Influencers

In theory anyone could become an influencer, but that doesn’t mean that everyone who tries is successful. Influencers have usually gained status through creating a large following on social media platforms, this could be increased by appearing on reality TV, or with a career in film, television, or radio.

Following influencers online can be a brilliant way to discover new things and can be really entertaining, but influencer content can also be misleading. Influencers are paid to promote content, so it may be biased or not what they actually think; posts are likely to be filtered or edited; and even someone with an enormous number of followers, or a verified account, will have their own beliefs and opinions, and these may not match your values.

In the UK, influencers are required by law to clearly mark posts that are advertising or selling something, usually by using the hashtag #ad, #sponsored or #gifted. However, not all influencers do this and some have found themselves in trouble in the past, and their misleading or unlabelled posts have been deleted by the platform providers.

Not everything an influencer posts will be trying to sell you something. However, many influencers have their own product lines and interests, so their content may still have an element of promotion, even if they’ve not been paid to advertise a product. If a celebrity is posting content about their own lives, keep in mind that the online world is heavily edited and every post is carefully chosen to show you the parts of their life they want you to see, e.g. the glamorous and not the mundane!

The more followers someone has, the harder it is to respond and react to things quickly. Influencers’ accounts may be managed by a team of people that help them to create and post content. However, for some influencers running their account can be a full time job, with the money from sponsored content and advertising allowing them to spend their time responding and posting content themselves.

A successful influencer will make you feel like you are being let into their lives and you might even feel close to them, especially if they respond directly to your comments. Their interactions with you might be genuine, but always bear in mind that an influencer can only make money if they have followers, so they need you in order to be successful.

It’s human nature to compare yourself to others, everyone does it! If you begin to feel that using social media is affecting your mental health, then it’s okay to take a break. You can mute or unfollow any accounts that are affecting your wellbeing, and always talk to someone about how you are feeling.

If you choose to have a public account, limit the personal information you share, particularly when it comes to your whereabouts. Consider a private account if you want to keep your posts less accessible to the public and only accept request or messages from people you know. Take care when posting anything that might be seen as controversial or sensitive, as many online users have become subject to criticism over things they posted when they were younger. When dealing with trolls, do not fall into their trap. It’s always best to block, mute and report – then go speak to someone you trust.

Yes! Lots of influencers use their large following to promote positive social change, sometimes officially by joining charitable campaigns, and sometimes unofficially through their own content. Some influencers use their platform to talk about their own experiences, perhaps as a part of the LGBTQ+ community, as people living with disabilities, and many more. Because of the nature of influencers, they reach large groups of people with anything they post, meaning they have power to create great change and can help people feel supported.