From Buzzwords to Business Value: What AI Readiness Really Looks Like in South Africa

Let’s be honest—“AI strategy” is one of those phrases that’s everywhere and nowhere all at once. But at our recent DOMO Connections event in Cape Town, the buzzwords took a backseat to real talk. From retail to legal, and telco to tech, our panellists didn’t just hype up AI—they unpacked how to actually use it, when not to, and how to keep the “human in the loop”.

Whether you're a BI lead, product manager, or exec trying to make sense of your data investments—this one's for you.

What’s Holding Businesses Back from AI Readiness?

Turns out, it's not tech. It’s translation.

As one panellist put it:

“The hardest part is aligning your output to business expectations. If your execs don’t understand it, they won’t fund it.”

This echoed across the board—data teams can build world-class systems, but if they don’t present insights in a business-accessible way, it falls flat.

Domo’s app-based approach was spotlighted as a practical solution: dashboards that non-analysts can actually use (without needing a PhD in pivot tables).

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Human in the Loop > Magic Black Box

AI isn’t a silver bullet—it’s a toolbox.
From Pick n Pay to Digitata and ABSA, the sentiment was clear: responsible AI means humans still make the calls. It’s not about replacing people, but amplifying good decision-making.

This means building systems where:

• AI can assist, but humans validate
• Decisions are traceable
• Risks are flagged before they blow up in your boardroom

As one speaker put it:

“The value is in augmentation, not automation. AI isn’t here to replace thinking.”

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Stop Overbuilding. Start Solving.

Sometimes, we get caught up in trying to build the most complex thing. But as one panellist reminded us:

“You don’t need a Ferrari if all you’re doing is school runs.”

The reminder? Build for the business problem—not the portfolio presentation.
And spoiler alert: a 20% automation win that’s actually adopted will always beat a 100% AI pipe dream that never goes live.

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From Insights to Action: Why It Matters Now

If you’re leading a team or steering digital transformation, here’s what this all means:

• Speak your exec’s language. If your data output doesn’t align with business KPIs, expect crickets.
• Build with feedback loops in mind. Tools like Domo help teams visualise what matters—without a dev backlog.
• Keep humans in the loop. If you can’t explain the AI decision path, it probably won’t fly.

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A South African Reality Check

In a local market balancing bold innovation with budget pressure, practical AI wins every time.

We're seeing an inflection point where smart investments in data platforms are unlocking:

• Better reporting
• More agile decision-making
• Cross-team alignment that doesn’t require twelve Zooms and a shared Google Doc

And we’re not just saying that. We saw it live at DOMO Connections.

Final Thought: Martech Shouldn’t Be Hectech

At YOUKNOW, we believe in keeping things clear, collaborative, and contextual. Our takeaway from DOMO Connections? If your AI or analytics platform isn’t being used across marketing, ops, finance, and product—it’s not really transforming your business.

📈 Want to see how Domo makes AI and data more usable for South African teams? Explore Domo with YOUKNOW →

You’ve nailed acquisition.
Your ad campaigns are tight, your app store listing is shiny, and your download numbers are looking lekker.

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But then... nothing.
People download the app and disappear. Maybe they open it once. Maybe they don't. Sound familiar?

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Welcome to the gap between acquisition and activation,  that tricky space where interest fizzles out before users experience the value of your product.

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The Big Drop-Off Nobody Talks About

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Here’s the honest truth: downloads don’t equal customers.
You’ve captured attention, but attention without activation is just expensive traffic.

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This is where platforms like Amplitude and OneSignal shine, especially when they work together.

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🔍 Amplitude helps you understand what’s really happening.

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You can see how users move through your app, where they drop off, and when they reach key milestones.

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📢 OneSignal helps you respond.

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You can re-engage users in real-time with targeted push notifications, email flows, SMS nudges, and in-app messages.

Together, they create a loop of insight → action → improvement.

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What Is an Activation Journey, Anyway?

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An activation journey is the series of steps that guide a new user toward that “Aha!” moment. The moment when they finally get the value of your product.

Let’s say you’re a local travel app. Your Aha moment might be when someone saves their first trip. Or if you’re a fintech app, it could be when a user sets up their first savings goal.

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Activation journeys need to be:

• Personalised: Not everyone needs the same nudge.
  
• Contextual: Timing is everything.
  
• Continuous: Activation isn’t just one moment, it’s a build-up of meaningful micro-interactions.

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This is where segmentation comes in...

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Smart Segmentation = Better Nudges

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Here’s where Amplitude and OneSignal really shine together. With Amplitude, you can segment users based on real behaviour, not just basic demographics.

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For example:

• New users who completed onboarding but didn’t explore features
  
• People who used a feature once... then ghosted
  
• Users who keep checking one feature but haven’t converted
  

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You can then sync these segments with OneSignal to:

• Trigger a push notification explaining a feature they missed
  
• Send an email showcasing user stories with that same feature
  
• Launch an in-app message with a discount, tutorial, or reward

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This turns one-size-fits-all marketing into hyper-relevant micro-journeys that drive users forward. Not annoy them.

