I’m just like, is the payment worth it?
An open letter to Instagram influencers
I know I wrote about this recently, but I needed to write about it again. This time, in letter form.
This is an open letter to the Instagram influencer, my former favourite creator who upsets me more and more every day.
Letter
Dear Influencer,
I scroll through Instagram a lot. More than I used to.
Each time I scroll, I see another ‘Paid Partnership With…’ and I wince.
You’re frustrating me, Influencer.
When I started out on Instagram — back in 2015 — I followed you because I wanted to watch you put out daily content on a different platform. I loved your production style, your original thoughts. You didn’t care about the others’ opinions; you created videos and images and words for you.
You inspired me to be creative without fearing judgement.
You’re part of the reason I started on Medium, I suppose.
I know it’s all part of the game.
When someone hits The Big Time (i.e. a few thousand followers), companies cough up the dollar for a little extra reach. And it’s none of my business; I should be happy to see the productions and the work reap an extra level of recognition.
But I miss the old stuff; the content you used to produce. Where’s the good intent? The silliness? Maybe it’s still there, but it’s hidden behind a brand-shaped pay cheque.
I get it, I swear.
If someone offered me £20,000 to post a photo, maybe I’d do it too. I mean, I didn’t earn that much at Starbucks in a year. And I cleaned toilets.
We all need to make money.
But then, I still don’t get it because authenticity means everything. If I knew hundreds of thousands were watching my videos, seeing my photos, would I be able to post outside of my beliefs for the sake of a dollar?
In the long run, Influencer, what do you want to be remembered for? The tooth-whitening gel you once held up in a mirror?
I don’t know you, but I’d say you want to be remembered for value. You want to leave an impact on those standing by you since 2014, back when you first taught yourself to speak into a camera lens without cringing.
Remember back then — when it wasn’t normal to monetise Youtube content. You started for the sake of a passion; a sense of internal fulfilment. You forewent weekends with friends, parties, ‘normal kid life’, to spend an extra couple hours tweaking an edit to semi-perfection.
Remember how talented you are.
I think about how creative Instagram once was. The originality, the simplicity, the visual nature of the content. There was no room for sales fluff.
It still is creative, but less so. Instagram is now a visual ‘marsh’ contaminated with adverts and subliminal messages pushed through self-proclaimed influencers and companies exchanging contract in front of their target market’s eyes (and thumbs).
And I get it, sponsorship is crucial for the survival of companies. Celebrity endorsement is an ancient method, all part of the marketing cycle. Now, companies have access to millions of consumers through the tap of a button, rather than through the next-to-no tracking information of a billboard.
It makes sense in the short run, but the long run?
Well, it goes back to impact and legacy and the question:
What do you want to be remember for, Influencer?
Because we, the consumer, know you. So unless you’re really behind that product you just posted on your feed, it’s a bit of a ticking time bomb. This isn’t a billboard, it’s an infiltration of our precious social hub; a hub we gave you access to.
Thing is, companies don’t care much either. The minute Instagram isn’t cool anymore — the minute attention shifts (and it will) — it’s over. The Influencer is the pawn in a grand old game of chess.
No one’s forcing me to scroll through Instagram, so I should stop rambling on about influencer marketing. But it becomes more and more apparent to me, perhaps because Medium’s so free of it — for now.
So go for it, Influencer, get paid.
But get paid for a reason — because you love what they’re paying you to produce. Don’t let authenticity have a price. It doesn’t.
Letter, over.
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Thanks for reading!
