What do people think of influencers?

[cavewoman2026]

I feel like my feelings have changed towards them over the years. Yes I like to check out what women are wearing but everyone now seems to dress the same or have extremely curated expensive pieces that were given to them for free. So then it’s not organic and nothing exceptional is being created. It feels like everyone is just showing the most expensive pieces they own to tag the brands to gain popularity (yes I know this is how social media works). For micro influencers I always wonder how they can afford it all? Daily outfits of super expensive clothes, bags and shoes? Is it all on credit cards and loans?

Depressingly I have one or two friends around me that have expressed wanting to be influencers as people are interested in the lifestyle. Who wouldn’t want to go to beauty events, get free clothes and makeup?

I’ve started to explore style from socialites from the past, actresses, rummaging in vintage shops (even on Vinted), fashion magazines. It’s truly what I get my inspiration from these days.

So, do you all still follow influencers or are we moving past them now?

You don’t think museums and art galleries are flogging themselves, and authors aren’t trying to flog their books?! Ok 🤣

I’d also suggest that this poster doesn’t have the skills to:

Research possible partner companies
Approach them with a pitch
(have built a decent following before being able to do the first two)
Negotiate terms of business
Create the concept
Storyboard and script (you would be believe how much copy goes into a 2 minute post)
Shoot it possibly on location
Own and know how to use all of the necessary tech,
from cameras and mics to lighting and tripods etc
Edit the footage (often using a software package that’s the same one the likes of Pixar use)
Share with the company and amend anything required (another few hours of editing)
Create the caption
Post it then spend at least the first 2-4 hours constantly interacting with people who like, comment and share
At the end, create an analytics dashboard for the partner company

Not that many people have these skills; that’s why the market will pay people who do.

Well they are in a way, but it's not hard sell.The museums and galleries are free. The authors put out one book every five years.

Also, all this selling is devoid of pouting preening and using kids for clicks, unlike the fashion influencers.

Ok @OsfameronTanamorilif I wear a tshirt from a brand while I am doing my hobby, and post a photo of that, is that a hard sell?

Nope. It’s me doing my hobby while wearing clothes; if people say ‘cool top’ I say thanks, it’s from @xcompany.

You can’t really be an author nowadays without a successful IG/TT account. Their accounts are literally there to drive sales of old and new books.

It’s snobbery; it’s ok for authors but not fashion 🤷🏻‍♀️

I've never liked them I don't care who's paying them this week to say they like something 🤣 their not going to be honest in reviews they give I'd purposely buy the brand that doesn't pay influencers 😂

Whatever you say. This seems to have enraged you.
I don't really enjoy seeing a relentless stream of selfies. If that's snobbery, fine.

Exactly. People don’t realise the skills needed to be even a half successful ‘influencer’. Someone on this thread commented that influencers have no life work experience and what will they do in 20 years time when they have to get a real job, without realising all of the skills needed to run their business are directly transferable to ‘real life’ work.

Im sure some people think the same about my work, it looks like a little hobby but there has been a lot of time and skills behind the scenes needed to run it successfully for over 10 years.
But at least my friends and family don’t mock me and put me down for it regardless of what they may think, they are very supportive and openly say they wish they could do it so they didn’t have to go out everyday to a ‘real job’.

It doesn’t enrage me; I come on here and try to explain the process and the skill that it takes and nobody wants to learn, they just prefer to point and call people vacuous parasites 🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s something I know about that you don’t. I’m not enraged but I am knowledgeable.

I agree with all this. I don't mean to say that influencers don't have skills. They do.
But I am not their audience. That's all.

No, I’m not their audience either but they’re just trying to make a bit of money and who can blame them in this economy.

I wouldn’t mind some free stuff sent to me, but I am not an influencer nor would I want to be nor do I have the appeal or the drive or even skills to become an influencer so I am not going to get free stuff unfortunately, so I have to work my real but not real job.

You are the audience for a different type of marketing conte though; books, museums, etc. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you are being quietly influenced to engage, buy books, visit the museums, buy their products online, etc.

I pay no attention to them. They are followed by people with no minds of their own.

Yeah @ChocolateCinderToffeejust like people who see ads on tv and billboards and magazine ads. Just sheep really.

🙄🤣

Fair.
But at least I don't have to look at pix of parenting influencers crying because their kids have gone to uni. Everyone seems to be crying on line these days.
Another of my acquaintances has become a sex and dating influencer. I really don't want to know about her sex life.

I find that kind of content quite annoying and TMI. Though it still requires skills.

I don’t know who they are, and don’t care.

Well I don’t follow that type of shit either; my feed is full of motorbikes and photographers and sports cars. But there are plenty of content creators and influencers in that space too, making really cool stuff.

I worked in PR for 15 years. Then moved into theatre and film. Now I own a film production company.

So actually I have pretty much all those skills.

I’m finding I spend less and less time on social media, partly for the reason that so much of it is now a sales opportunity.

They’re dreadful, shallow people who encourage over-consumption, sell a fantasy of a perfect life, and make ordinary people feel like failures. I bet it’s not even fun – probably most of them can’t let their hair down because they’re always looking for opportunities to make content.

The ones who do family content are the worst. I can’t wait till their children grow up and sue them for trauma and exploitation.

Good for you. And yet here you are sneering at others who share those skills, hustling to make a living, just like you.

I know an ‘influencer’ claims to be ‘self made’, (daddy’s money) ‘built and designed a beautiful house from scratch’ (bought off plan in a street where developers were going round knocking down old houses and rebuilding luxury executive properties. Looks the same as every other property on that street but followers don’t see that. Loads of love bombing from other ‘influencers’ who are equally up their own a$$. I can’t believe anyone on social media now as a result of this person.

I don’t mind a fashion/home page for inspiration as I shop online mainly. The excessive ads pretending to buy/use something shit make me unfollow. I quite like a realistic feel good page. Not I’m sending my five year old to school with a £50 water bottle, we love to shop at Waitrose type. I’m sure some people do this but maybe some should be called pretenders. Yes it makes some a decent income and no I don’t think it will last. My biggest annoyance is the advising on a subject they have limited knowledge about but sometimes it comes back to bite them. Personally I would hate the job and wouldn’t put my face or family out to the world. Each to their own.

Also, I find the number of health and wellness influencers advising on medical conditions and mental health quite alarming.

Never have followed any, I've always been turned off by the very concept. I'm hardly on social media as well.

I'm beginning to find this thread a bit patronising and some comments downright unpleasant. Anyone who spends time on this board will know that a lot of posters do follow influencers, find them helpful and recommend them to others. I'd quite like to hear from them and listen to why they use them but, with all this sneering going on, I can't see that happening.