Instamums 2

[shesakeeper]

Interested to read this in the Guardian today

www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/mar/21/instagram-influencers-can-flog-stuff-all-day-but-its-weird-when-they-use-their-kids-to-do-it

I follow a lot of amateur home decor accounts...they're all going the same way with the advertising but not hash tagging properly.

One lovely lady whose account I really like, has just started doing paid ads, and I utterly hate it, but I can't quite put my finger on why....I think it's because accounts are changing to get the bucks in and they're moving away from what made them appealing in the first place.

I Dunno.

These threads have been really interesting regardless!

I think the instadads are doing far better than the mums.

Though thanks to this thread I've discovered doesnybumlook40 and I quite like her

@Badmotherpukka your husband did a great job while you were absent.....give him a pat on the back from me!!

MOD can no longer really claim to be 'normal' can she? She's always on bloody holiday! I mean yes, most of us would jump at the chance like she has, but she can no longer claim to just be a normal mum/midwife with a life that everyone can relate to.

I wonder what the background of these Instagrammers are. They all seem very well spoken and middle class to start with don't they?

I was looking through Instagram this morning and realised that any account with a decent amount of followers are just adverts / freebies / gifted accounts now and they're tedious. Instagram used to be where you could see what other people were up to. Now it's been taken over by influencers and brands.

I think the constant freebies / gifts is actually pretty grotesque. People who actually struggle financially aren't being gifted. They're not interesting or pretty enough. What do these sorts of accounts have to say now other than open up another free gift on insta stories.

How many got the new trainers? They're merging into one account.

@RunMummyRun68 I’ll pass that on, although his eyebrows were the true breakout stars. But to add a tiny bit of context here (aside from the Grazia article, which absolutely makes us come across as money grabbing, family-touting, reality TV star-aspiring wazzocks - perhaps fitting?). I wanted to create my own editorial platform. That’s where it began - to be able to write on my own terms, in my own time without office politics. To create something where I could speak openly about issues I felt weren’t being discussed. (I wrote a piece a year ago about the precautions we take in terms of online safety but I’ve/ we’ve reviewed that significantly since these threads). I think someone like Selfish Mother has nailed it to be honest. We’re a work-in-progress.

@Chimchar I don't like the ads because they're being paid to say they love something when they're probably just 'meh!' about it. I don't trust them anymore, especially when they then trot out the old chestnut of 'we only promote brands we love'.

Yeah, right.

I'm really glad that a lot of them are being more transparent because I now know who to unfollow. I can handle one ad every ten-twenty posts or so, but when every other post is #ad or #gifted or even 'I was sent...' it really starts to grate.

@Badmotherpukka I also enjoyed Papa Pukka's takeover.

I definitely think he should bring out his own range of sandwiches He's onto a winner.

@PavlovaPrincess Subway could definitely use a little help. What’s the worst brand partnership you’ve seen from us if you don’t mind re-seeing it in your mind? Won’t be offended, just for the annual review. And do you think ‘AD’ should be at the beginning of the post along with geo tagging ‘paid partnership with’? I’ve asked the ASA this too.

@Badmotherpukka to be honest with you, none of your ads have been really offensive and there's been enough content in between them to mean that I can ignore them, if I so choose. The only one that comes to mind was maybe the Fairy one (was it dishwasher tabs or liquid? I dunno) and I can't even remember it that well, so it a) hasn't done it's job and b) wasn't really that bad.

It wasn't really your account I was referencing. I think you've kept a good balance between ads and content, unlike some of the others.

Yes, I think AD should be at the start along with the geotag if possible. Then we all know where we stand.

@PavlovaPrincess fair enough. Yeah the Fairy ad was about making sure kids don’t eat the dishwasher tabs (keep them up, keep them closed! fond memories), so more of a health and safety message, which is why we took it. But yeah looking back, a bit awkward, like. AD at the beginning agreed.

I also agree AD at the beginning. But as I was trying to think of your ADs it has occurred to me that I don't remember too many (sorry, I know that's not the point)! But I think that's because they aren't so frequent so perhaps it's the frequency that is the issue.

@PavlovaPrincess completely agree on there being space between the ads, created by really interesting content. That's the key.

It's a very different story when it's paid ad, followed by sponsorsip, followed by #gifted, followed by #smallbusinessshoutout, followed by my least favourite of them all: the blatantly obvious hint ie. "Does anyone know who makes good x/y/z?"

As for the, "Why not unfollow them?" question, I have two thoughts behind this:

1. If I started off genuinely really liking someone (which you do unless you wouldn't follow them) then I sometimes like to stick around to see if they have a reality check and go back to their old ways ever so slightly.