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Why the “Aha!” Moment Matters

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Every app has a key moment when a user finally “gets it” — that Aha! moment of realised value.

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For Uber Eats, it’s placing your first order.
For TymeBank, it might be checking your balance without using data.
For your app? It could be anything from completing onboarding to sharing a playlist.

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Whatever it is, that moment matters. A lot.
It’s what separates the window-shoppers from the power users.

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With Amplitude, you can identify that magic moment.
With OneSignal, you can nudge users toward it, based on behaviour, timing, and context.

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Still figuring out your Aha moment? No worries, we gotchu.
Check out Amplitude’s North Star Metrics Playbook , it’ll help you define the one metric that truly drives growth.

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Build a Martech Stack That Talks to Each Other

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At YOUKNOW, we help businesses review and build martech stacks that actually work together, not just sit next to each other collecting dust.

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Whether you’re growing an app audience, refining your product-led strategy, or trying to stitch together marketing and product data, we work across tools like Amplitude and OneSignal to help you:

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• Map your customer journey
  
• Surface drop-off points
  
• Build activation journeys that convert
  
• Deliver messages that actually matter

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Because here’s the thing:
It’s not about just pushing notifications. It’s about pushing the right message, at the right time, to the right person, based on real-time data and real user behaviour.

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Ready to Move From Downloads to Devotion?

If you're tired of pouring budget into acquisition with nothing to show on the other side, let’s chat.

👉 Book a free consultation

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We’ll help you figure out your Aha moment, plug the leaky holes in your journey, and build a martech stack that finally plays nice. Your users are out there. Let’s help them fall in love with your app.

‍Because AI shouldn't just be buzzwords and bravado—it should actually work.

Welcome to the AI Agent Era (No Sci-Fi Degree Needed)

AI is having its main character moment. Every second startup claims their tool will “10x your productivity” or “auto-magically fix your workflows”—but here’s the kicker: most of it is smoke, mirrors, and jargon.

Now for the good news: Domo’s AI Agents actually deliver. No empty promises. No endless training manuals. Just real-time, intelligent automation that’s already transforming how businesses run—from the shop floor to HR HQ.

And thanks to Agent Catalyst, building your first AI agent in Domo is as easy as your morning coffee (except this one boosts more than your caffeine levels).

💡 Curious how YOUKNOW helps South African businesses activate AI? Explore our Domo offering.

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But Wait—What’s an AI Agent, Anyway?

No shame if you’re not fluent in machine learning speak. Here’s the TL;DR:
An AI agent is a smart little software bot that can perform tasks, automate processes, and answer questions based on real-time data. The magic? It turns the “we should use AI” dream into a practical, everyday reality.

🔍 Want a walkthrough? Here’s how Domo explains AI Agents.

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Real Use Cases, Real Results: Where Domo AI Agents Shine

Still wondering where these agents fit into your day-to-day? We’ve got six bite-sized examples that show how Domo is helping brands work sharper, faster, and a little more like future-you envisioned.

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Retail: Turning Sales Associates into Superstars

In-store sales teams often lose out to the convenience of online clicks. But give them an AI sidekick? Game-changer.
Domo’s AI Agents can instantly answer customer questions, surface product info, and even suggest upsells—so your team has Google-level knowledge without reaching for their phones.

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🎥 Watch it in action: AI Agent for Retail Sales Associates
🔗 AI in retail: 5 ways to personalise customer journeys

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💬 Customer Experience: Tailor-Made, Every Time

Forget cookie-cutter service. With Domo, you can personalise in-person experiences based on past purchases, preferences, and patterns—making each visit feel like VIP treatment.

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🎥 Watch now: Customer Experience AI Demo
🔗 Why personalisation matters more than ever

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🧑‍💻 Customer Support: Because Nobody Likes Waiting

When customers complain, speed (and empathy) wins.
Domo AI Agents triage issues in real-time, escalate to the right teams, and even recommend responses—turning frowns into five-star reviews faster than ever.

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🎥 Check out the support flow: AI Agent for Customer Support
🔗 Fixing the feedback loop with smarter data

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📊 Market Intel: Outwit, Outplay, Outsell

Why react when you can predict?
Domo helps you spot market shifts, rising trends, and competitor weak spots—so you’re first to move, while everyone else is still refreshing the report.

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🎥 See market intelligence in action: Competitive Intel Agent
🔗 Turning insights into action: Domo dashboards in SA

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👩‍💼 HR & People: Support from the Inside Out

Happy employees = happy customers.
Whether it’s helping your team understand their benefits, flagging burnout risks, or automating onboarding—AI Agents free up HR to focus on humans, not paperwork.

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🎥 See the HR Agent in action: AI Agent for HR & Benefits
🔗 How to build a people-first data culture

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🧹 Data Collection: Less Chaos, More Clarity

You’ve got data. But is it helpful?
Domo agents help you sort signal from noise—finding the gold nuggets that actually drive decisions (like which promotions stick, or what customers really care about).

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🎥 Watch it work: AI Agent for Data Extraction
🔗 Data done differently: Domo + YOUKNOW

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Ready to Build Smarter Workflows?

