Although the spectacle of influencers flaunting their affluence has long been a staple of social media, there are signs that audiences are growing tired of it. Experts say “influencer fatigue” is wearing on young people who crave authenticity as inflation rises and achieving a stable livelihood becomes increasingly difficult.

According to data from a YPulse study shared with Yahoo News, 45% of people between the ages of 13 and 22 say influencers just don’t have the same power that they used to. About 53% said they were more likely to trust recommendations from regular people online whom they don’t know rather than creators with large followings.

Influencer marketing once offered an alternative to typical celebrity marketing. Celebrities appeal to us as salespeople because of the psychological phenomenon known as the halo effect. If someone is talented or beautiful, we assume they are highly qualified in other ways as well, which boosts sales. Influencers, who are powerful but not conventionally famous, offered a more relatable and accessible alternative. They’re far enough removed from celebrities that we can relate to them — until we can’t.

  • twig@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    8 months ago

    This just means the next wave of influencers are going to appear to be “regular people.” There’s no such thing as neutrality or authenticity on communications platforms that exist to sell advertising space.

    • Num10ck@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      im expecting ai generated mass customized ads made exactly for what triggers you, with the kinds of people you want to see/be in the places you want to be in/with the background audio as you like/using the lingo that works on you… it will be horribly wonderful and nobody can share the experiences. and when that fails to work anymore?