5 Questions with @Jaglever

Before COVID-19, there was already a conversation around the impact social media has on mental health and the debate between curated Instagram feeds and having a more laid back, real approach to sharing with followers. Now as we navigate our new normal, the conversation seems more relevant than ever.

In a recent study on the impact of social media on influencers’ mental health, 47% reported that their mental health was impacted by social media use and that discussing mental health should be de-stigmatized. A number that is sure to have increased in the past few months due to uncertainty around COVID-19 and the future.

To take a closer look at how influencer’s are being open with followers during this time, we *virtually* sat down with Rachel Iwanyszyn, @jaglever, to talk about how she is navigating being an influencer in the age of COVID-19:

D1A: How have you adjusted your content during COVID-19?

Rachel: A balance between normal happy content and inspirational content mixed with content that has sensitive verbiage related to what’s happening. I’ve found that the majority of my followers would like me to be as normal as possible. Most people use Instagram as their happy escape.

D1A: Do you think it’s important for influencers to be open and honest about mental health with their followers right now? Why or why not?

Rachel: Yes definitely! It makes others realize that they are not alone and that at the end of the day we’re all human and we all go through the same things.

D1A: Have you noticed a shift away from curated feeds as people become more honest about themselves/mental health/life?

Rachel: Definitely. It depends on the influencer though. I try to do a mix because I started my blog out of my passion for art and photography, so naturally I want to be curated but I realize that it’s important to be real as well. In the past year Instagram is much more about being transparent and sharing the deeper real things.

D1A: How do you ensure you’re connecting with your followers and keeping them engaged, especially right now?

Rachel: Sharing a lot of my personal interests, struggles, and feelings about everything helps me connect.

D1A: Who, beside yourself, do you think is doing a good job navigating the influencer landscape during this time?

Rachel: I think a lot of my friends are doing great with handling everything, shout out to @RachMartino for her Characters in Quarantine series! I enjoy when bloggers maintain a relatable at home inspiring lifestyle during this time, and can show people what they can do affordably at home :)

According to a recent article published by Bloomberg, in the age of COVID-19 Influencers garner more trust than celebrities and athletes, and more than half of young Americans aged 13 to 38 have made a purchase based on the view of someone in their social media feeds. In addition, 88% of consumers now trust online recommendations as much as face-to-face recommendations.

With the increased opportunity to market to consumers through influencers while social media use surges during shelter in place, brands must learn to navigate what creators are right to partner with and what balance to strike between relatable and inspirational content.