Whether you're in retail, support, HR, or just trying to untangle a spreadsheet that’s become sentient—Domo AI Agents are built to make your workday easier.

At YOUKNOW Technologies, we help South African brands get real value from platforms like Domo—through smart setup, local strategy, and hands-on support.

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👉 Want to see what AI could do in your business? Book a Domo demo with YOUKNOW

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Why YOUKNOW + Domo?

Because we don’t just resell software—we make it work.
From activation to automation, YOUKNOW Technologies helps your teams extract value from their data, faster. We're the local partner that knows the market, the tools, and the tactics.

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🚀 Let’s build your first AI Agent together. Start with Agent Catalyst, and bring YOUKNOW in for the heavy lifting.

You know that moment when you think your campaign's killing it—until you check three different dashboards and get three different stories? Google says one thing, Meta another, and HubSpot... well, it’s just trying its best.

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At YOUKNOW, we’ve been living that chaos. We’ve got ad platforms doing backflips, a CRM that’s groaning under the weight of inconsistent lead data, and a content engine pushing out some truly useful stuff (if we do say so ourselves). But stitching all of that together into a clear, honest marketing story? It was a mess.

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So, we decided to make the shift. We’ve started using Amplitude as our web analytics platform—and it’s already helping us make more sense of the madness.

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From “Winging It” to a Work in Progress

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Let’s be clear: we’re not saying we’ve cracked it. This blog isn’t coming from a pedestal—it’s coming from the trenches. Our marketing and digital teams are still figuring out how to untangle our lead metrics across Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and HubSpot. But what’s different now is that we’re seeing the patterns emerge. And it’s all thanks to Amplitude’s focus on behaviour over vanity metrics.

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Instead of just knowing how many people visited our site, we’re learning:

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• Which pieces of content do people actually read to the end
  
• Whether LinkedIn leads behave differently from Google ones
  
• If someone who reads a blog is more likely to download a lead magnet
  
• What actions precede someone booking a consultation

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In short: Amplitude gives us context. And in a world full of disconnected metrics, that’s priceless.

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So, Why Amplitude?

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It’s built for businesses like ours (and probably yours, too). Amplitude isn’t just for product teams or big dev-heavy apps. Marketers increasingly use it to answer the hard questions: What content is working? What’s contributing to conversions? Where are we losing people in the funnel?

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In fact, this shift toward actionable, user-centric data is a key part of Product-Led Growth—something we’re big believers in at YOUKNOW. We’ve been exploring PLG not just as a buzzword, but as a mindset. And Amplitude helps us live it out. It gives us the tools to track engagement in a way that’s meaningful, not just impressive-looking on a slide deck.

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If you’re curious about this approach, you might enjoy our take on how to get started with PLG, especially if your business is trying to shift toward self-serve, scalable growth.

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The Bigger Picture: What Our Lead Magnets Are Really Telling Us

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One of the big wins with Amplitude so far? We’re not just measuring pageviews—we’re learning which content is actually working, and what that tells us about our audience. Take our lead magnets, for example. Sure, they’re packed with insights and genuinely useful frameworks. But they’re also helping us learn more about who’s finding value in what we’re putting out into the world. Every download gives us a signal about interest, intent, and even timing.

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And with Amplitude, we can start to connect the dots:

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• What did someone read before downloading a guide?
  
• Do certain campaigns drive higher-quality downloads?
  
• Which resources lead to deeper engagement or even a consultation booking

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That kind of feedback loop is golden for a team like ours, because it means we can create more of the stuff people actually want—and stop guessing.

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If you're on a similar journey of figuring out what resonates with your audience, these are the exact resources that have been helping guide our thinking:

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• The North Star Playbook – a brilliant framework for finding the one metric that truly matters in your business.
  
• PLG Guide Vol 1 – if you're still getting your head around what product-led growth even is, this is your starting point.
  
• PLG Guide Vol 2 – the next step for teams ready to roll up their sleeves and get moving.

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We’ve used these internally to align our teams, sharpen our focus, and honestly, just feel like we have a bit more control over the chaos.

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The South African Reality Check

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South African businesses are waking up to the fact that more traffic isn’t always better. What matters is what people do on your site. We’ve seen clients—from fintech disruptors to retail powerhouses—start asking smarter questions:

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• “How can I connect the dots between marketing and product?”
• “How do I know if my content is actually working?”
• “Where’s the drop-off happening—and how do I fix it?”

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If those questions sound familiar, know that you’re not behind. You’re just where we were a few months ago.

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TL;DR: We’re Still Learning, But We’re Learning Faster

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Switching to Amplitude hasn’t magically fixed all our reporting woes. But it has given us a shared language, better questions, and a much clearer view of what matters. And we’re already seeing the payoff: better alignment between marketing and product, more clarity in our campaign reporting, and growing confidence that we’re building something useful, not just pretty.

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So, whether you’re a Head of Marketing, a growth strategist, or just someone who's tired of wrestling with conflicting dashboards, we hope our story gives you a little inspo. We're still figuring it out. But thanks to Amplitude, we know where we’re headed at least now.

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💡 Curious about making the same move?

