Influencing the Influencers: Social Media Marketing Conversation
Image via kurakai.co.nz
This blog was first published in May 2020
The impact of COVID-19 has changed a LOT in New Zealand’s social media marketing landscape – from the incredibly sad demise of Bauer Media, to significant reductions in web and search traffic for some businesses and the resulting budget cuts that have caused the cancellation of major above-the-line ad spend.
Calling for change in Social Media Marketing New Zealand
In the realm of social media marketing across New Zealand, another significant change has been brewing too. One of New Zealand’s best-known social media influencers, Makai Carr, has been calling for change to the way influencers operate.
In a series of Instagram posts, she has championed a need for influencers to use their social media clout to give back and #bethechange instead of taking freebies. She believes that, in the current environment, influencers should instead be supporting local businesses by paying for goods and services – or at least giving proper acknowledgement that they are being paid to promote certain products and brands to their followers (such as using the #sponsored hashtag).
Makaia has also called out those who continued to receive courier packages of non-essential products during the Level 4 Alert period, and then went on to promote them (sometimes without stating that the items had been gifted). She also called into question how the agencies involved were able to distribute these packages during what was supposed to be a period of social distancing.
Last week she told the NZ Herald that, following the significant number of Kiwis who have lost jobs and had their incomes reduced, she was “disappointed to see social influencers or people with profile and platform… not acknowledging the current situation of our country, our people (and) their followers.”
Frustrated Auckland Restaurant Owner
And, on the other side of the influencer / brand relationship, an Auckland restaurant owner has expressed his frustration with influencers requesting free food while his business was trying to survive the lockdown.
In a social media post addressed to influencers, Brian Campbell, owner of Miann dessert restaurant, said “PLEASE STOP FOR A SECOND AND THINK, Think about the restaurateurs, food producers that have had ZERO income for a month… Think about the PEOPLE whom you are asking for stuff for free, to boost your own profile.”
Our Take as Social Media Marketing Experts
So, what’s our view? As an agency that helps Kiwi businesses use social media in their marketing every day, we think this is a really important conversation to be having.
As with any marketing campaign (digital or not), empathy and ethics should be at the heart of how we approach and use influencer marketing – both from the influencer’s perspective and the brand’s (not mention the agency’s, of course!).
As a relatively new social media marketing tactic in New Zealand, the ‘social media influencer’ industry is one that is completely self-regulated, and reliant on both influencers and brands to do the right thing. While the world grapples with the effects of COVID-19, we believe there has never been a better time to act ethically and use whatever influence we have to help one another.
A Round of Applause for Makaia
We applaud Makaia for taking a firm stance, with view based on a good social conscience and sound moral compass. And we agree that, by putting our hand up to help – rather than putting our hand out for freebies – our local businesses, and our economy, will face a brighter future, sooner.
Want more social media takes, tips and advice? Get in touch with us today to see how Matter Agency we can inject our social media expertise into your business.