You’ve probably seen many social media videos in which an influencer promotes a product either by using it or showing it off to their followers. But as more users buy products online promoted by influencers, there has been a rise of influencers known as “deinfluencers.”
Here’s what you should know about deinfluencers.
What are influencers?
Influencers are known as the modern entrepreneur, according to National Geographic. They can influence their followers to buy products by promoting the products on their media platforms.
Influencers can make a living off of these videos by creating partnerships with companies and by using affiliate links.
Data from HubSpot’s Consumer Trends Report reveals that in 2023, Instagram Shops and Facebook Shops were the top two most popular social media selling features among social media marketers, with 59% of product marketers sharing that they’ve seen an increase in sales on social media in 2023.
HubSpot also found out that there was a 33% increase in users buying a product endorsed by an influencer between May 2022 and May 2023.
A separate Statista survey of TikTok users found that, in 2022, 28% of respondents bought a product due to a celebrity or influencer endorsement.
The deinfluencing era
The hashtag #deinfluencing has over 1.5 billion views on TikTok, according to NPR. The concept of deinfluencing has been around for a few years on social media as creators try to convince their followers to not buy everything they see on social media.
Business Insider described deinfluencers as “creators who are urging viewers not to buy something.” They reported that the term got its start at the beginning of 2023 and is often found in beauty and lifestyle videos.
Deinfluencers try to convince everyday people to use what they have instead of heading out and buying a new thing, per NPR.
This could help deinfluencers gain credibility with their followers and be seen as authentic, according to Business Insider.
Deinfluencers help their followers avoid buying products that are “overpriced, potentially harmful, or ethically questionable,” per Vogue.
There are also deinfluencers who try to guilt-trip people that spend too much money, per CNN. But most deinfluencers are trying to help create a positive change.
According to NPR, deinfluencers are trying to send “a deeper message to their followers about how to live sustainably in a way that helps the planet.”
According to NPR, research from Futerra, a change agency founded by Solitaire Townsend, found out that “83% of respondents think TikTok and Instagram are good places to get advice about how to live sustainably and that 75% are more likely to change their behavior in a direction that is good for the environment after watching social media content.”