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Check out the Amplitude product page, grab the North Star Playbook, or dive into PLG Vol 1 and Vol 2.

You might also enjoy our no-BS breakdown on why PLG is the future and what it means for your business.

Let’s get better together.

What’s the real reason we’re bringing together South Africa’s brightest data minds, product leaders, and digital decision-makers at Domo Connections?

Because if we want AI to actually work for local businesses—not just wow us with buzzwords—we need to rethink how we talk about it.

YOUKNOW Technologies and Domo are co-hosting this event series in Cape Town (8 April) and Johannesburg (10 April) to make space for one thing: a real, practical, no-fluff conversation about AI readiness, data maturity, and unlocking business value.

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Why Now, and Why Here?

South African businesses are under pressure to “do something with AI.” But without the right foundation—good data, collaborative teams, and the right strategy—AI is just noise.

That’s where Domo Connections comes in.

We’re creating a space to:

• Talk honestly about what’s working (and what’s not)
• Share stories from local leaders
• Help you build a data and AI game plan that actually makes sense

This isn’t about tech demos or theory. It’s about making AI work for South African businesses.

Learn more about how YOUKNOW helps businesses with digital transformation.

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What You’ll Get Out of It

• 🎤 Keynotes from Domo experts on real-world AI + automation
• 🔥 Fireside chats with leaders from Pick n Pay, ABSA, Webber Wentzel, and more
• 💬 Panel Q&A where you can bring your challenges
• 🥂 Networking drinks to meet people who actually get it

Read “Find out how turning your data into insights can give your business a competitive advantage.” to learn more about Domo. 

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The Value? Practical Insight Meets Community.

You’ll leave with:

• A clearer view of where your data maturity really is
• Tangible steps toward AI readiness
• New ideas (and connections) to bring back to your team

Whether you’re in product, data, marketing or ops—this event is for you if you want to turn data into decisions.

Discover our DOMO product page to see the platform in action.
Chat to our Solutions Team for personalised AI and data strategy help.

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Join the Conversation

📍 Cape Town – 8 April

📍 Johannesburg – 10 April 

We might have a few seats left, so if you are interested, DM Alex Hoyland

In a world buzzing with AI hype, understanding the basics is more important than ever. This guide breaks down what AI agents are, how they work, and why they matter for South African businesses making the shift to smarter data-driven strategies. Chat to our Solutions Team to explore how AI agents can support your growth goals.

What Are AI Agents?

AI agents are intelligent systems that autonomously process data, make decisions, and act without manual input. They’re built to learn, adapt, and improve—making them an ideal companion in high-growth, data-heavy environments.

Check out our blog: “Growth Isn’t Just Metrics – It’s About Meaningful Moments” to see why smarter moments, not just metrics, are the future of AI-powered growth.

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Key Features of AI Agents:

• Autonomy: Operate with minimal human intervention.
• Learning Capability: Improve performance using ML algorithms.
• Adaptability: Handle various tasks across different domains.
• Real-time Processing: Analyze and respond to data instantaneously.
• Human-like Interaction: Utilize NLP for effective communication.

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Why AI Agents Matter in Business

From 24/7 support to cost-effective operations, AI agents are making it easier for businesses to scale intelligently. Their ability to deliver personalised, instant, and accurate responses across channels means more productivity, better service, and smarter decisions.

Want to make sure your systems are ready for AI? Book a consultation and let’s explore your tech stack together.

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How Do AI Agents Work?

The functionality of AI agents is based on three core components:

• Sensors: Gather data inputs from the environment, such as text, images, or real-time data streams.
• Processing Unit: Interprets the collected data, makes decisions, and formulates appropriate actions.
• Actuators: Execute the decided actions to influence the environment.

This architecture enables AI agents to interact with their surroundings, process information, and perform tasks autonomously.

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Types of AI Agents

AI agents can be categorised based on their complexity and capabilities:

1. Simple Reflex Agents: Respond directly to environmental stimuli without considering the history of percepts.
2. Model-Based Reflex Agents: Maintain an internal model of the world to handle partially observable environments.
3. Goal-Based Agents: Act to achieve specific goals, evaluating different possible actions to determine the best outcome.
4. Utility-Based Agents: Aim to maximise a utility function, considering various factors to make decisions that provide the highest benefit.
5. Learning Agents: Improve their performance over time by learning from experiences and adapting their behaviour accordingly.

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Real-World Applications of AI Agents

AI agents are utilised across various industries to enhance efficiency and decision-making:

• Finance: Virtual assistants like Bank of America's Erica help customers manage accounts and provide financial advice.
• Healthcare: AI agents analyse patient symptoms and assist in diagnostics, improving patient care and reducing the workload on medical staff.
• Retail: Conversational AI tools recommend products and assist customers, enhancing the shopping experience.
• Manufacturing: AI-powered assistants support engineers in code generation and fault diagnosis, streamlining operations.

