Influencers, where’s the substance!
A semi-rant about the domination of style in the last few years
Fine, the photo looks great. The brunch looks great. The shakshuka, great.
But does it taste as good as it looks?
Maybe.
Influencers need to change
I might be wrong, but I’m putting it out there. I predict a decline in influencer marketing (or the current sense of the term) sooner than people realise.
It’s all style, little substance. I’m bored of it. I’m also offended — do brands (and influencers) think we’re stupid?
And the people I genuinely follow on social media?
The ones who make the effort to make an effort. The ones who give us context, information, facts. The ones who want to connect with us through a love of their craft. The ones who aren’t afraid to show emotion and truth and imperfection.
These are the real MVPs. The ones we should call influencers.
More and more people are jumping to be influencers, and that’s cool. If the intention is good — to share a love of a craft — go for it. But usually, these people aren’t the ones who set out to become influential from the outset. They prioritise the sharing of art and experience, and influence becomes a byproduct of a creator’s generosity.
If there’s a reason to jump into the influencer world, it isn’t the money. The income stream is uncertain — volatile, even — and you’re relying on a platform as a central hub to produce content, putting all eggs into one (or a few) baskets. That’s not a bad thing, as long as you’ve got the substance to back it up. Because the minute the platform closes, it doesn’t care where you end up.
Create for the creation. Don’t be desperate to carve out a niche, don’t become a slave to the pressure. Keep exploring, keep testing, and keep sharing. Take time to find what excites you, and pivot until you get there. Become a polymath, and find an untouched intersection of all personal interests.
As for companies… stop paying people for style over substance. Unless substance is quite literally style. But even in the fashion world, readers and viewers want to know where it comes from, whether it’s ethical, the truth behind the content. Consumers are knowledgeable; there’s less space to hide.
We’re not stupid, influencers. Instagram’s introduction of ‘paid partnership with…’ was a done deal for me. Mind made up. Bored and even more bored of the current influencer landscape. Unfollowing everyone who refuses to inject heart and truth into their content.
Things will shift. Micro-influencer activity superseded macro-influencers more quickly than it was predicted, and the same will happen to the former.
Yes, companies will start to form long-standing relationships and partnerships with influencers in an attempt to appear more ‘authentic’ and less about the ‘I’ll pay you a £100k for a caption’ approach. But the same will happen if the content doesn’t improve.
Authentic industry voices matter. These are the people who make the effort; the ones who take the time to share their craft because they love their craft.
I believe most influencers started out with good intentions, but comfort triumphed. Social media celebrities became a little too comfortable with the ease of the trade.
Expect consumers to switch to smaller, more niche social media platforms. We want to find communities that make the effort for us, and we’ll repay these communities with our own input and engagement.
That’s my theory, anyway.
— — —
Thanks for reading! If you like what you read, feel free to follow me for more. If the brunch photo made you hungry, feel free to follow me for more fantastic stock images. Alternatively, don’t follow me — the choice is yours! :)
