heroinfluencer

BusinessJanuary 23, 2019

Which social media influencer is the most (and least) influential of them all?

Contributing writer
heroinfluencer

Erin, Eliza, Taika, or Colin. Which New Zealand social media influencer gives you the best bang for your buck? One recent study reckons it has the answer.

According to one well-known specialist agency, $10,000 will buy you anywhere from seven to 20 posts from as many as 14 paid influencers. The variation in posts is said to differ from the quality of influencers a would-be client would choose from.

But how do you determine the ‘quality’ of an influencer? Is it to do with follower count? The number of likes? The amount of media coverage said influencer gets?

In an attempt to quantify social media influence in a measurable way, MoneyHub, a consumer-focused online resource, has conducted a study on Instagram ‘influencers’ to determine how effective they really are. It did this by recording the number of likes an influencer received on posts dated 1 August 2018 to 31 October 2018. It then contrasted this to said influencer’s total number of Instagram followers as of 10 November 2018 to give it a number indicating average engagement per post, or ‘like ratio’. 

“Currently, there are a range of metrics to measure Instagram traction,” says Christopher Walsh, MoneyHub senior researcher. “We believe that analysing the ‘likes’ received over three months for every post from an individual account is an accurate measure of social media power.

“While it’s arguable that 25,000 likes on a post is more ‘influencing’ than a post with 4,000 likes, the quality of the engagement can be deduced by looking at the total number of followers as a benchmark. A business is paying for results when using social media influencers, so we believe the percentage engagement on posts gives the best indicator.”

A good example of this is to look at Shannon Harris (@shaaanxo) who currently has more than 1.5 million followers. Although she regularly attracts well over 20,000 likes per post, it’s interesting to note that when you compare her to someone like Taika Waititi – who has less than half of what Harris has in followers – he still seems to be able to rack up just as many, if not more, likes on his.

For the purposes of the study, a list of more than 40 influencers was drawn up based on brand associations, media coverage and for some, a history of sponsored or collaborative posts. All influencers who were chosen fell into three broad categories (celebrities, experts, and bloggers/micro-influencers) and anyone who posted fewer than ten times over this period was excluded from the final result (ie: Lorde).

While most would be hesitant to classify actors, news presenters, or rugby players as ‘social media influencers’, the line between ‘celebrity’ and ‘influencer’ has blurred in recent years to the point where it’s almost impossible to distinguish one from the other. Is former New Zealand’s Next Top Model judge Colin Mathura-Jeffree a ‘celebrity’ for being on TV a decade ago, or a ‘micro-influencer’ for being at the whim of luxury brands like Lexus? What about someone like Iyia Liu, founder of businesses like Waist Trainer and Celebration Box? Is she an ‘expert’ because of her entrepreneurial chops? Or a ‘micro-influencer’ because she’s offering us a deal for three personal training sessions for $99?

Today, the sponsored post knows no bounds. Being a social media influencer is no longer exclusive to beauty bloggers, meme makers, gaming addicts and fitness fanatics. Even Hollywood elite aren’t immune to the allure of making a few quick bucks on the side. 

Walsh says the purpose of the study was to bring transparency to this “new, somewhat untested and unvalidated form of marketing spend”, adding that while big businesses can afford to lose money on a couple dud sponsored posts, it’s a very different story when it comes to small businesses who need to challenge the return on investment before being sold on social media influencer spending.

“We believe that any ‘influencer’ who fails to convert at least 3% of their followers into likes is at risk of becoming irrelevant. And based on accepted industry norms – and I think even social media advertisers would agree here – anyone below 2% is totally irrelevant for advertising purposes.”

” In our view, social media does not appear to be a solution for fool-proof marketing spending; it remains an evolving niche that offers little insights into its short or long-term effectiveness.”

Top 5 Most Influential

KJ Apa (@kjapa)

Followers (approx.): 13.2 million
Average engagement per post: 12.8%
Total posts (Aug-Oct): 40
Category: Celebrity

Catapulted to fame for his role as Archie Andrews in TV series Riverdale, 21-year-old actor KJ Apa is the most influential New Zealander on social media, an accolade which surely has nothing to do with the incessant shirtless photos of him cuddling various dogs.  

As of January 2019, he has well over 13.2 million followers and has worked with brands such as watchmaker Fossil and dating app Bumble.