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Challenges and Considerations

While AI agents offer numerous benefits, their implementation comes with challenges:

• Dependency Risks: Relying heavily on multiple AI agents can lead to system vulnerabilities if one fails.
• Feedback Loops: Poor planning may cause AI agents to repeat actions unnecessarily.
• Human-AI Collaboration: Defining accountability and building trust between humans and AI agents is crucial.
• Security Concerns: AI agents can introduce new security vulnerabilities if not properly managed.
• Bias in Decision-Making: AI agents may inherit biases from training data, leading to unfair outcomes.

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Best Practices for Implementing AI Agents

To ensure successful deployment of AI agents:

1. Define Clear Objectives: Establish specific goals for the AI agent's tasks.
2. Prepare Quality Data: Ensure data used for training is accurate and representative.
3. Choose Appropriate Agent Type: Select the AI agent that aligns with your business needs.
4. Design for Human Oversight: Incorporate mechanisms for human supervision in critical areas.
5. Focus on User Experience: Develop intuitive interfaces for seamless interaction.
6. Monitor Performance: Regularly evaluate the AI agent's effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.
7. Prioritise Security: Implement robust security measures to protect against vulnerabilities.
8. Plan for Scalability: Ensure the AI agent can adapt to growing business demands.
9. Educate Your Team: Provide training to employees on interacting with AI agents.
10. Test Before Deployment: Conduct pilot tests to identify and resolve issues prior to full-scale implementation.

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The Future of AI Agents

The adoption of AI agents is projected to increase significantly, with organisations planning to implement them to enhance operations. Future trends include:

• Proactive Problem-Solving: AI agents will anticipate needs and act without explicit instructions.
• Hyper-Personalisation: Tailoring responses based on user preferences and behaviours.
• Emotional Intelligence: Detecting and responding to human emotions with empathy.
• Multimodal Capabilities: Integrating text, voice, images, and video for more natural interactions.
• Integration with IoT: Enhancing efficiency in smart environments through deeper integration.
• Responsible AI: Emphasising fairness, ethics, and bias reduction in AI systems.

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Conclusion

AI agents represent a transformative shift in how businesses operate, offering the potential to automate tasks, enhance decision-making, and improve efficiency. By understanding their functionalities, benefits, and challenges, organisations can strategically implement AI agents to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge.

Want to take the next step? Chat to our Solutions Team to explore how your organisation can integrate AI agents into its data ecosystem.

In today’s data-saturated world, businesses aren’t struggling to collect numbers—they’re struggling to connect the dots. That’s why YOUKNOW Technologies recently hosted its inaugural Growth Gathering, a first-of-its-kind event aimed at uniting South Africa’s marketing, product, and data leaders around a shared mission: creating smarter, more human growth strategies. Check out our blog “How to Get Started with Product-Led Growth (PLG) in 2025” for more on this mindset shift.

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From Silos to Shared Success

The idea behind the event was simple but powerful: growth doesn’t happen in isolation. In many organisations, product, marketing, and data teams operate in silos. Strategies get lost in translation. Opportunities fall through the cracks.

The Growth Gathering, hosted in both Johannesburg and Cape Town, set out to change that. Through rich discussions, panel insights, and thought-provoking keynotes, we explored how cross-functional collaboration—powered by behavioural insights—can solve real customer problems.

“Growth isn’t just about chasing conversions or downloads,” said Kelvin Jonck, CEO of YOUKNOW Technologies. “It’s about understanding the moments when customers experience real value and ensuring every part of the business is aligned to deliver those moments consistently.”

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From Data to Direction: Why Behavioural Insights Matter

At the centre of these conversations was Amplitude, YOUKNOW’s partner in product analytics and one of the world’s leading platforms for behavioural data. Instead of relying on vanity metrics, the event championed a shift toward deep customer understanding:

• When are users finding value?
• Where are they dropping off?
• What moments lead to long-term loyalty?

Explore our Amplitude product page to see how we help answer those questions every day.

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Amplitude’s Tansu Yegen, Vice President of EMEA, shared real-world examples of how companies using Amplitude have seen:

• 217% return on investment within six months
• 18% improvement in retention
• Up to a 35% YoY growth in key business outcomes

“Data-driven decisions are no longer a luxury—they’re a necessity,” Yegen said. “The companies that thrive are those that move beyond collecting data to truly understanding it.”

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• Download our free PLG Guide Vol. 1: What is Product-Led Growth‍
• Download PLG Guide Vol. 2: Getting Started with PLG

Or dive into “Unlocking Growth: How Product-Led Growth (PLG) is Redefining Business Success” for more on this mindset shift.

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Panel Perspectives: Making Growth a Team Sport

The event’s highlight was a panel of cross-industry experts who brought candid, local perspectives to the room:

• Michael Wissekerke, Portfolio Product Manager at Tyme X
• Tiaan De Kock, Head of Data & Analytics at Superside
• Tansu Yegen, VP of EMEA at Amplitude

Their message? Growth isn’t a department—it’s a collective outcome.

When marketing, product, and data teams rally around a single source of truth, you unlock not just insights—but alignment, speed, and momentum.

“When teams align around the same data, it's not just about creating better reports—it’s about creating better experiences,” Jonck noted.

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What Comes Next? A Conversation That Continues

The Growth Gathering was more than an event. It was a spark—a signal that South African businesses are ready to move beyond fragmented thinking and towards a customer-first, data-smart future.

