Under the influence

Influencers. Bloggers. Content Creators.

Are they simply workshy wannabes and narcissists? Or is there something more to this social media phenomenon?

Its a very millennial term for those who are going about their 'everyday lives' but have to use the term #ad, #invite and #gifted on their social media channels. This rise of advertising on social media is on the up as businesses increasingly move their advertising spend to digital generally but particularly social media. 

Although some people scoff at the term, influencers are more in demand than ever; 90% of US marketers name Instagram as the most important social media platform for influencer marketing and here's why.

Over 60% of consumers now trust influencers more than a brand. Celebrities have endorsed products for years and for big cash monies but now, it seems, Susan from next door is getting freebies because she runs a mummy blog and has a strong following on Insta. Brands working with normal people, like Susan, can obtain more reach, engagement and sales than just putting a simple broad audience advert on the telly. People like Susan, are trusted by her followers.

Regardless of how you feel about these people, the truth of the matter is, it works and the people who make it happen DO work hard for it. Channels like Instagram and Facebook have created a space where people have connected with each other, a trusting relationship has been formed and when they agree on their opinions, they are likely to buy a product that they have been recommended, as you would if a trusted friend gave you some advice.

It's still advertising but instead of a big named celeb or an attractive model, it's now just a 'real' person; they're just like me, so if they like that shampoo, maybe I will too.

There's a lot of noise on the internet right now, as the boom of influencers continues. Everyone, it seems, is a food critic, a travel blogger, a fashion guru, a lifestyle consultant or a fitness coach. Renovation and home accounts have exploded and our feeds are filled with Moroccan berber rugs and pom pom teepees. Everyone is either influenced, an influencer or overwhelmed.

My friends joke that I am an influencer which in truth makes me cringe and I laugh it off as A). I work full time for an insurance company and B). I currently have less than 3000 followers on Insta. This therefore only makes me a nano-influencer. If you have between 25k-100k followers you are deemed a micro influencer and anything over 100k is when you have made it, you are a fully fledged mega influencer!

I have never aspired to be an influencer or a full time blogger. I am currently studying a foundation course in marketing (as that is essentially what influencers and brands are doing). I want to learn more, I want to gain a further understanding of digital marketing. I find it really interesting. Ideally I would like to be a social media manager and a freelance photographer. That way I can be creative and have a steady income. Insta won't be around forever and something new will probably come along, so my long-term game isn't to try and become a 'brand ambassador' or spend all my time on social media hoping that something free falls through the letterbox.

But, if the right opportunity DID come along (and already through my blog/insta I have received a number of cool freebies and opportunities, alongside some very odd requests and brands I wouldn't work with) I wouldn't turn it down, if it was a good fit for me. I also don't see a problem with contacting a company and asking to work with them on something; they get free advertising and I get a product/experience from it.

I understand that not everyone wants to share their life on social media and I understand that people might feel you are selling out but, for me, I'm only sharing the parts I feel comfortable with and so far I haven't had any bad or negative feedback and I really enjoy what I am doing. 

So if I mentioned that I am planning a visit to the National Trust, I'm wearing a coat from Zara and that I love eating Five Guys cheeseburgers, if any of these companies wanted to get in touch and let me work with them in exchange for a product or a free visit why wouldn't I want to go for it?!

Depending on your following, you can expect to get paid around £100-£10,000 for.a.single.post!

This can differ massively on the industry, your engagement, your channel and other factors but the reason that there is money in it, is because it is proven to generate sales . And although it doesn't always look like it, person behind the content creation does have to put some work into it, despite what you may think. It isn't just receiving something in the post and taking a quick snap. Depending on the brief, there is research you need to do, the photography, the editing, posting and sharing and managing the likes/comments. If you are a blogger you need to write content, link the accounts and brand. It takes time, energy and creativity.

You don't have to have 1 million followers for brands to want to work with you. Some reports say that follower engagement with smaller accounts is higher, than it is with larger accounts, and their followers are more likely to buy a product from them. 

Personally I find it annoying when you follow an account and every other story and grid post is an ad. It feels fake. I understand that these are people who need to make money but it can sometimes feel like they will sell anything just to keep the £££ rolling in. But if it's working from them, good luck to them; some of the are making a vey nice living from it.

As I mentioned, I've had a few opportunities come my way, a lot of them are for travel jobs and jewellery brands. The only one I accepted and later posted was for a swimwear brand but it made me laugh when I saw my image compared to the other 'brand ambassadors'... my image was of me sitting on a beach with the swimsuit on and a pair of shorts, looking at the sea. The other posts were much more 'breasticles and bottoms'. Think Love Island! It was sooo not my style and, although I wasn't posting it as an advert, I tagged the brand which gives them free advertising but I thought to myself I wouldn't want to accept something like that again.

People who know me and have been following me for a while (thank you!) would know that I am old before my time; I like country gardens, straw hats, picnics and lavender fields. So if I started posting photos and stories of me at a festival in a bikini and encouraging people to buy my trendy trainers it just wouldn't be authentic! 

I remember years ago, I was approached to join one of those pyramid schemes by a girl I knew through social media. She was raking it in, started working part time at her normal job because the side hustle was doing so well. But I didn't believe in the brand; it was for those vitamin pills that are meant to aid losing weight and I wanted no part of it, regardless of how much money it made.

I wonder where these people are working now?!

Influencers are still dismissed by many and I get it; they don't look like they're working hard or doing anything useful, but does an actor in a shampoo advert? It's also work that most people don't understand or recognise as 'work' because it doesn't fit in with most people's experience of work. However, it's here to stay and the vast amounts of money businesses are diverting from traditional media (tv, radio and print) into digital marketing (social), is testament to how effective this new way of selling to us is. Maybe people don't like the term 'influencer' because I guess most people don't like the thought that they can be influenced. Who are we kidding though; the advertising and entertainment industries have been influencing our fashion, trends, purchases and thoughts since they began. Many influencers work really hard and have cleverly carved out a niche which has made them valuable to advertisers. I think they should be congratulated. If an influencer is getting paid to promote or advertise a product it's because they've got an audience and you only get that if you're engaging, entertaining or informative and there's nothing wrong with that.