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Will Social Media Influencer Advertising be the Downfall of Retail Businesses?

Competition is tough for retailers these days, and this is why many try to find innovative ways to stay ahead of their competitors. Many use promotions such as Amazon shopping vouchers to try and bring new customers on board, you can learn about these on this page. Others look at modern advertising solutions to spread the word about their goods and products. Over recent years, this has included promoting and advertising their products through social media influencers.

However, there are suggestions that using this method of advertising in the current climate could do advertisers more harm than good, as there has been a huge backlash against influencers lately. Many have defied lockdown and have jetted off to places such as Dubai under the guise of having to travel for work. Once there, they have done little more than sun themselves on beaches and post photos for the millions of people in lockdown to see.

Creating Anger Among the General Public

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When celebrities find themselves in hot water, they are often dropped from projects that they are working on such as movies and advertising campaigns. While influencers are certainly not in the same league as proper celebrities, many businesses do try and spread the word about their products by paying them big bucks to advertise and promote their products.

Experts have said that there are now a few issues that could lead to the downfall of businesses advertising in this way. One of the key ones is that many of these people have lost huge numbers of followers because of their flouting of lockdown rules. Some have tried to claim that their travel is essential because it is for work. However, their ‘work’ appears to consist of little more than lying on sunbeds scantily clad and sipping cocktails while showing the rest of the locked-down world what a good time they are having.

As a result, there has been a huge backlash from followers around the world, with some even suggesting social media campaigns to encourage followers to unfollow these influencers. This could see many businesses suffer, as not only will follower numbers drop but some people have even suggested boycotting brands that use social media influencers to promote their products and services.

A Thing of the Past?

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As the younger generation moves into adulthood, some have suggested that social media influencer advertising for businesses has become a thing of the past. Followers of these so-called celebrities are generally teens and kids who do not earn any money let alone spend any. Many older followers are fast unfollowing these influencers, not least because of their poor reputation for being vacuous and self-entitled with little to offer society and, in some opinions, zero talent.

For some businesses that are serious about gaining custom from bona fide advertising methods, social media influencer advertising may become a thing of the past. Many have come to realize that their consumers want more realistic advertising rather than the fakeness that is peddled by social media influencers.

About Suzan Vega