Are Influencers Fake?

Instagram Vs Reality is a bit of a content trend, and in many ways, what you see on social is the airbrushed version of reality. That doesn't mean influencers are fake though.

Core to being an influencer is authenticity. Audiences know when the creators they follow aren’t being the real them. This doesn’t mean that creators have to share everything about their lives with their audience - no creator owes you their privacy. Audiences wouldn’t engage or keep coming back to a creators page if they weren’t feeling they were getting the ‘real’ creator. Part of this is because key to being a creator is community.

But that doesn't mean that Instagram, TikTok or YouTube are real life!

What you see on Instagram is an airbrushed version of life. That creator you follow might look like they have the most gorgeous, tidy, boujee bedroom, but you haven’t seen the mess in the background, or the planning that has gone into taking their latest post. Just because they feature a LV bag in their content or look like they go out to the most fancy bars and restaurants doesn’t mean that this is their lifestyle. The important thing to remember is not to compare yourself!

Virtual creators are a thing though…

You may have heard about lilmiquela or Shudu. These creators are CGI and are created digitally by creatives or brands themselves. Their lives are fully fictional, with their lifestyle, looks, and social life created from the imagination of their makers. Some have worked with brands from Lexus, to Fenty to Samsung.

Fake followers though?

Yes, this is a thing, some people do buy their followers on Instagram. However, this doesn't mean that influencers are built on fake followers. More often than not, if you have an Instagram account, you will have been followed by a bot at some point or another. The true mark of how authentic a creator’s audience is is by looking at the engagement rate. If a creator has consistent strong engagement (of at least 1%), they more than likely have an authentic audience. Remember, you can’t be an influencer if you aren’t actually influencing people…

Successful creators are true to themselves.

No, influencers aren't fake: being an influencer is all about creating content that is authentic to yourself and your audience. It is important to remember not to compare yourself, as more often than not, what creators post are often the highlights. Creating content that you love, and that is true to you is key to being successful as a creator if you want to have sustained growth, and have an engaged audience. Being a content creator is less about getting quick, viral growth, and more about building up an engaged community.