Taika Waititi (@taikawaititi)

Followers (approx.): 642,000
Average engagement per post: 12.72%
Total posts (Aug-Oct): 18
Category: Celebrity

Director, actor, and bonafide hunk Taika Waititi gives us the content we all crave: Thor content, Jeff Goldblum content, fashion content, relatable content. On the commercial side of things, he’s recently posted a few ads for Samsung mobile which aren’t exactly labelled as such.  

Waititi’s certainly not alone in doing this. MoneyHub notes a number of commercial social media posts failing to be marked as sponsorship (#spon), advertising (#ad) or collaborations (#collab) which is in breach of Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) guidelines on transparency around social media advertising. 

Kris Fox (@itskrisfox)

Followers (approx.): 99,000
Average engagement per post: 11.27%
Total posts (Aug-Oct): 18
Category: Blogger / Micro-influencer

Kris “Big Dickuah Enthusiast” Fox probably fits the more typical mould of what we would think of as an ‘influencer’. On YouTube, Fox posts rants, anecdotes, vlogs, and makeup tutorials; on Instagram, you’ll find selfies, photos of Kris Fox, and selfies of Kris Fox taking photos of Kris Fox.

Represented by talent agency Johnson & Laird, Fox has done sponsored work for MAC cosmetics and Sky TV, as well as using social media channels to shout out favourite brands such as Boohoo and Lash Noir Ink.

Eliza McCartney (@eliza_mac_)

Followers (approx.): 86,000
Average engagement per post: 8.2%
Total posts (Aug-Oct): 15
Category: Celebrity

Pole vaulter Eliza McCartney is an Olympic bronze medallist. When she’s not busy flinging herself in the air, 22-year-old McCartney likes to snack on blueberries, dine on #nzbeefandlamb, and challenge people to drink more water. But apparently, her favourite thing is blueberries. Lots and lots and lots of blueberries.

David Farrier (@davidfarrier)

Followers (approx.): 68,000
Average engagement per post: 7.81%
Total posts (Aug-Oct): 109
Category: Celebrity

As far as sponsored content is concerned, Farrier – star of Dark Tourist, Tickled, and occasional Spinoff writer – has yet to post any on his Instagram in the many years he’s been around. But he does seem to be very open to the prospect.

Top 5 Least Influential

Jaime Ridge (@jaimeridge)

Followers (approx.): 48,000
Average engagement per post: 1.27%
Total posts (Aug-Oct): 129
Category: Blogger/Micro-influencer

It’s been seven years since The Ridges debuted on New Zealand telly and then-teenage daughter of Sally and Matthew Ridge has grown up to become a 20-something-year-old stylist, creative, influencer, and fashion blogger.

Ridge’s page is littered with content for commercial partners like Dior Parfums and Bondi Boost. Her low ‘like ratio’ seems to come down to the fact that despite having posted 129 posts in the time period recorded, her number of likes remained relatively low.

In fact, over the course of the study, MoneyHub found that less really was more when it came to posting: those who posted less than 20 times over the three months were found to have a higher rate of engagement than those posting more than 50.

Erin Simpson (@erinsimpson13)

Followers (approx.): 37,000
Average engagement per post: 1.41%
Total posts (Aug-Oct): 52
Category: Blogger/Micro-influencer

“There’s only one influencer worth sticking with into the new year,” my dear colleague Alex Casey wrote back in December. “Her name is Erin Simpson and she’s a TV host, death metal enthusiast and homewares savant.”

Sadly, I have some bad news for the biggest/only Erin Simpson enthusiast I know: despite touting everything from make-up, skin care, fitness, fashion, food, booze, and even vacuum cleaners, Simpson turns out to be a pretty poor influencer with just 1.41% average engagement per post.

Makaia Carr (@makaiacarr)

Followers (approx.): 49,000
Average engagement per post: 1.54%
Total posts (Aug-Oct): 141
Category: Blogger/Micro-influencer

Dubbed New Zealand’s “original influencer”, 39-year-old Carr is a classic example of how influencers came to be back in the day (ie: five years ago). They weren’t former kid’s TV hosts like Simpson or daughters of famous parents like Ridge, they were ‘regular people’ who attracted a following for doing things that were genuinely relatable. In Carr’s case, that was exercising and losing weight.

Perhaps it might’ve been a different story a few years ago but it seems that Carr’s clout with her followers isn’t as significant despite touting deals with brands like HelloFresh, Fix & Fogg, and Otaika Valley. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Carr posted a whopping 141 times over three months – more than any other influencer on the list.

