Are Influencers Losing Their Influence?
Are influencers losing their influence? We dig into the influencer marketing world and discuss the current shifts on social media.
Are Influencers Losing Their Influencer? We Think So.
The definition of “influencer” has become more and more convoluted as time goes on. Even now, everyday people are really starting to question the validity of the influencers they already follow. With Instagram taking steps to eliminate likes we are starting to see a decline in the actual influence your favorite bloggers have over their followers.
Related: How To Become a Micro Influencer
We are all familiar with the infamous Instagram algorithm. And, the outcry from its most active users feeling marginalized by the platform. Yes, the algorithm blows. But, is it the main cause of the ever-decreasing number of likes we see on these accounts? Hmmm, maybe not.
Related: Collaborate With Creatives on the H Hub
So, What Exactly Is The Cause?
With influencers being required to put #ad, #paid, and #gifted on posts promoting products in which they didn’t purchase themselves. People are starting to shy away from engaging with this type of content.
A recent study shows that the engagement rate for sponsored content dropped to 2.4% in 2019 from 4% just a couple years back. While the rate for non-sponsored content jumped 1.9% to 4.5% during the same period.
The online marketing platform Mobile Marketer thinks that this crazy decline is due to the fact that people are being pounded by sponsored content, and genuinely don’t care. And let’s be honest; when was the last time anyone clicked on one of those “discount” links we see on a daily basis?
Related: User Generated Content: The Power of Authenticity
What Do Your Followers Actually Want To See?
As big influencers lose their effectiveness it seems that the micro-influencers (1,000-5000 followers) are still holding strong. People are drawn to the authenticity of these people as they appear to be “just like us”.
They are creating what appears to be authentic content that they actively use and that we can all resonate with. They don’t come off as someone who is just “in it for the money” and they genuinely care about what they promote.
But, don’t get it twisted. The industry is full of social climbers and clout chasers and that alone has played a big roll in whether or not you can take an influencer seriously or not.
Related: Why We Look For In Our Community Members
In a recent article published by HYPEBEAST they break down who and what people are actually influenced by. And not surprisingly 40% of users look to celebrities, more importantly, musicians.
Influencers seem to be growing on trees as every day a new blogger with 20K followers pops up talking about their new favorite tea brand. People are have been catching on to this trend for some time now and are frankly tired of being “told” what to do.
We Love To Hate Influencers
It just seems that in today’s internet climate people love to hate influencers and the receipts are there. They are quick to call out their new favorite shampoo or artisan sneaker but when it comes to global issues I.e. climate change, black lives matter, and political injustice they seem to stay quiet.
The argument can be made that not all of these issues align with the brands that these influencers have cultivated. And that’s okay, to an extent. But, again this is where a lot of us “regular” social media users question the validity of the people we have looked up to who have a voice that can be heard.
Related: Why You Need Social Influence To Build Your Brand
But Not All Hope Is Lost
All in all no one really “hates” influencers and influencers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. So if you’re an influencer or looking to become one – because you’re starting to get a following and think you have something to say – just remember to come from a place of authenticity.
Related: 7 Ways To Reignite Personal Connections While Marketing Your Work
Be transparent, promote products and causes that align with who you are and what you stand for morally, and stop shoving ads in peoples faces. There is a reason everyone switched from cable to Netflix.
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If you are an influencer and have some thoughts on whether or not the demographic is losing their influence reach out to us on social at @h_collective. For more insight on influencers and influencer marketing check out A Brief History of Influencer Marketing on our blog today.
