A Thin Line between being Food Vlogger | Influencer – Need for Standardization as quick as a flash
Author : Viknesh Ravichandran
Through this article, I would like to highlight that Influencer Marketing is the next big thing in the Marketing Industry and standardization has to be ensured in this area rather than letting it go haywire.
As per a study by Tapinfluence and Altimeter, titled “A Separation of Influence: A view of Influence from Influencers and Influence Marketers”, 69.4% of influencers opt to be an influencer in order to generate revenue. Starting a Food Vlog is easy but grooming it with a adequate and consistent content is tough. Moreover, Return on Investment takes ample amount of time.
The primary focus of Influencer Marketing of a brand is to identify the influencers in their respective niche and hire them to promote brand. A successful Food Vlogger in YouTube can earn in millions, for the videos they post and based on the audience they tend to have. In YouTube, A vlogger will be taxed as a sole proprietor unless he/she registers their business as a company, LLP or Partnership Company. While Food & Beverages Industry inculcates Influencer Marketing, they offer the influencer free samples & dine-in with or without monetary benefits. Leaving the F&B outlets, influencers tend to promote home-made food and beverages which at times aren’t registered and FSSAI certified. This might lead to great distress for the person involved in promotion and customers. While few vloggers are paid a hefty sum, few are never paid in monetary terms but only in terms of goodies and invites.
What erases the thin line between Food Blogger and Influencer?
Food vlogger is a food enthusiast who makes videos about the food they love to review or share the experience that they got through the journey.
Based on the quality and originality of the content provided, the audience who enjoy the show will turn into loyal fans who would immediately try out the new place or shop mentioned in the recent post. Here the vlogger turns into an influencer effortlessly.
With additional efforts, when they can make referrals and channelize them to the business, they become affiliated to the brand. They can acquire a sum based on a certain discussed percentage of the total sum of the bill amount generated through their referrals.
Why the need for standardization?
The need for standardization is because there is a chance for a large amount of money getting pumped into the unorganized sector. Anybody can become an Influencer, literally anybody, the guy or girl next door. That doesn’t mean they can communicate the brand message, but what they can do is just to bridge the gap between potential customers and the businesses.
Brands are planning to make Influencer Marketing a mainstream marketing channel and optimize the future marketing plan in accordance with it. Even brands outsource influencer marketing efforts through third party agencies which identify, recruits, and manages influencers on behalf of the in-house marketing team of the brand.