Who wants to be an influencer? Why influencing is rapidly becoming a mainstream career in SA

Several factors are driving this emerging and fast growing 21st century career path. Firstly, the money is clearly there to provide livelihoods for influencers. The growing global influencer marketing industry is projected to reach a staggering $22.2bn in 2025 according to The State of Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2024. In South Africa, Statista estimates that the equivalent of $27.14m will be spent on influencer advertising this year.

With this high level and ever-increasing investment, it’s not surprising that the influencer marketing industry is becoming more formalised, opening up opportunities for content creators to learn and develop in line with industry standards such as the IAB South African Content Creator Charter, and become more strategic in carving out a career for themselves.

Dentsu was one of the first agencies in South Africa to adopt this charter. Emma Odendaal, head of influence for Dentsu EMEA says: “We fully support an ethical, transparent, inclusive and professional industry for creators and brands. While marketers bear the responsibility for their decisions around their influencer marketing campaigns, content creators are accountable to their own communities. At Dentsu School of Influence we empower content creators with the industry knowledge that enables them to make responsible and ethical decisions when it comes to their participation in influencer campaigns. This is vital to their success because the robustness and sustainability of communities they have created depends on their trustworthiness and authenticity.

“Influencers need to know how to be fully compliant with industry regulations which includes making full disclosures when it comes to paid and sponsored content. They need to be adept at identifying and avoiding misleading or false claims. When it comes to community-building they need to be skilled at doing this organically, and must avoid tactics such as buying followers, views and engagements. It is also critical that they are scrupulous about sharing honest opinions and collaborating only with brands that genuinely align with their values.”

The Dentsu School of Influence’s inaugural cohort, the class of 2024 saw eight promising young South African influencers immersed in 1,000 learning hours. Participants were exposed to the mentorship, thought leadership and deep experience of 25 industry experts. Working collaboratively, the 2024 cohort successfully completed seven learning modules and seven assignments that have boosted their understanding of influencer marketing and given them practical tools to grow and succeed as content creators and influencers.

Participation in the Dentsu School of Influence programme resulted in measurable results. Students used their new-found knowledge to boost their followers, achieving a follower growth of up to 11.5%. Latest benchmark data from Creator IQ sets an engagement rate of 0.97%, but Dentsu School of Influence students outstripped this ten-fold, achieving engagement rates of up to 10.4%.

Enthusiasm, a natural flair for creativity, a passion for the digital landscape and a drive to succeed are some of the attributes Dentsu will be looking for in the selection of its 2025 cohort. With South Africa’s high youth unemployment and the skills development gap in mind, Dentsu is excited to invite all interested South African citizens over the age of 18 with a matric qualification to apply. Applicants must have between 1,500 and 10,000 followers on Instagram or TikTok or YouTube to be eligible for this opportunity.

The carefully selected class of 2025 will be taken on a six-month journey that will not only give them a solid foundation for a career in content creation but also provide them with the skills, tools and connections to supercharge their trajectory. Successful applicants will be exposed to exciting learning opportunities that will enable them to develop mastery as an influencer of note. Some of the topics include Content Creation 101, Mastering Platforms, Money Matters, Working with Brands, Building Your Personal Brand, and Ethics & AI.

Aspiring content creators can apply here. Applications are open from 28 October 2024 to 8 November 2024. Successful applicants will need to be based in Cape Town for the duration of the programme, which runs from 1 February to 31 July 2025. Students will receive a monthly stipend.

For all application criteria, terms and conditions, please click here.

Odendaal concludes: “This is a one-of-kind opportunity for South Africa’s content creators to take the work they love to the next level. The influencer marketing sector is growing and is always on the lookout for smart, fun and responsible creators that they can partner with. To stand out in the highly competitive digital landscape, creators need specialised know-how and top navigation skills. Dentsu School of Influence offers the opportunities to be mentored and trained by the best in the business, and to take practical steps to grow your followers and strengthen your community. With commitment to your personal development, your dreams of becoming a successful influencer can become your reality.”