The Rise of De-influencing
Influencer marketing is so 2022. Enter: De-influencing!
TikTok's #deinfluencing hashtag has garnered over 726.5 million views so far this year, sparking an important discussion regarding overconsumption and credibility of influencers.
De-influencing is an online movement that aims to make influencer culture more authentic.
De-influencers are encouraging us to think critically and question the legitimacy of viral products before succumbing to hype and spending our hard-earned money on more stuff we don’t need.
For too long, we've been bombarded with influencer marketing that's often misleading or flat-out dishonest. Creators are often paid to promote products that they don't actually use or like, and it can be hard to tell the difference between genuine reviews and paid ads.
We see enough ads on a regular basis, right? It’s overwhelming.
People are becoming more aware of the type of content they consume, and are less accepting of influencer content with obvious profit motives. The movement is reshaping influencer marketing, prompting brands and influencers to reassess their strategies.
Since traditional influencer marketing is on the decline, brands are increasingly turning to micro-influencers.
These smaller influencers, who typically have fewer than 200,000 followers, tend to be seen as more authentic and trustworthy by the public. They are often just regular people who have built a following by sharing their interests and experiences, making them more believable when they promote products or services.
Micro-influencers are also cheaper than their influencer counterparts and can help brands reach a more engaged community.
My favorite thing about de-influencing is that it promotes mindful consumption.
When we're constantly faced with ads for new products, it's easy to get caught up in the hype and buy things that we don't really need. De-influencing encourages us to think critically about our purchases and to consider whether we really need that product.
As a marketing specialist who advocates for a more authentic and energetically-aligned social media strategy, I'm so here for the de-influencing trend.
De-influencing is a win-win-win for influencers, brands, and the public. This trend is likely to continue in the years to come, as more and more brands realize the benefits of working with smaller influencers and being more transparent about their products and services.
Hopefully this trend brings more unfiltered moments to our feeds.
In the meantime, there may be opportunities for your brand to tap into this trend.
If you're a brand that wants to embrace the de-influencing trend, here are a few tips:
Partner with influencers who are honest and authentic.
Listen to the feedback of your followers and influencer partners
Be publicly transparent about your partnerships with influencers.
De-influencing could be the next opportunity for your brand to improve its credibility, and I am here to help strategize!
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