Influencing During A Global Pandemic: What Are The Rules?

Let’s be honest, no one really ‘liked’ influencers before the global pandemic broke out so it’s unlikely that this is our time to shine, but I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how and whether influencers can still earn a living. Make no mistake, like them or not, for many it’s a full time job and some even rely on it to feed, home and clothe their entire family. Influencing is still a relatively new marketing reality and with time exposure will lead to acceptance but, for now, influencers will be walking a fine line of acceptability during the Covid-19 outbreak.

I’ve never taken my ‘job’ as an influencer overly seriously hence my ‘instawanker’ title. That doesn’t mean I don’t take a lot of time to think about and create content; it just means, I’ve never taken it for granted. For me, earning money on social media has always been a ‘make hay while the sunshines’ type of thing rather than a ‘basket I put all my eggs in’ situation but, for the first time I find myself relying on it for income. Hustle & Fox relies on face to face experiences whether that’s event, workshops or consultations so, with zero income coming in there, I’m digging deep to see if there is a way to keep income well, in-coming.

I’ve seen a great deal of intolerance for influencers across social media since the outbreak of the virus. A radio producer on Twitter said yesterday, “Have influencers ever felt more ridiculous than now?” Fair question, but slightly ridiculous when she’s been the one responsible for ‘booking’ me on radio shows as an ‘influencer’ pre-Covid-19. I’ve also seen people lay into influencers for posting and #ad during this time. While many of these campaigns are booked in advance (often months), some won’t have been, and I’m left wondering, why isn’t it ok for influencers to make a living during this time?

I think it’s important to note that since the outbreak, and subsequent lockdown, most paid activity on social media has either been postponed or cancelled. Fair enough. Concepts that were acceptable pre-covid-19 are obviously not necessarily so now. But, the simple reality is that more people are on social media than ever (anyone else’s screen time up 78%?) so it’s naive to think that companies still able to do business aren’t going to try and capitalise on a marketing avenue that has every chance of not just working but being more effective than ever. If we don’t blame the companies for trying to survive any which way during the outbreak, is it reasonable to blame the influencers for doing the same thing?

Smart influencers will do it right. They’ll be relatable, honest and open about the situation they find themselves in. They’ll pick the right campaigns for their audience. Sure, I’d love to try and promote cashmere loungewear now but that’s not my audience. They’ll dial down the gifting from small and independent businesses, understanding that now is not the time to be taking free product from companies that likely can’t afford it and not work for free for big companies that can still afford marketing budgets. They’ll trust their guts when it comes to briefs and feed back to brands if they feel there are missteps in messaging, regardless of the fee they’re being paid. Now, more than ever, influencers have to stand up to brands if they feel that a campaign is tone-deaf and not be blinded by the pound signs.

And if they do all that? Well, I think we need to learn to be ok with them trying to make a living in these times. It may make you uncomfortable - I’ve seen paid #ad campaigns that have made me uncomfortable but I’ve scrolled on by or given people the benefit of the doubt because when we find ourselves in unprecedented times, it’s hard to know what the rules are.

So, yes, it may feel weird to see influencers selling shit right now. I get that. But it’s no different to Gary in sales trying to flog accounting software because that’s his job and that’s how he makes a living. I guess my message is this: I’m aware. I know it might feel icky, but I also know that I’m relying on it to contribute to our family economy. As two self-employed parents (one of whom is an Ltd. so, basically, fucked), we’re just trying to survive and many others will be too. If this clusterfuck has taught us anything, I hope it’s taught us to focus our energy on the people we love and let other people do them.