by Kaylee Lauriel, PR Intern
I think we can all agree that influencers are good at… well, influencing. Sometimes it’s like I can’t go more than two days without buying something that a stranger on the internet told me I just couldn’t live without. But is the Goliath of influencer marketing about to meet its David?
Meet “de-influencing.” – the anti-thesis of influencer marketing in which a content creator tells their followers what not to buy or what “life hacks” not to try. As of this blog post, there have been over 700 million videos tagged with #deinfluencing on TikTok. This new trend of debunking trends has more to it than meets the eye, however.
Here is one example of de-influencing in action. This TikTok content creator posts multiple videos where he does a voiceover on top of a compilation of “life hacks” and explains why you shouldn’t do them. This is just one type of de-influencing, where the content creator tells you flat out not to fall into something just because it is trendy.
Another way of de-influencing that is becoming more popular is alternative influencing, or “don’t buy that trendy product that you’ve seen a thousand times, buy this less trendy product that will actually help you.”
So, why is de-influencing becoming popular? One reason might be because consumers are moving further and further away from the mass consumerism that has been creeping its way into our culture since the pandemic, when the only thing left to do with your day was online shop.
Another reason behind de-influencing is because content creators want to be as transparent with their followers as possible. Transparency and reputation are on the front of content creators’ minds. Can you really believe someone who is getting paid to support a brand who may not have your best interests in mind? Consumers are beginning to question the authenticity of influencers’ suggestions – are they truly helpful products, or is this influencer just trying to make a buck?
So, what does this mean for you and your company? First, it means that you will have to choose your influencers wisely. If you wish to do an influencer program, make sure you choose one that will accurately review your product and not one known to post de-influencing videos.
Make sure you are also being as transparent as possible with your product. If viewers appreciate honesty with influencers, they will also appreciate it with brands. Accurately promote what your product can do and how it will help, and this will ensure that your product will not get a negative review for not being worth it.
On the flip-side, it also means you have an opportunity to get your product out there if you believe it is a more efficient alternative to more trendy products. One benefit to de-influencing is that it can appeal to more niche audiences and help push your products towards an audience that would otherwise never know it existed.
De-influencing can be an opportunity for your brand, but only if you let it. How will your company join the trend of anti-trends?
