INFLUENCER MARKETING

Harness the power of nearby influencers to build a business following

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

Study concludes that that nearby nano-influencers are most effective for developing a social media following that generates sales leads.

Researchers from five international universities have published a new article that examines why firms aiming to build a large follower base might be better off focusing on their own follower base, rather than seeking out remote influencers.

The study, appearing in the American Marketing Association’s peer-reviewed Journal of Marketing, is titled ‘Targeting Nearby Influencers: The Acceleration of Natural Triadic Closure by Leveraging Interconnectors’.

User-generated content platforms such as Instagram and LinkedIn understand not only that businesses seek to build and expand their follower base to increase the reach of the content they upload, but also that they apply the follow-for follow approach for this purpose.

Existing research has largely focused on the follower base of influencers. However, there has been scant attention paid to the follower base of the firm.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

“This is a missed opportunity due to the tendency of the follow-for-follow approach to attract somewhat remote followers who do not necessarily fit in well with the creator’s follower base,” researcher Jacob Goldenberg explains.

The new study considered the case of unpaid endorsements, also known as the follow-for-follow approach, which is a popular way of building a follower base. It concluded that the most straightforward way to build a follower base is to follow second-degree followers.

“We maintain that the creator’s own follower base is an overlooked area in the network for finding surprisingly valuable influencers,” says researcher Andreas Lanz.

Lessons for chief marketing officers

The researchers say CMOs should keep in mind the following lessons when formulating their social media influencer strategy:

To build and expand their follower base, firms may be better off targeting followers of followers, or nearby influencers, rather than cherry-picking remote influencers, including paid influencers. This means that nearby nano-influencers are most effective.
Businesses that are using work-related platforms such as LinkedIn for customer acquisition may benefit from leveraging interconnectors to gain access to companies that they want to sell their services to. This means that promising sales leads in such companies should be interconnected with the firm, or followers of followers.

You can find out more about the study here.

Pre-conference masterclass discusses taking African brands to the world

Participants challenged to identify, articulate and commercialise the cultural assets that make their brand ready for a global audience.

Three people stand side by side in front of a sports direct backdrop the woman in the middle holds a blue and orange 'sports direct' sign

Africa’s first Sports Direct retail store opens its doors in Nairobi

Second outlet planned for Nairobi before year end, with Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco said to be future target markets.

Person wearing a beige sweater holds a phone with a translucent search bar reading 'search' and microphonecamera icons in the foreground

Search is fragmenting – credibility and trust create the new visibility

Online search behaviour has changed significantly with the rise of AI. How can African brands adapt to this new marketing landscape?

Person shopping at a deli counter holding an orange shopping basket in a cheese section of a supermarket

The move toward future-ready food packaging where materials meet AI

Researchers propose a framework for packaging that senses, learns and acts – making packaging an active, AI-powered tool against food waste.

Conference stage with a woman in a patterned dress speaking to an audience large screens display '' logos and banners for a marketers conference with 'institute of marketing in malawi' branding on stage panels and backdrop

Malawi’s marketers urged to put trust at the heart of the profession

Country needs marketers to build recognition and consumer trust around Malawian products and national brand, says Deputy Minister.

Lingerie brand creates street-stopping advertising in Manhattan

Fashion brand suspends giant lingerie high above the city’s streets, using shadows to create a moving billboard for pedestrians and motorists.

We know AI influencers aren’t real – so why do we trust them?

Researchers describe AI influencers as having a ‘dual identity’. Consumers evaluate both ‘person’ and ‘technology’ identities at once.

Hotel receptionist assisting a guest at the check in counter with a gray suitcase nearby behind the desk

Why trust has become a critical asset for hotel industry marketers

Reputation and trust, once modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage, study finds.

Three people in formal attire pose for a photo at an awards event a woman in a pink dress holds a trophy while two men in suits stand beside her against a gold confetti backdrop

FNB bank’s eBucks programme dominates the 2026 SA loyalty awards

South African brands are increasingly setting the global benchmark for customer loyalty strategies, organisers say.

Portrait of a man with short black hair and a beard wearing a black button down shirt against a light gray background

Zambia’s strongest creative ideas are emerging from local truths

Global influences among younger consumers are still present, but they are being filtered through a distinctly Zambian lens.

Yellow humanoid robot at a bakery counter inspecting a display of donuts on display in front of glass cases

Consumers have doubts about products when they’re designed by AI

Researchers find that lack of perceived ‘genuine care’ is the mechanism connecting AI involvement to lower trust ratings.