Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like we’ve reached a crossroads in influencer marketing. More and more examples are popping up every day of influencers being called out for bad behavior, not disclosing sponsored content, faking their “genuine”-ness to their audiences and more. If we go a day without seeing influencer marketing messes that way, we have to hear people in our feeds bitching about how they’re tired of fake influencers and superficial people monetizing crap content. Amirite?
This week in particular saw several stories emerge that could illustrate we’re seeing a real trend: Audiences are becoming way more skeptical, far more inquisitive and often times fed up with even the influencers they follow. And I think that means not the end of influencer marketing, but the beginning of the good type of influencer marketing.
That’s my food-for-thought podcast heading into a long weekend. Check it out and see if you agree!
Here are the articles I was referring to in the show, for your reference:
- Tupisaravia admits to “Photoshopping” clouds into Instagram posts
- Tifforelie’s denial her motorcycle accident post was staged or sponsored
- Teen shamed for posing with art on Instagram, said to be an example of “Vapid Influencer Culture”
- Nicole Arbour slams @JayShetty as a fraud
And if you’re interested in becoming an influencer in your industry your own self, I found a nice reminder article on doing that over at Purple Pass.
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