Social media influencers, have become a vital ally of business, giving an edge to the marketing landscape. However, all is not hunky-dory
By Aditi Rana
In the global and local digital terrain of our contemporary era, social media influencers have revolutionized modern marketing; they have emerged as its new embodiment!
They are identical to the new leaders of ‘modernist’ advertising. They hold a dominant influence over people’s perceptions about products and brands, and to top it off, they have the ability to cultivate trust and authenticity among their followers.
Indeed, this could go both ways.
They often share the tea about their personal lives, write creative reviews, which make the audience hooked towards their content They seem much more transparent than the traditional celebrities, as their activities are often more visible, due to which the audience feel ‘a certain connect’ with them; there seems a kind of ‘bonding’.
Social media influencers are a diverse bunch, covering everything from beauty and fashion to fitness,
travel, gaming, cinema, sports, lifestyle, and more. Business groups team up with such professionals who match their brand and the people they want to reach. It can be smaller influencers with specific followers, or bigger ones with lots of fans — the goal is to pick the right match to get the best results.
They can also help businesses get more people to interact with their content, visit their websites, and, finally, buy their products. According to researchers, people trust ads recommended by these individuals much more than conventional ads.
Social media influencers, therefore, have become a vital ally of business, giving an
edge to the marketing landscape.
However, all is not hunky-dory.
Critics point out that they can enter people’s privacy, via algorithm, or through perception surveys They can identify what people desire, their preferences, likes and dislikes.
They can even enter one’s medical and personal history.
It all seems innocuous at the first instance, but it is done very smartly, with motive and intent, to make profits.
Critics also argue, social media influencers are successfully manipulating the mass subconscious. For instance, they might be appearing for a ‘social cause’ but would be actually targeting unsuspecting people as ‘potential consumers’ for their ‘profit-making’ enterprise.
Indeed, a balanced, informed and educated approach would help. Social media influencers, therefore, like ad agencies and sponsors, should publicly declare, if they are working for certain business groups, and thereby let individuals make the right choice.
Aditi Rana is a Class 10 student of Dr BR Ambedkar School of Specialized Excellence (SoSE), Andrews Ganj, Delhi Board of Secondary Education, Delhi government.