So, where do you go from here?

• Chat with our Solutions Team for a free consultation on how your business can unify data and drive growth.
• Dive deeper into Amplitude for South African teams.
• Download our free PLG Guide Vol. 1: What is Product-Led Growth‍
• Download PLG Guide Vol. 2: Getting Started with PLG

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Growth doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when the right people, the right data, and the right moments come together. And at YOUKNOW, we’re here to help you find those moments—and scale them.

Social media is no longer just about presence—it’s about performance. The Hootsuite Social Trends 2025 Report makes it clear: brands that experiment, engage, and evolve will be the ones winning in 2025. But what does that mean for South African businesses in retail and eCommerce? Let’s break it down.

1. Entertain or Be Forgotten

People are scrolling for fun, not for ads. According to Hootsuite’s report, nearly half of brands now focus their social content on entertaining, educating, or informing—rather than directly selling. And guess what? It’s working.

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What this means for SA brands:

• Stop treating social like a billboard. Instead, make your audience laugh, think, or engage.
• Example: Woolworths SA has nailed this with their Instagram Reels featuring humorous takes on food trends and daily life.
• Try this: Run a ‘Behind the Scenes’ content series or create fun, relatable memes that connect with your audience.

Stat to know: 43% of brands experimented with a new tone of voice/personality on social in 2024. Don’t be afraid to shake things up!

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2. AI is Your New Content Team

We’ve moved past the AI hype phase. In 2025, AI isn’t just an option—it’s the secret weapon behind faster, smarter content creation.

How AI can help:

✅ Generating quick content ideas (no more brainstorming blocks!)
✅ Writing captions and ad copy that convert
✅ Personalising responses for better customer engagement

Example: Global brands like Hootsuite are already using AI to produce up to 180% more content—without burning out their teams. In SA, eCommerce brands can use AI to tailor product recommendations based on social sentiment data.

Try this: Test AI-driven content tools (like Hootsuite’s OwlyWriter AI) to create social posts in seconds.

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3. Social Listening = More Sales

Forget just “posting and hoping.” The smartest brands are listening first and engaging second. Hootsuite’s research shows that 62% of brands use social listening to:

✅ Spot trends before competitors do
✅ Track audience sentiment and adjust messaging
✅ Find what customers actually care about

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SA brands leading the way:

🛒 Takealot tracks customer sentiment on Twitter to refine product offerings.
🛍 Pick n Pay listens to customer feedback on TikTok and adapts marketing strategies.

Try this: Use a tool like Brandwatch to monitor customer conversations and identify the pain points your brand can solve.

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4. Micro-Virality Over Mass-Virality

The old-school goal of “going viral” is fading. Instead, brands are targeting smaller, high-intent audiences—creating mini viral moments within their niche.

Stat to know: 27% of brands shift content to tap into micro-trends instead of chasing mainstream virality.

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How to apply this:

1. Create content specifically for your audience—not just what’s trending.
2. Work with nano and micro-influencers (1K-50K followers) for authentic reach.
3. Encourage UGC (User-Generated Content) to build trust and engagement.

Example: Georgia State University found that its students were “stealing” content—so they leaned into it by making more shareable content. Result? Free organic reach.

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5. Outbound Engagement is the New ‘Engagement Strategy’

Brands aren’t just waiting for engagement anymore—they’re joining conversations. The smartest teams are commenting on viral posts, engaging in influencer discussions, and making their presence known where their audience already is.

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How to stand out in the comments:

✅ Be timely: Engage within 24 hours of a trending post.
✅ Keep it short & sharp: Comments between 10-99 characters perform best.
✅ Add value: Don’t spam—make your comment insightful or witty.

Example: Mastercard’s social team jumps into viral moments, adding their brand’s voice to trending conversations—driving traffic and conversions.

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How YOUKNOW Can Help

We get it—keeping up with 2025 social trends is overwhelming. That’s where we come in. YOUKNOW Technologies helps brands harness AI, social listening, and engagement strategies that actually drive results.

✅ Book a demo to see how AI-driven insights can boost your social strategy.
✅ Download our free guide on social media trends and strategies for 2025.

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Final Thought: Will You Adapt or Be Left Behind?

2025 is the year brands must ditch outdated playbooks and embrace agility. Whether it’s AI, social listening, or micro-virality—Keen to get a look at all the insights, get the report here.

The way businesses grow is changing. Traditional sales-heavy models are being replaced with a smarter, more scalable approach: Product-Led Growth (PLG). If your product can sell itself, why not let it?

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What is PLG & Why Does It Matter?

PLG is a go-to-market strategy that uses the product itself to drive acquisition, retention, and monetisation. Instead of relying on expensive sales teams, PLG businesses allow users to experience the product first—turning engagement into long-term loyalty.

Think Slack, Zoom, and Notion—these products became industry leaders because users adopted them naturally, not because of aggressive sales tactics.

