This archive report was first published on 10 November 2021.
Published on November 10, 2021, a report by the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) highlighted the growing importance of social media influencers in promoting products and services in Kenya.
According to the report, SMEs are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with larger corporations in terms of reaching consumers, and are turning to social media influencers as a way to level the playing field.
One such influencer is Catherine Kamau, a popular actress and digital content creator who has worked with several brands, including a detergent brand that she has partnered with for years.
"It is the value that influencers provide once you embed them into your business plan," Kamau said in an interview.
Martha Cheruto, Kepsa's deputy CEO, noted that the role of influencers is crucial, especially for new businesses that are just starting out.
"If you remember Coca-Cola, how many bottles did they sell in the first year? You can picture who they are right now. Picture the person who was an influencer for them at that time. If you look at it from that perspective, it means their (influencers) role is big and we are now looking at the bigger picture," Cheruto said.
Cheruto added that with so many products being released into the market, especially by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), conventional platforms may not do much in swaying consumers' choices.
"When the influencer comes to tell you that indeed I used the product and this is who I am, you know that is testimonial, and people appreciate referrals or seeing the results from someone," she said.
Peter Kironji, CEO of Twiva, a social commerce platform that matches influencers to products and services, said that his firm aims to be the link between MSMEs and the market.
"If you come to us and all you want is strategic influencers who can help you promote your business, we go to influencers, create a list and bring that list to you for free," Kironji said.
He added that the firm will also be a data bank of how influencers perform so as to ensure businesses get value for the money they pay.
Just having more followers on platforms such as Instagram may not be enough, according to Kironji.
"Some of those followers, he notes, could be bots," he said.
"Would you like me to send you a list of influencers who each have one million followers or would you like me to send you a list of who have sold similar products with the target audience you are trying to reach. Which one has more value?" he posed.
