Who gets influenced by influencers?

[CanOfGerms]

I mean, literally how does this happen to and how? Do people actively choose to follow these people? Why?

I think a lot of people get influenced actually, the whole culture is being influenced. They post about a fantasy life and people start living vicariously through them, and then start to want to have a piece of that life, be it a candle, or an fast fashion item etc.

Surely it's the same as advertising so if you buy a product because of an advertisement then an influencer may do the same thing.

I've bought after being "influenced" some storage lazy Susan type things and snack baskets to put out from a top shelf more easily. But I'm boring.

I've also looked at various beauty products - iconic - but the price put me off. And some of Millie mackintosh / vogue Williams clothes ranges are gorgeous IMO but out of my price range and not meant for overweight middle aged women!!

So it obviously works on me!

Younger naive women, teens to early 20s or people with low self esteem I think. They want to be like the beautiful wealthy women they see online.

@PainfulPiles thats how I feel, I follow Josie Fear and a few others and they seem like nice people who put a lot of work into their videos. Im under no illusion that when they are paid to do an ad it will influence what they say. But I always do my own research anyway.

I think the opinion that all Influencers and anyone on instagram is a vacuous nitwit is judgmental and outdated.

The people I follow on instagram are crafters, artists, knitters, interior designers, historians etc. Ive learnt so much and enjoy scrolling and interacting with others.

I actively follow people whose style I like be it fashion or interiors. I am influenced if they wear something that looks good to me, the same way I'm influenced by mannequins and shop windows and magazines. Some people's endorsements I take at face value but most I assume are being paid. I'd usually only be influenced on stuff I understand - I'm not great at skincare l, health stuff or exercise so I'd never take advice off an influencer. Same for kids stuff- I'd be very skeptical. Although I suppose they might influence me to research a topic so I guess they do influence me I just don't take it at face value.

It depends on what you consider an ‘influencer’. So Dh is in the food industry and there are lots of chefs with instagram accounts. We both follow those and get lots of new ideas and make business contacts. I also follow a lot of sober ‘influencers’ and get a lot of inspiration from them, find podcasts and books, etc. We are a 40s professional couple. There are influencers literally for every demographic. I mean who could have thought that cleaning ‘influencers’ like Mrs Hinch could be a thing, not me, not interested in scrubbing anything! But there is a certain demographic who’s losing their mind over it. They’ll be different than the people following vapid 18 year olds in Dubai.

I do. I'm 56. I've bought makeup and styles of clothes I've seen on Instagram. And I'm very happy with them!

I choose who inspires me, if I like their vibe.

Oh this is SO snobby

There's a whole world of social media 'influencers'. It's not all surface level stuff.

I’d have said I wasn’t influenced by influencers until this week. I was booking hotel accommodation and was about to commit to somewhere when I saw their Facebook pages were chock-full of very similar-looking, very conventionally attractive, very young women posing and pouting in staged series of photos. Not sure if they were the genuine article or wannabes (tend to think the latter as the place was nice but not THAT fancy) but it certainly influenced me to keep looking for somewhere else.

Shame as it looked lovely until I saw that.

A wide demographic I would imagine

God knows I don’t need the encouragement, last week I bought a pair of sandals and a dress I saw on the bloody Style and Beauty boards on here 🤣

I follow loads of influencers! I enjoy watching other people's lives, interiors, gardens, fashion choices, holidays etc - all of it really!

I'm also susceptible to being influenced to buy things, it's just really good marketing. Tbh I've not been disappointed in anything I've been influenced to buy, it's all been fabulous. It's the modern day magazine article advertising / informercial / pamphlet.

PP who said it's younger women / women with low self esteem - that's such a snobby holier than thou comment! I'm 30, have really healthy self esteem and don't want to be like beauty wealthy women I see online. I enjoy the content I subscribe to, enjoy seeing new things and places - I'm not trying to be someone else at all.

Are we not all influencers? 🤔
I know I have influenced people without even trying, I just don’t do it over social media.
Are we not all influenced by others?

Ive bought a couple of things and been disappointed, the thing I normally use is better ! Saying that, it’s no different to things suggested on MN.

Even if you don't follow any influencers their advertising power is everywhere - eg I am on a Facebook group related to exercise and everyone on it is suddenly going on about these giant water bottles with a straw. Then other people on the group see them and want one too. The company presumably sent these bottles to influencers on tiktok or instagram and it has gone viral.

I’m trying to be less influenced by these people. They make me feel like I should be going on big walks to magical places, and on amazing holidays, but I actually like being at home. And that’s ok.

It depends on the account. A more informative content creator is likely to have a different audience than the #soblessed #makingmemories buy-more-tat type of content creator.

I'm not surprised people access content from people on social media. What does surprise me is how certain types of account seem to pull in a weird level of loyalty from their fan base, who seem weirdly invested in their social media character of choice.
The people you see all over the internet furious that anyone would criticise their top influencer/on Mumsnet accusing people of being jealous of (insert influencer here) are probably people who'll buy anything their influencer person says.

Anyone who is open to advertising in any form.

I wouldn’t believe a word any of them say. If I like the look of something then I’ll buy it. I put influencers in the same basket as people who are paid to advertise. So do I believe the skinny model actually eats the chocolate-absolutely not. Will I buy the chocolate-yes maybe, depends if I think I will like it.
Im always reminded of the famous actor who spat the alcohol he was paid to advertise into a bucket as he couldn’t stand it.

I’m always surprised how influenced friends of mine are.
I don’t buy it Personally and anyone who sells persistently gets an unfollow.
I like inspirational people not fucking AF links for every piece of tat going!

It works though, the industry is worth billions. I wonder when it will all end and we will look back in this generation and laugh at how cringe every posed photo was. People selling their souls and the worst kind are those who sell their children.

No one’s life is that perfect. I despair for today.

I think it's mainly teenagers and 20s. But obviously anyone can be influenced.

I follow specific accounts in order to shop efficiently and effectively.

I follow people with a similar figure to mine and I can tell if something is going to work for me.

I then buy it. I am actively following with the view to make purchases.

It makes me laugh when people think 'influencers' are out to trick us. We know the score. It's advertising pure and simple. Modern marketing design to fit in the palm of your hand.

I don't understand the hate, or the faux confusion on how the whole set up works.