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The Three Pillars of PLG

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1️⃣ Acquisition: Let Users Discover Your Product Themselves

• With PLG, acquisition happens organically—through word of mouth, referrals, and in-app virality.
• Instead of relying on ads, your product's value does the selling.
• Example: Notion allows users to invite team members for free, creating a viral loop.

💡 Tip: Implement a freemium model or free trial to get users hooked.

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2️⃣ Retention: Build a Product People Can’t Live Without

• PLG isn’t just about attracting users—it’s about keeping them engaged.
• Success comes from users having their “aha” moment—when they see value immediately.
• Example: Calendly makes scheduling meetings seamless, so users return daily.

💡 Tip: Optimise onboarding flows to help users reach value faster.

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3️⃣ Monetisation: Turning Free Users into Paying Customers

• The end goal of PLG is to convert free users into loyal, paying customers.
• PLG companies use usage-based pricing, premium features, and in-app upgrades.

💡 Tip: Use behavioural data to identify power users and nudge them towards premium plans.

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🚀 Want to unlock your PLG potential

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👉 Download the PLG Guide

YOUKNOW Technologies, South Africa's premium Martech solutions provider, is proud to announce its designation as a HubSpot Solutions Partner. This partnership marks an exciting expansion of YOUKNOW's service offering, bringing its 11 years of proven implementation expertise to the CRM space. The collaboration enables African businesses to harness world-class customer relationship management capabilities while benefiting from localised support and implementation.

Expanding strategic CRM solutions in South Africa

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In today's digital landscape, a robust CRM system has become an essential addition to any organisation's technology stack. Many South African businesses are discovering that without a centralised CRM platform, they struggle to harness their customer data effectively and create meaningful engagement strategies. The impact of implementing the right CRM solution is significant as it results in an increase in sales, improvement in customer retention and drives alignment between marketing and sales. For businesses looking to scale and optimise their operations, adding a CRM platform to their existing technology stack is no longer optional – it's a strategic imperative for sustainable growth.

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"Having experienced the transformative impact of HubSpot firsthand in our own operations, we're thrilled to become an official solutions partner," says Kelvin Jonck, CEO of YOUKNOW Technologies. "This partnership was a natural evolution for us, allowing us to combine HubSpot's powerful CRM capabilities with our deep implementation expertise across various technologies. Through our YOUKNOW Solutions Division, we're not just implementing platforms – we're crafting strategies that make customer data actionable and empower businesses to scale confidently."

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Tailored solutions for the South African market

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The partnership delivers several strategic advantages specifically designed for local businesses:

• Local billing and compliance: YOUKNOW Technologies simplifies adoption by offering a local currency billing option and ensuring regional compliance requirements are met.
• Expert implementation and support: Drawing on over a decade of martech expertise, YOUKNOW provides comprehensive support from deployment through to ongoing optimisation.
• Market-specific integrations: Seamless integration with popular local platforms, and tools, ensures solutions align with African consumer preferences.
• In-market expertise: Real-time, localised support from a team that truly understands the unique challenges and opportunities in the African market.

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Bridging global technology with local expertise

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As a HubSpot Solutions Partner, YOUKNOW Technologies continues its mission of connecting African businesses with world-class technology solutions, building on its successful partnerships with leading platforms like Amplitude, Braze, and OneSignal.

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"Digital transformation isn't just about implementing new software – it's about fostering the right mindset and deepening customer understanding," explains Don Packett, COO at YOUKNOW Technologies. "Our approach combines HubSpot's powerful platform with strategic guidance to create meaningful customer experiences that drive sustainable growth."

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About YOUKNOW Technologies

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Founded in 2014, YOUKNOW Technologies is South Africa's premier martech consulting and solutions provider. The company's YOUKNOW Solutions Division specialises in: Tech Agnostic Strategies, Managed Services, Custom Reporting, and Workshops & Training.

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About HubSpot

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HubSpot is a leading CRM platform providing comprehensive software and integrations for business growth. Serving over 184,000 customers globally with a 98% satisfaction rate, HubSpot offers integrated solutions for marketing, sales, content management, and customer service.

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For more information and to speak with our experts.

Why PLG is the Future of Growth

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Traditional sales-led models are taking a backseat as Product-Led Growth (PLG) emerges as the dominant growth strategy. Instead of relying on aggressive sales tactics, businesses are shifting to self-serve product experiences that drive acquisition, engagement, and monetisation.

Think Slack, Zoom, and Calendly—these companies grew exponentially by letting users experience the product first.

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What is PLG?

PLG is a go-to-market strategy where the product itself drives growth across:
✔ Acquisition (users sign up organically via referral loops, freemium models)
✔ Retention (users engage and activate without human intervention)
✔ Monetisation (users convert to paying customers through in-app upgrades)

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Key PLG Strategies to Implement

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1️⃣ Acquisition: Attracting Users Through the Product

• Freemium models: Let users experience core features for free, while offering paid upgrades.
• Referral loops: Users invite others, increasing organic growth (e.g., Calendly & Zoom).
• Viral product features: Collaboration tools like Notion & Slack grow via built-in sharing.

💡 Pro Tip: Use in-product incentives to encourage user referrals!

