End of the influencer?

These days, increasingly, we're finding that the future of social is about what you have to say rather than who you are. The days of the influencer as we know it may be drawing to a close. With the rise of TikTok there is more of an appetite for amateur content in a bite-sized and snack-able format, as opposed to the more celebrity culture of the 'Influencer'. A major threat to the traditional influencer is that social media platforms are now becoming 'discovery platforms'. The huge impact of this on the traditional influencer has definitely been overlooked. The TikTok 'FYP' or 'For You Page' feeds you the content you like rather than content from the people you like. You discover new creators and follow them based on the value of the content, not their social reach. In other words, the platform is making a new introduction based on the quality of the content, not who's generating it. That's a radical change.

The influencer industry has definitely seen a shift in the past 12 months away from the highly curated imagery that has been so dominant across Instagram. With Gen-Z coming of age, they want to see 'real' content from 'real' individuals, and from those that are relatable to them. Hence why TikTok has become all-powerful and we are witnessing the rise in BeReal across that demographic. So yes, traditional celebrity and out-of-touch influencer marketing categorically holds less value than previously. Where brands are finding most value in connecting to desired audiences is through partnerships with talent that can creatively deliver short-form video, with raw storytelling and authentic relationships. So whilst influencer marketing isn't dying, it is shifting. Cookie-cutter briefs and strict guidelines for influencers to follow are now too see-through, and audiences will be turned off as a result. Allowing influencers to have their own creative identity and communicate to their audience in their own, unique way is what will deliver the best results and ensure attention converts into action, and action converts into revenue.

Social media influencing has morphed into brands investing in micro-influencers more and more, to produce user-generated content-style content for platforms like TikTok. This content is also making its way onto Reels on Instagram and is driving a change in aesthetic on social media. UGC (user-generated content) is the holy grail of social media, and so now influencers have responded to this market change by offering content that appears to be UGC, but which is still paid-for. With new platforms like BeReal making a debut, which place an emphasis on ‘authenticity’, Gen Z is driving this change to make social media more relatable and within reach. So influencer marketing isn’t necessarily dead, it has simply shapeshifted to respond to current needs.

Since its launch, TikTok is a platform that has been used to display very off-the-cuff, raw and often experimental content. In contrast, the traditional ‘influencer’ has historically promoted an idyllic lifestyle that most can only aspire towards, often detrimentally compared to their own lifestyle. The relatability of the people behind the quick, in-the-moment videos that we see on TikTok has shifted the consumer’s attention away from the previously curated, airbrushed, unattainable content we’ve been used to influencers creating to more relatable and realistic lifestyles. Brands can leverage this by having fun investing in creativity rather than chasing perfection. They will need to be able to move quickly and turn ideas and experiments into content that resonates with their audience, but building a relatable personality for your brand will only make it more attractive to the consumer.

It's correct to say that current trends are indicating a departure from the airbrushed Instagram ideal of a typical 'influencer' and heading towards a more authentic style of social media content. However, all this does is shift the goal post for the definition of an influencer. Francis Bourgeois is an example of one of the biggest influencers around. Francis rose to fame videoing trains and being himself and has gone on to work with Gucci and walked fashion runways because of it. Influencers are going nowhere, but our current definition of how we measure or perceive them certainly are.

Influencers provide insight into a world unobtainable to many and are considered a vehicle for some brands and producers to position their products in a certain way to appeal to a particular demographic. The rise of un-filtered, lo-fi content thanks to TikTok and BeReal are driven by social-only interactions and intentionally limits the ability for companies to easily create content unless they actively invest time in the platforms to leverage trends to their benefit. For us, as a business, we've grown an audience of nearly 23,000 followers on TikTok and it's clear that un-edited, simple content resonates far better with our younger audience than time-intensive content. With that in mind, the longevity of these platforms is always at risk from future monetisation, and we would be foolish to invest our time and effort too heavily in any new social platform, when "playing the game" has little in the way of measuring success.

I started a TikTok channel called Sex Advice for Seniors, with the view to using it as a way to drive downloads of my podcast with the same name. It has now taken over as our primary channel and I've been taken aback by the response with our latest video generating over 400k views. With these sorts of numbers, it makes sense for brands to be looking to more authentic voices to help them reach new customers and grow their awareness.

I think it depends on the brand. High end products will always need a glossy, polished look and feel as that’s what they are selling. My brand is messy and real because it’s aimed at children and busy parents. My customers really respond to honest, real life feeling content. I posted a reel last year that I felt wasn’t very good quality and it went viral with over 5m views. Less glossy and less serious is the trend I’ve seen and I love it. It’s better for our self-esteem and body image for one thing.

The style may change, but the influencer is here to stay. Influencers will ultimately follow the trends in the market as they want to remain relevant. It also depends on the target audience: high end brands will always want a more polished look, whereas others benefit from the more authentic aesthetic. What we will see is larger brands expressing more of their values to remain relevant to the changing attitudes of their target market.

As we test and learn with our own social media marketing, we have also noticed this trend towards more authentic content featuring 'real' people and stories. I think that it is partly self-perpetuated by social media platforms' algorithms attempting to give people what they think people want. Social users tend to scroll right past anything which looks and feels like an advert. So social platforms de-prioritise that sort of content and content from brands rather than individuals. That's part of a wider challenge for small businesses, where the platforms are making it ever more difficult for brands to gain organic reach. Brands' content is not even shown to their own hard-won followers anymore, as the social media giants push them to pay for everything.

I don't necessarily believe that it is "the end" of influencers. Consumers are very much aware of the differences between an influencer genuinely recommending a product and doing an ad for a brand. I think that the power is now in the audience, and there will be a greater push for micro-influencers, who have smaller audiences and greater influence with their views and opinions. I think the social is starting to return to social media, people want to connect and relate with people, not people who exist simply to facilitate a one-off purchase.