Fake influencers will soon get caught

According to Bas van Teylingen, chief creative officer and partner at online video agency Online Cookie Collective, it will not take long for fake influencers to get caught.

Influencer marketing is still an unclear subject. As a YouTuber himself, Van Teylingen is able to provide clarity and show successful and less successful cases. Reading into the subject is extremely important for marketers who want to start with influencer marketing. Doing good research in advance can determine if there is a match between the brand and the influencer.

There are many pitfalls between these two parties. Van Teylingen says: “If an influencer has something at its disposal, then it is data. Be critical as a brand, but also let go of the judgments about influencer marketing. Do not put everyone in one place. It is also important to analyse what the right platform is for you as a brand. There is no holy grail, it is and remains custom work.”

Controlling influencers

In five years, Van Teylingen believes that marketing will be under more control. Purchased followers, subscribers, views and likes will then be filtered (better than now) by software. He hopes that influencers will increasingly see themselves as a brand and that they will adopt that attitude. Indeed: professionalisation. In addition to this, Van Teylingen thinks that more and more brands will become influencers themselves. Ultimately, every company will also have to become a media company - but with the right partners.