2. These individuals only get the ads/paid partnerships/gifts because of their number of followers which includes us (or some of us). We have played a role in them gaining notoriety so I think it's only respectful to actually LISTEN to that audience and act on resolving some of their concerns. These people played a part in that person (not just MOD, any insta-star) getting where they are.

I think the problem with the Fairy one was there was a spate of Fairy ads amongst the bloggers, which is one of the things I loathe (although I agree now you've said, it was good message, and it's a shame it might have got lost). Because there were so many, I rolled my eyes and scrolled past without even reading it.

When the brands send out the same 'gifts' and all the bloggers start showing it, regardless of whether it fits their normal content or not, it makes the brand look they're not discerning and like they're just chucking money at bloggers in the hope that they've covered all bases (which says more about the brands tbh). It's also becomes a bit boring for the audience, perhaps seeing the same item over and over.

The one that really stuck out for me (and I don't think you advertised this @Badmotherpukka), was the babysitting ap. I really didn't buy that from any of the bloggers that featured it.

@PavlovaPrincess ah yes well I am actually promoting the Bubble Babysitting app next week . But not as a babysitting app; as a way to help me work around Eve - I use it for 6 hours a week (paid by me not them) to get stuff done. But I do agree entirely on the ‘job lot’ when it comes to brand associations. Johnson’s did that a year ago with 45 influencers and it was a terrible strategy.

@Badmotherpukka delighted to see you and your bouffant back on IG. Would definitely appreciate more changing room disasters from Matt. Not in a pervy way.

The only one of your ads that I really didn't like was the one for McCain's Roast Potatoes. The whole thing came across as very contrived from the brand's perspective and in my humble opinion, you seemed as though you were really having to act during the pictures which, in turn, made the whole thing looking even more contrived. I think I also would rather have seen an ad about a "proper" veg company like Riverford, perhaps advertising their vegetable boxes.

That's just my tuppence worth though and sure look, I'm sat here right now with sudocrem under my knockers and slippers on the wrong feet so who am I to talk

@Badmotherpukka oh dear. Yes, that's the one

@teaiseverything I’m equally slippered here and yeah looking back we should have pushed back on brand points to fit with our style. It’s all such a learning curve from both sides - but who knows how long it will even last. I’m not a fashion or beauty blogger so our main focus when partnering with household brands is do they work/taste good, are they accessible or do they have a powerful/useful message (like the carbon monoxide poisoning campaign). But I am interviewing for jobs at the moment because I’m no saleswoman.

@greengrass123 it depends on the amount of service MOD has done for the nhs, for her leave entitlement. She has could have done unpaid leave. Her extra shifts most likely would have been ‘bank’ shifts, which means you’ll get slightly more but it’s paid weekly or bi-weekly. Anyway, this doesn’t really matter. I am glad she is being more transparent.

@PavlovaPrincess battening down the hatches. I’ll put ‘AD’ right up there so you can glide past Thanks for the above though, very useful. Right that’s it from me, have taken up ample space here. I’ll be back if any further questions or info that might help us navigate this space.

There are positives too: I downloaded the meningitis app after MP spoke about her scare with Evie. It’s good to be reminded about such things.

@Badmotherpukka it's all a learning curve, part of which should ideally involve asking your audience, "What do you think?" which you do so I don't think you have anything at all to worry about.

I just cannot tolerate the moaning. Like we should be grateful they’re even there.
MP - cannot be a part of it. She forgot to apply for her kid’s school place. REALLY?
Styled by Susie - she does have a job but started saying people should be respectful of the time she gives and it’s a small business etc etc.
Mrs Gloss on Facebook is brilliant - very honest about affiliates but even she bemoans the fact how time consuming/how much money it costs to run the page. Er, how? And IDGAF.

@PETRONELLAS hi, we missed the admissions deadline by one day because of a council tax issue that was outside of our control unfortunately. I wasn’t meaning to moan, just trying to help others aware of the process and (hopefully) not end up in our position. That’s the idea of sharing the good and bad, I suppose.

Again i don’t follow any instamums although I have checked out a few based on these threads. MP seems fun & normal!

I think insta marketing is good for small brands as they can’t afford exposure etc but I’m not interested in ads from big brands, can’t even stand them on TV. I am another one of those who find is so weird that seeing an blogger on holiday makes you book it but hey everything Duchess Kate wears sells out. Why does seeing 10 influencers receive the same jacket make you want it?

I originally found insta so good because it was an alternative platform, different body shapes & sizes, smaller brands etc but it’s now so samey & turning into a magazine. However I like the glamour of magazines & would much rather watch “stories” from Kate Moss on her holidays, getting drunk with Naomi etc then some random mum.

On a separate note I barely use insta these days & not used fb in months, it’s exhausting.