There was a time when a successful marketing campaign meant getting an influencer to attend a product launch, post a few pictures and share a video with thousands of followers. The bigger the following, the more attractive the influencer appeared.
But as influencer marketing has matured, brands are asking harder questions about what happens after the likes, views and comments fade from social media feeds. Did the campaign generate customers? Did it increase sales? Did it strengthen the relationship between consumers and the brand?
Bev Naliaka, Manager and Client Service Director at Tim-Sky Media Services, says brands have not abandoned influencers, but are becoming more deliberate about whom they work with and what they expect in return.
“I would not say that brands and companies have completely gotten rid of influencers; they are now taking a logical approach. When bringing an influencer on board, they consider cost, target audience, risk and the value the influencer has delivered, among other things. It is no longer about the numbers someone has on their social following,” Ms Naliaka says.
Influencer marketing has also become more crowded and expensive, with consumers exposed to sponsored content from creators in almost every category. A large following does not necessarily make an influencer suitable for a campaign if their audience does not match the brand’s target market. Reputation matters too.
“Some influencers have earned the respect of the industry to the extent that when they falter, their mistakes are seen as normal human risks. For example, when they go through break-ups, it doesn’t dent their influence,” Ms Naliaka says.
Brands, however, become more cautious when an influencer is involved in disputes that could have wider reputational consequences, such as criminal cases.
“Brands are looking at factors other than just money; they are approaching influencers like a corporate task. The way we approach hiring and firing is the same. Sign here, give us your ROI. Your ROI will form the rules we tie you to,” Ms Naliaka says.
Return on investment (ROI) has therefore become an increasingly important part of the conversation. If a company spends Sh200,000 on an influencer, it wants to know what it gets back.
“If we give you, for example, Sh1 million, and your ROI says you’ll give us 900 clients, a special link is created for you to track those 900 clients. It is the same kind of link used in other activations,” Ms Naliaka says.
“It depends on the campaign. Some contracts are short, some are long. If the campaign is just about awareness, it’s a bit shorter. If the campaign is about conversion, it’s definitely longer,” Ms Naliaka says.
An influencer’s recommendation can trigger an immediate decision on lifestyle products, but banking requires a longer consideration process and greater trust.
Mwihaki Wachira, director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Absa Bank Kenya, says this makes credibility more important than a large social media following.
“In financial services, trust is the currency that matters most. Unlike lifestyle categories, where visibility alone can drive purchase decisions, banking products require customers to have confidence in both the institution and the messenger,” Ms Wachira says.
“We look beyond follower numbers and focus on individuals who have built their personal brands on credibility, trust, authenticity and consistency.”
“We partner with influencers who are respected within their communities and whose values align with ours. Equally important is relatability. Customers are more likely to engage with people whose experiences reflect their own aspirations, challenges and life goals,” Ms Wachira says.
This is also changing the length of relationships between brands and influencers. Long-term partnerships are becoming more attractive to brands that want to build familiarity rather than generate a short burst of attention.
“While influencers can be effective in generating awareness during product launches, their greatest value lies in driving long-term consideration, engagement and customer acquisition. Financial decisions are rarely made instantly. Customers often take time to evaluate products, compare options and build confidence before taking action,” Ms Wachira says.
“When an influencer consistently engages with a brand over time, their audience is more likely to view the relationship as genuine rather than transactional,” she adds.
Ms Naliaka similarly notes that some sectors are better suited to longer relationships, depending on the objective.
“People now understand the value of influencers. In some sectors, it’s easier to convert, so they run longer campaigns. Take telecoms: for them it’s all about awareness. They are building it to grow purchases. It’s not really about conversion,” she says.
As brands become more selective, the definition of an influencer is also changing. The person with the largest following is no longer necessarily the most influential voice for every campaign.
“The terminology has shifted in terms of who an influencer is. It is not only someone with a social following. We also have opinion shapers, people who are good in their industry. They might even have a full-time job elsewhere,” Ms Naliaka says.
“Unlike influencers, opinion shapers don’t want to be loved; they don’t exist to make money; they love what they do,” she says.
“People believe more in opinion shapers because they don’t look like they are being paid. In most cases, they speak their minds,” she says.
Brands are also exploring other ways of reaching audiences, including media partnerships.
“Media partnerships are also better now. We are opting for large mainstream outlets, which means the presenter activates the product instead of us hiring an influencer,” Ms Naliaka says.
But even as brands seek reach, they are increasingly aware that audiences can quickly spot content that feels overly commercial.
“You don’t want people to look like they’re paid to advertise the product. You want them to look natural. The biggest new thing is for influencers to change how they package content because the consumer is changing. Once they notice it’s sponsored, they lose interest,” Ms Naliaka says.
Brands are moving beyond follower numbers to ask whether an influencer reaches the right audience and can turn trust into action.
“The industry is recognising that visibility does not always translate into business impact. High follower counts, impressive reach and strong engagement metrics may create awareness, but they do not necessarily drive customer acquisition or conversion,” Ms Wachira says.
“In many cases, influencers with smaller but highly engaged communities can deliver stronger results than those with significantly larger audiences. These creators often have deeper relationships with their followers and are viewed as trusted voices within specific niches.”
Ultimately, brands want measurable results beyond impressions and views.
“Success is measured not only by impressions or views, but by tangible business outcomes such as enquiries, leads, account openings, product uptake and customer retention,” Ms Wachira says.