (USA) are users of Youtube! Around 674.179 poeple in Los Angeles and 1.525.269 in London. How many Youtube useres does your city have?

Other articles and tips on the topic: Influencer Marketing

More about Influencer Marketing can be found here:

• Influencer marketing blog
• Influencer marketing agency