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2️⃣ Retention: Keeping Users Hooked

• Seamless onboarding: Guide users to an “aha moment” quickly.
• Behavioural analytics: Use data to personalise the experience.
• Habit-forming engagement tactics: Features like progress bars, push notifications, and gamification drive ongoing usage.

💡 Example: LinkedIn’s profile completion bar boosts engagement by giving users a goal to achieve.

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3️⃣ Monetisation: Converting Free Users to Paying Customers

• Reverse trials: Users experience premium features before reverting to free.
• Usage-based pricing: Charge based on product interaction rather than fixed plans.
• Feature gating: Offer free core features but require payment for advanced capabilities.

💡 Example: Zoom’s free 40-minute calls create a strong need to upgrade for longer meetings.

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How to Implement PLG in Your Business

Step 1: Identify Your Activation Metric—What key action signals user engagement?
Step 2: Build a Self-Serve Onboarding Flow—Reduce friction for new users.
Step 3: Track the Right Metrics—Use analytics tools like Amplitude to measure success.

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🚀 Want to kickstart your PLG journey? 👉 Download the PLG Guide: How to Get Started with PLG to start scaling today!

The influencer landscape in South Africa has evolved rapidly over the past few years. With approximately 75,000 influencers across various categories, from fashion to food, brands are spoiled for choice when it comes to collaboration​. However, there’s a glaring issue - many brands are still using influencers wrong, leading to a lack of sincerity in their messaging, missed opportunities for authentic engagement; and ultimately, not maximising their ROI.

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This insincerity, especially in heavily branded content, creates a disconnect between influencers and their audiences. While an influencer might have been the perfect fit for a brand at first, the moment that collaboration feels forced or over-controlled by the brand, the relationship becomes strained. South African influencers across categories, including the largest - fashion, beauty and lifestyle​ - have highlighted that the more freedom they have, the more natural and impactful the content becomes.

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Brands Should Let Go of Control of their Influencer Campaigns

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One of the most significant problems is that brands are often too reluctant to let go of creative control. In South Africa, the tendency to impose strict brand guidelines often results in influencers producing content that feels more like an advert than a genuine recommendation. This approach ignores one of the most important factors for success in influencer marketing - authenticity. In fact, the surveyed influencers themselves have stated that creative freedom is the most important element of a successful campaign​.

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Brands need to be brave and allow influencers to create content that aligns with their personal style, even if it deviates from the brand's predetermined message. This isn't a call for influencers to disregard brand identity altogether, but rather a shift towards a more collaborative, less rigid approach. The reality is that influencers understand their audience best. After all, it's their relatability and creativity that built their follower base in the first place.

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Stop Chasing Big Influencer Names—Think Small, Think Impactful

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Another critical misstep brands make is overvaluing reach and impressions. The idea of working with big influencers and celebrities might make sense on paper, but in practice, this approach doesn’t always yield the best results. Often, smaller, niche influencers have a much more engaged audience. Nano-influencers (those with 5,000-10,000 followers) have the highest engagement rate in South Africa at 4.55%​. These smaller influencers provide a unique opportunity for brands to target specific, highly engaged communities.

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It's time to stop thinking about numbers and start thinking about impact. A smaller, more niche audience can offer much deeper and richer engagement, which is ultimately more valuable than superficial reach. The goal should be to find influencers who can create genuine, organic content that resonates deeply with their followers.

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Niche Influencers Are the Future

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If brands really want to make a difference in how they approach influencer marketing, they need to start identifying niche influencers who are aligned with their values and goals. But here’s the kicker—brands should not force these influencers to conform to their ideals. Instead, they should collaborate in a way that amplifies the influencer’s voice while subtly integrating the brand’s message.

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The Sweet Spot: Nano Influencers and Creative Freedom

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The 2024 Influencer Playbook clearly highlights that nano influencers not only come at the lowest cost but also deliver the highest engagement. Marrying these influencers with the perfect brand fit and allowing them the creative freedom to do what they do best is the recipe for success.

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Many brands are stuck in the old-school mentality of trying to control the message. But here's the truth: the more a brand interferes with the influencer's creativity, the less authentic the content becomes, and the more likely it is to underperform. Brands that are brave enough to let go of control and trust the influencer to communicate in a way that resonates with their audience will see far better results.

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Conclusion: A Call for Brave Brands

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Influencer marketing in South Africa is filled with potential, but only for brands willing to take a brave, new approach. By allowing influencers to have creative freedom, focusing on niche over reach, and embracing nano influencers who offer higher engagement rates, brands can break through the noise and make a genuine impact. It’s time to stop playing it safe and start letting creators do what they do best - create. 

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Wanna Find Out More About Influencers In SA?

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Discover the secrets to influencer success with the 2024 Influencer Report brought to you by The Racket Club and YOUKNOW Technologies. Packed with insights on creative freedom, nano influencers, and impactful campaigns, this guide will help you maximise engagement and ROI.

Download it now to elevate your brand's strategy 👉2024 Influencer Report.

Keen to chat about tracking and measuring your influencer campaigns? Chat to Shaun about Brandwatch and he’ll show you how easy it makes it in 15 minutes. 👉 Book a Demo Now