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Is the World Becoming Too Cynical for Social Media Influencers?
It might be easier than ever to attain celebrity status, but that has also made influencers less appealing to the public.
I often find myself scrolling through Instagram, seeing which people the app suggests for me to follow. When I see a profile that looks interesting, I take a quick look at its follower count. Then I look through the content — selfies on the beach, pensive photos overlooking the cityscape and healthy-looking meals with shoutouts to other personal brands.
A million questions then pop into my head: What value does this person provide to their followers? How long did it take them to accumulate such a large following? And perhaps most importantly, who is this person?
The internet and advanced mobile tech brought so many changes to our lives, but social media influencers might be the strangest of them all. In the past, celebrities had to be born into wealthy families, start highly successful businesses, produce amazing art, star in blockbuster movies or reach new heights in their respective fields. Now, you just need a smartphone, opinions and the initiative to turn yourself into a personal brand. Consequently, there are now thousands and thousands of influencers with millions of their own…
