We at Klain are proud of all the achievements of our colleagues. We celebrate every success and support the development of those who constantly help grow the agency. But today, I want to bring to your attention the success of Larisa, my colleague for over 4 years, a person who is in a continuous specialization, who does not give up regardless of the situation and who, in addition to the salsa courses and the completion with the Magna cum Laude qualification of the doctorate, wrote a book about one of the latest trends in marketing: influencer marketing.

So, on the occasion of the launch of her book, Influencer marketing: The perspective of users and experts, we asked her a few questions to find out how the idea of the book came about and what her plans are for the future.

Larisa, you have been our colleague for over 4 years, tell us a little about how you came to us.

Since high school, my dream was to work in a marketing agency. I kept my goal during college, applying for various internships and internships to acquire more knowledge. When I arrived in Klain, I already had 2 years of experience as an employee and dozens of hours of volunteering behind me.

From the first interview I felt that this is the place where I can grow and develop personally and professionally. In short, it was about 2 interviews and 4 months of waiting, but which were worth it.

When did you realize that marketing is the field in which you want to develop your career?

His first contact with marketing was during high school, being at an economic profile. That’s when I knew it was the field I’m passionate about. The desire to develop a career in the field came with the acquisition of knowledge. With each completed course or newly assimilated information, I felt closer to the “job of my dreams”. Personally, I consider myself lucky to do what I love and to do it since the beginning of my career.

Online marketing is a vast field. How did you choose to do your doctoral thesis and the book on influencer marketing?

The idea of writing a doctoral thesis in the field of influencer marketing flourished at the suggestion of Professor Delia Balaban. She was the one who asked me what I thought about the field, and I started looking. Subsequently, the interest grew once I discovered that there were not many studies in the field, being an opportunity for me and my doctoral thesis.

The first year involved a lot of research, in order to concretize the exact direction of the doctorate. Subsequently, my attention was specifically directed to the importance of branding sponsored content.

The book is a representation of the doctoral thesis, presented in a way that is accessible to the target audience.

For those who haven’t read your book yet, tell us what are 3 main ideas that everyone should remember?

• Consumers appreciate the markup of sponsored content, and marking it in their native language increases its recognition;
• Influencer marketing specialists see branding as a gesture of transparency on the part of the influencer for the created community;
• Specialists are also the ones who see the influencer marketing component as a response to the needs of the market, being considered a valid tool that can be used in strategic campaigns.

For those who confuse influencer and influencer marketing, how do you explain the differences?

It’s very simple. Influencers are the opinion leaders we follow online and beyond. Influencer marketing is how brands can promote their products and services through influencers.

What are the main benefits that a brand obtains from a collaboration with an influencer?

I think the most important benefit refers to the high visibility it offers, promoting it in the online community. Brands benefit in this case, because with small offers and relatively lower budgets (compared to traditional promotion media), they reach their target audience in a very short time.

Then there is the part of associating the brand with influencers and transferring credibility between them. With a solid strategy behind it and clearly defined goals, influencer campaigns are one of the best choices.

Without spoilers , what is your personal conclusion about the field of influencing in Romania?

I believe that it is an area that offers development opportunities for both brands, influencers and consumers. But, nevertheless, I think there would be a need for more rigorous rules in terms of tagging sponsored content by influencers. It is important to have this marking, as it contributes to increasing advertising literacy and compliance with advertising ethics.

How much did Klain’s experience help you in making the book?

I chose to go niche within the doctoral thesis on studying the importance of marking sponsored content, precisely because it was one of my tasks within Klain: PPC campaigns. Even if the connection is not direct, they all have a process behind them that must be followed and carried out step by step to optimize the results.

In addition, working in a digital marketing agency gave me the opportunity to meet experts in the field and create connections, which were later useful in conducting the empirical study.

Since when can we find the book in bookstores?

The book can already be purchased from Triton Publishing House.

What’s next for you?

I wish I didn’t stop here and delve deeper into the field of influencer marketing. I want to take into account the perspective of influencers in future studies and see what they think about tagging sponsored content.

Larisa, the entire Klain team wishes you a lot of success in your career and in as many studies/books as possible.