Continuing the discussion around instagram influencers and ethics

[bawbles]

Continued from old thread

You don’t need traffic if you aren’t selling anything

And then just WTAF will the MoFos have left to peddle? What will be their USP then? They literally have nothing else to pull out of the (#boden) hat. Unless, book reviews please God no

Another baby?

Fur oh do stop making all these intelligent, accurate and astute observations. It's really not on

I’m talking follower numbers Cady, I’m not that dense.

I never said you were dense. Just with you saying that she went offgrid for weeks and it didn't make any difference, I was saying that it will have done.
The follower numbers will have stayed the same if she merely deactivated for a bit as they'll have automatically been still there when re-instated. So that won't have changed.
Your reply sounded as though you meant nothing had changed at all and not just followers, fair enough if that's not what you meant, apologies.
Was just explaining in my post why they'll be keeping up with some posts even though while away for a few weeks.

You don’t need traffic if you aren’t selling anything

You don't have to be selling anything at all to want to keep your traffic up and your site relevant in any rankings.
Plenty out there who don't monetise but still want to be bumped up and have frequent traffic in order to get readers/IG posts/stories watched etc.

Plenty out there who don't monetise but still want to be bumped up and have frequent traffic in order to get readers/IG posts/stories watched etc.

Can you give an example Cady? I’m struggling to wrap my head around this.

It's the beginning of the end for the MOFOs I reckon. They've lost all credibility. You can't trust or believe anything they say or do now.

I give it six more months.

I noticed today that quite a few of the IGrammers I follow were at a Next/Giovanna Fletcher brunch event today.

I think 6 of the people I follow were invited/there and they all mentioned it, but out of all the stories/pics, there were only 2 shots of actual things you could buy.

So, what is the actual point of an event like this with influencers? Is it literally just to raise awareness of the fact that she has got a collaboration with Next? To pique interest so you go to their website and have a nosy? Just wondering really, as seemed like quite a lot of effort to go to for not a lot of return. If I were putting on the event, I'd want quite a few shots of actual merchandise on people's feeds as I would imagine that would yield more results in terms of actual purchases.

It's absolutely bonkers that there is a platform like this that can involve such levels of manipulation and cunning. These accounts know exactly what they are doing. The midwife didn't go off grid for a break, it was damage limitation, she knew she'd rocked the boat and let her guard down and her hot headed responses could damage future and existing deals, she ducked down. And now it's tactical. It is fascinating to watch it unfold. Maybe soon the bubble will burst and people will tire of being constantly duped and played. The followers are not friends they are cash.
Keeping up a social media presence whilst away is not constant streaming stories and private photos.

Plenty out there who don't monetise but still want to be bumped up and have frequent traffic in order to get readers/IG posts/stories watched etc.

Can you give an example Cady? I’m struggling to wrap my head around this.

Say for example you have an Instagram account or a blog or whatever platform, you need to keep posting some content or other otherwise your engagement drops and you're not as easily "findable" (not sure if that's a word, if not I'm making it one lol)
Doesn't automatically mean you need it because it's all about money.

I can't think of an example where that would be the case, and certainly that doesn't apply to the blogger in question.

Say for example you have an Instagram account or a blog or whatever platform, you need to keep posting some content or other otherwise your engagement drops and you're not as easily "findable" (not sure if that's a word, if not I'm making it one lol)
Doesn't automatically mean you need it because it's all about money.
Except the only reason you need to keep your engagement up is ultimately money or you wouldn't care 🤣

I noticed today that quite a few of the IGrammers I follow were at a Next/Giovanna Fletcher brunch event today. I think 6 of the people I follow were invited/there and they all mentioned it, but out of all the stories/pics, there were only 2 shots of actual things you could buy. So, what is the actual point of an event like this with influencers? Is it literally just to raise awareness of the fact that she has got a collaboration with Next? To pique interest so you go to their website and have a nosy? Just wondering really, as seemed like quite a lot of effort to go to for not a lot of return.

It's eyes and interest on your product, isnt it? Doesn't have to be about things available to buy. If you've got a strong and heavily engaged social media presence in the target audience you're wanting to get in front of, things like brunches are perfect. More exposure for the company.

Sorry, top bit should be bolded as it was a quote.

Except the only reason you need to keep your engagement up is ultimately money or you wouldn't care

How do you figure that one out? plenty of people have Instagram or blogs or whatever without it being all about the money.

Ahh the famous Cady confused face. I thought you were saying that people keep posting in order to keep being promoted, and that if you didn't you slipped down the algorithm. But this would be of no interest to you if you were not trying to monetise your account. Every blogger wants a popular blog that earns them an income and gets deals (they may not have one because the internet is saturated with dire blogs but that is the whole point of a blog) and the same with IG, of you are at the level you care about your engagement keeping you relevant and popular that would only be because you want a popular account that gets attention, then deals and yes money.

Some instabloggers are raising awareness though, not monetising. A higher profile would be important to them. Baby or child loss springs to mind.

I’m trying to think of any instagrammer who would artificially increase engagement (I.e. do something specifically for that) if there was no money in the equation (and that could be promise of money, like trying to raise numbers etc so you were a good bet for advertisers). I can’t think of any example or a time somebody I follow has seemed to do this, but I suppose someone very narcissistic could do it purely to stay popular for popularity’s sake.

Good point Beans. We crossed posts but that is the kind of situation I hadn’t seen but absolutely works as an example.

The midwife didn't go off grid for a break, it was damage limitation, she knew she'd rocked the boat and let her guard down and her hot headed responses could damage future and existing deals, she ducked down. And now it's tactical. It is fascinating to watch it unfold. Maybe soon the bubble will burst and people will tire of being constantly duped and played. The followers are not friends they are cash.
Agree with this

I'm not sure raising awareness is quite the same. I follow several of those accounts and I tend to think you look for those ones as they are genuine and do good. They tend to have more natural engagement on posts and whilst I'd agree they would be keen to keep relevant I just don't think it's the same as wanted to get the likes and clicks for personal gain.

I would be interested to ask Mrs Meldrum, MoD et al if they feel bad flaunting their lives to people on the backs of their childrens' right to a childhood but I guess that wouldn't be playing the game........
I wonder this too. I must be wired differently to instamums

Some instabloggers are raising awareness though, not monetising. A higher profile would be important to them.

I would (genuinely) love an example of someone who started their account to raise awareness or promote a cause and hasn't moved into gifts, ads and affiliate linking (i.e. monetising) once their audience grew. Who are some that have stuck to the core of why they started without jumping on the £ bandwagon? This idea of trying to grow an account for purposes other than earning money is interesting.

A few of the baby loss mums can me to mind, I really think it’s unfair to name them though sorry, some have thousands of followers but zero ads/sponsors. Also quite a few vegan IGs have tonnes of followers and could easily monetise but don’t. I’ll try to find a few examples.