The Downfalls of Influencer Marketing: A Gen Z Perspective
What brands are missing out?
You can call them influencers, content creators, Youtubers, Instagrammers, or Tiktokers. There are them everywhere. The number of “influencers” has increased significantly with the rise of COVID-19 in 2020. Everyone experienced the power of social media when the world was silent. As a result, everyone is attempting to break through as the next big influencer.
I was able to see the uprising firsthand as a member of Generation Z, and now I have some doubts about it. Particularly when it comes to the sponsorship and brand endorsements that these influencers provide. While the benefits that a brand or business can obtain from influencer marketing are undeniable, brands may need to filter and re-evaluate their strategy.. And observe. Why am I saying this? Okay, I have some points to discuss here.
1) The word “influencer”
There are articles and news stories about exposing these prominent content creators and influencers every day. The golden rule of influencer marketing is that the more people (likes, follows, and subscribers) you have, the easier it will be to reach your target demographic. However, these exposés of prominent artists and influencers have led some individuals to question the sincerity of being an online influence. When “influencer” is mentioned, people “ugh.” People no longer have faith. Many prominent creators have been revealed to be scammers, liars, and crooks who take advantage of their fans. Yes, not all people are created equal, and there are many sincere and true artists out there.. But today people won’t care about the number of followers you have or how many likes your posts get, they will follow you if they find you honest and authentic.
2) Awareness
People today are more conscious than ever. They are aware of the tactics used by brands to persuade people to purchase their goods. They are also aware of the influencers who serve as their sponsors and can tell whether an influencer is being paid a sizable sum of money to support a particular company or not. So many of these creators’ advertisements and endorsements appear manufactured and forced. People notice how a creator or an influencer only posts when they have sponsorships. It has become a money game. People feel used. They feel brands and influencers are profiting off their time.
3) Fake. Fake. Fake
With the increase in awareness, people are cautious of the things they follow on social media. Gone are the days when people would take anything that an influencer recommends. Authenticity is the key to reaching your audience. Heavily edited pictures with the background of places they never went to or click-baiting their videos, in a nutshell faking things have made people turn away. As mentioned before people notice everything unless your audience is a bunch of 13-year-olds ( Yes Jake paul, I am talking to you.)
In conclusion, audiences are more informed than ever before and are aware of the companies that influencers and creators support. Numbers today don’t matter. For people, the quantity of fans, subscribers, and followers is only a number. These days, sincerity is what people want. both by the brands and the creators. Consider your sponsorship choices carefully, and make your commercials as natural-looking as sincere as you can. Choose influencers and artists who have a following of devoted followers and who enrich the lives of their audience. Watch to see if people actually seek them out for help or if they are merely there for appearances. Also, keep in mind, People skip ads even when they are n the middle of the video of their favorite Youtuber. They do not like any ads shoving on their face. They do not want to feel manipulated. Make sponsorship advertisements creative and organic. Overview and rethink who you are working with.
