- Many believe that TikTok has turned into a pseudo-shopping channel.
- The criticism reflects growing resentment at influencers advertising products they don’t believe in.
- Some creators are leaving TikTok and turning to platforms that serve their loyal following.
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In a recent TikTok, content creators expressed their frustrations with fellow influencers.
Manrika Kaira said TikTok used to be a fun place for trends, dynamic discussions with other creators, and hilarious jokes.
But it has turned into a pseudo-shopping channel, she says.
“I’m seeing some of my favorite creators promoting products that they know don’t work or don’t do what you say they do.” she said.
Kaila’s criticism reflects the sentiment of many Gen Zers who are tired of seeing relentless ads on their social media feeds.
Another creator named CeeVan said he believes many aspiring influencers don’t put in the necessary effort.
“A lot of these people never took the time to build a community and make that community fall in love with you and trust you no matter what,” she said. said.
Instead, she added, they want to become influencers “for brand deals” to get “nice free stuff.”
“And now we’re seeing through it,” she said.
@ceevannn #stitch With @Renee | Even with all the influencer marketing these days, Katie Hahn’s products and branding don’t make me want to buy. She is a shell of a human being behind her husband’s eccentric Joe Rogan rants. Of course, not all consumers care. Because they are still shallow enough to follow or buy. TikTok influencers stand above IG because of their credibility. TT If an influencer isn’t real, we doubt it. As a larger community, we are putting our money where our mouth is. And that’s rarely the case with influencers who have built brands on consumerism or inadvertently built communities on values they haven’t demonstrated in their new branded lives. #alaninu #Katie Hearn #qvc @Drew Afualo @Madeline Pendleton @hellotefi
This resentment may reflect a culture of financial insecurity as the cost of living rises, the credit card debt crisis looms, and people are forced to spend more of their income on bills.
But people remain generally willing to spend. Retail sales increase March 0.7% compared to previous year even though prices are rising This is a pace that exceeds the US Federal Reserve’s inflation target of 2%.
Disillusionment with what influencers are selling may have something to do with their diminished relevance when that was what made them stand out.
Declining influence and influencer fatigue
Ashley Rector, founder of creative marketing agency Quimby Digital, told Business that this is why the no-influence trend, or the trend in which influencers encourage their followers not to buy things, has become so popular in the last year. told Insider.
As social media marketing has evolved, so have the opportunities for influencers to collaborate with more brands.
“They accepted deals with brands that weren’t aligned, they ran poorly thought out campaigns, and consumers could tell it wasn’t aligned,” Rector said.
“If you feel like someone is selling you for the sake of selling you, you inherently lose trust.”
Samantha Zink, founder and CEO of talent management company Zink Talent, told BI that the influencer industry has changed significantly since its inception in the early 1990s.
Back then, it was “more passion than profit,” she said, but now content creation is a full-fledged career with commissions and subscriptions.
“This shift has meant that engaging with influencers is no longer a privilege, as what was once a hobby or passion project is now something you need to do to make a living,” she said. Told. “Some influencers support their families, but they have to participate in collaborations with brands to sustain themselves.”
This evolution may mean that some people view influencers as less relatable than they once were.
Melt water researchIn 2023, the online media monitoring company called this lack of credibility “influencer fatigue.”
They found that social media users want “authentic, unstaged content that they can engage with.”
Influencers may be losing their grip, especially with Gen Z. Yahoo News reported. Data shared with the outlet in a YPulse survey found that 45% of respondents between the ages of 13 and 22 feel that influencers don’t have as much influence as they used to.
Influencer on the beach (stock photo). Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images
Your influential days aren’t over yet
This doesn’t mean the influence is over.
Rather, the way it works is evolving, and only creators who understand it can succeed.
Reports from Influencer Marketing Hub This year, we’ve seen a strong preference for brands to work with smaller nano- and micro-influencers due to their higher engagement rates and the trust they build with their communities.
Sophie Wood, strategy director at influencer marketing agency Fohr, told BI that the influencer bubble hasn’t burst, it’s just changing. Removing influence, she says, only influences it in a different direction.
Ten years ago, bloggers were the new, shiny type of celebrity everyone wanted to be. Then the influencer boom happened, YouTube boomed, TikTok was born, and now millions of people can wear that label.
Smart creators are finding ways to keep their communities thriving, like joining platforms like Substack to give some of their most loyal fans a closer look into their lives.
“These are people who actually say something different,” Wood said.
For example, YouTuber Hannah Whitton, who has been creating content for more than a decade, moved from YouTube to Patreon last year, and many of her subscribers followed suit.
She told BI Influencers that, like everyone else, things change over time. It’s difficult to “resonate” with everyone, but the way to keep followers happy is for influencers to continue sharing authentic information, even if their interests change.
“I think the key is to be honest about change and bring the audience along for the ride,” Whitton said. “Obviously some people drop out, but many stay and new people come in all the time.”
In these more niche communities, Wood said, fans are very happy to see their favorite influencers making money or endorsing products. She said it’s not that advertising is bad, it’s just that you can do it well.
“They’re proud of their influencers,” she says. “They say, ‘Bring your bags. We love this ad. You make the best ad. That’s the gold standard.'”
Viewers don’t want to be lied to
Transparency is very important as some influencers have recently come under fire for not being honest and open about their advertising. Did not disclose that compensation was paid To promote a particular product or to try to hide a disclosing hashtag behind a video caption.
“I think the audience is very smart and they don’t want to feel like they’ve been fooled,” Wood said. “They’ll think this influencer thinks I’m stupid for believing this ad when I know it’s not something I would make.”
Jessica Dante, influencer and founder of Love and London, agreed that trust wanes when viewers see what they perceive as a “money-maker.”
She also believes that people place a little too much emphasis on “relatability” and that people want honesty and authenticity in everything they watch.
“This is especially true because TikTok has allowed people to spread something viral that maybe isn’t authentic or true,” she says. “This is why influencers are often criticized when they’re not telling the truth or telling the whole story.”
TikTok did not immediately respond to BI’s request for comment.