Shannon Harris (@shaaanxo)

Followers (approx.): 1.5 million
Average engagement per post: 1.67%
Total posts (Aug-Oct): 95
Category: Blogger/Micro-influencer

Shannon Harris is New Zealand’s most popular YouTuber with a huge local following and even bigger international one, partnering with make-up companies like Smashbox and Clinique and launching her own beauty brand back in 2012. Harris was even listed in Forbes’ Top Influencers list in the beauty category back in 2017 alongside long-established figures like Jeffree Star, Zoe Sugg, Michelle Phan, and Huda Kattan.

And yet, when comparing her follower-to-like ratio, Harris’ average engagement per post ended being less than 2%. Why? It could be that the majority of engagement with Harris takes place on her primary platform of YouTube rather than on Instagram. Or maybe it’s just that her 1.5 million followers can’t be bothered liking the same photos of her every single day.

Colin Mathura-Jeffree (@colinmathurajeffree)

More Reading

Followers (approx.): 10,000
Average engagement per post: 1.79%
Total posts (Aug-Oct): 31
Category: Blogger/Micro-influencer

Colin Mathura-Jeffree is a popular man. He goes to fancy shows, he hosts elaborate parties, and he gets invited onto silly podcasts to gossip and eat Nando’s. He’s a proud social media influencer and he does it with style, albeit perhaps not with as much influence as we’d like to think.

The full list

#
Individual
​​Average Engagement per Instagram Post
​Total # of Instagram Posts
(August – October 2018)
1
12.80%
40
2
12.72%
18
3
11.27 %
18
4
8.20 %
15
5
7.81 %
109
6
7.11 %
34
7
6.92 %
28
8
6.84 %
53
9
6.46 %
13
10
6.36 %
11
11
6.36 %
33
12
6.06 %
28
13
6.06 %
16
14
5.54 %
25
15
4.83 %
36
16
4.79 %
17
17
4.66 %
50
18
4.49 %
58
19
4.22 %
12
20
3.94 %
62
21
3.88 %
20
22
3.79 %
42
23
3.56 %
51
24
3.37 %
30
25
2.96 %
10
26
2.86 %
44
27
2.66 %
105
28
2.45 %
23
29
2.11 %
97
30
1.98%
35
31
1.80 %
119
32
1.79 %
31
33
1.67 %
95
34
1.54%
141
35
1.41%
52
36
1.27%
129
Keep going!
Baby & Toddler Swing (Photo: Supplied)
Baby & Toddler Swing (Photo: Supplied)

BusinessJanuary 22, 2019

How a Matiere-based swing maker caught a Kardashian’s attention

Baby & Toddler Swing (Photo: Supplied)
Baby & Toddler Swing (Photo: Supplied)

Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Jenny Etherington who, along with her partner Thomas Mortimer, founded Solvej (sool-vay) Swings – makers of sustainable and long-lasting swings for babies and toddlers. 

ONE: How did Solvej Swings start and what was the inspiration behind it?

Solvej Swings started not long after the birth of our daughter, Solvej, in 1992. We desperately wanted a swing for our baby as we both had many fond childhood memories of swings that we wanted to pass onto her, but also because it provided a fun, safe and, most importantly, hands-free form of entertainment for her.

The only swings on the market we could find were plastic which didn’t suit Thomas, a cabinet maker, or myself, who’s passionate about sustainability, so in 1993 we made our own from wood and canvas instead. Friends and family loved the design so much that we were asked to produce more and more. It then got to a point where it made sense to share the joy and start a business.

As Solvej grew older, we developed more swings for her and her friends at varying ages. Now studying architecture, Solvej is continuing the family legacy in the business.

TWO: Was there any interest/experience in business or entrepreneurship prior to starting Solvej Swings?

Before the swings, Thomas and I were both craftspeople who travelled between our home countries of New Zealand and Sweden making and selling crafts. When we finally settled in rural New Zealand, we decided we needed to create our own employment. Our business acumen was very limited and it was a huge learning curve moving from selling local to international. When we started there was also no big World Wide Web, which not only dominates business nowadays but is also a great source of information for a start-up business.

Solvej Mortimer, Jenny Etherington and Thomas Mortimer (Photo: Supplied)

THREE: What sort of things were considered when Solvej Swings was designed and how are they made?

Safety, as with any baby product, is the main factor to consider when designing. After that comes joy and sustainability. Joy, in our minds, being both for the child (beads to play with, bright colours) and for the parents (attractive aesthetics, ease of cleaning, moving, packing etc.).

