According to marketers, market research and the latest media trends, the content offered by popular accounts (or tales?) of influencers is becoming less and less popular with consumers. To promote their content and products, brands are (re)turning to “normal” people offering “authentic” content, as opposed to overworked and artificial content.
The End of Scripted Content on Social Media
The gradual loss of interest in the artificial content of influencers on social networks is causing an upheaval in the world of online advertising. This is partly explained by the popularity of TikTok and its algorithm, which rather prioritizes types of content, and not popular creators. This is explained in a recent article published by Fast Company magazine.
In addition, the confinements would have prevented from organizing complex photo shoots and video productions. As a result, more original and improvised forms of content have emerged. According to a recent Entribe study, conducted among North American users, 85% of respondents no longer trust influencers. They believe that they are paid to speak well of a company and its products (whether true or not), which makes them lose their credibility vis-à-vis consumers. 29% of respondents even consider that the image of a brand is negatively affected by the intervention of an influencer!
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Cheaper offers with amateur creators
According to the Entribe study, consumers are looking for authenticity. Following the law of supply and demand, brands are therefore moving away from the biggest macro-influencers and focusing on micro-influencers: a smaller, but more engaged audience. For brands, this also represents an economic advantage, because small content creators are less expensive.
Thanks to this trend, all users of social platforms are becoming potential content creators. No need to have a huge community to be solicited by brands. For Jason Konopinski, content marketing specialist at SocialLadder, this democratizes content production: “If you’re on a platform and posting, you’re now a creator”. Who isn’t today?
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This does not mean that the influencers are finished. Their collaborations are always interesting, according to specialists, “especially to spark conversations about product launches and new brands. We’re all consumers. People get excited about the brands they love and there’s a natural affinity to talking about them.”