Design is a particular passion of Thomas’ and sustainability is a particular passion of mine. The Scandinavian design tradition which Thomas grew up with highly values both aesthetics and functionality, and the added element of sustainability requires the efficient use of materials and longevity. We wanted a product that was beautiful to look at and pleasing to touch, but most importantly would really be of benefit to those using it.  Thomas took to all these design challenges with enthusiasm and we think it’s resulted in a practical, beautiful and sustainable heirloom product.

FOUR: Where in your home can you install a Solvej Swing? Are they safe for all babies and children to use?

Anywhere there’s ample support above (like a door frame, from a rafter or beam, pergola etc.) and room to swing. They can be used both inside or outside the house.

We have multiple sets of screw eyes throughout our house so that the swings can be moved according to season or activity. Having it somewhere near where you are working (the kitchen or office, for example) is particularly good as Mum or Dad can have their hands free to work.

All our swings are very safe with a deep seat surrounded on four sides (one by the leg divider) and a seatbelt.

Baby & Toddler Swing (photo: Supplied)

FIVE: You state that you’re committed to being environmentally and socially responsible in all aspects of your business. How do you go about doing this? 

Sustainability in production starts with a design that’s efficient in its use of materials and is long-lasting. For example, the Solvej Baby Swing converts to and from a baby or toddler version so that it can be used from six months all the way to six years. They’re also made to last as long as possible so they can be passed down for generations. Only top quality materials and production techniques are used, and measurements are designed to fit standard material sizes to reduce waste. Any offcuts are then used in other designs or community art projects. Materials for us is an important balance between sourcing as much as possible locally to support the Kiwi industry and then using only what we believe to be the best quality materials to make a long-lasting, safe product.

Then there are the everyday things, which include how you heat and light the workshops, how waste is dealt with, and using good practices like repurposing or recycling anything we possibly can (from furnishing of the workspaces to offcuts of manufacturing). We also encourage and educate others on how to do the same (educational resources are something we’re currently trying to develop.)

Socially, it concerns paying – at minimum – a living wage and creating an environment where workers feel safe and supported. We all lunch together at our house which is a five-minute walk from the workshops, and we try to support one another in life as much as possible.

Child swing (Photo: Supplied)

We also keep production local in my hometown village of Matiere as I wanted to provide employment for my community. Employment opportunities in the country have been decreasing as the modern farming industry needs fewer people. We think one of the best ways to give people a real choice to live in the country is for other industries to establish themselves in rural areas.

We also work hard to keep our prices as affordable as possible as good design should be accessible to everyone. If people can’t afford our swings we really recommend other swing options like those at your local park as not only are they fun, but they’re beneficial to eye development, balance and coordination.

SIX: Last month, Kourtney Kardashian included Solvej Swings on her 2018 Holiday Gift Guide. How did she come into contact with your product and what effect did this endorsement from Kourtney have on your business? 

Kourtney’s endorsement was lovely. She bought two swings from us a few years ago and then this year reached out to say how much she liked them, asking for a few to give to friends and family and saying that she’d be featuring it on her wish list.

Having such a well-known person endorsing our product was particularly exciting and gave it a much further reach than usual. It was great to have a spotlight put on our business for other Kiwis as customers were able to learn about us through subsequent coverage and other start-ups were able to see an example of a Kiwi small business/design success. We saw an immediate increase in sales, both direct and through stores, and we’ve also had stores reaching out to us wanting to sell our swings.

Mother of three Kourtney Kardashian included Solvej Swings in her Holiday Gift Guide this Christmas

SEVEN: Do you have any other plans to scale/grow further and if so, what are they?

We’re always working to grow our business through both retail and direct sales. Currently, we’re concentrating on the European retail market as that quickly became our fastest growing market when we entered it. We’re doing this by attending trade shows and reaching out to retail stores we admire. There are also a couple of new swing products waiting in the wings to be released into the range.

EIGHT: Lastly, tell us about a New Zealand start-up or business that you really admire right now.

ShearWarmth is a local business near us in the early stages of growth. Lyn and Monique are working really hard to bring back the heirloom traditional blankets of New Zealand. They’ve made the brave move to take wool from their farm and turn them into beautiful wool blankets with production and finishing all done locally. New Zealand needs more businesses to establish themselves in smaller towns and villages to keep rural New Zealand alive!

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