Influencers – it wasn’t that long ago that influencers weren’t even a thing. You would read magazines for celebrity interviews, and watch TV for ideas on what to buy. Now though, influencers are everywhere. Here we talk about the role of influencers and why we love them.
What is the first thing you do when you want to buy a new toy for your little one? Go online, of course! Not just to check for prices, but to check for reviews. You want to know how useful this new toy will be. You want to check out the quality and whether it will last long enough.
So where do you go for the reviews? There are parenting websites like this one, where bloggers or website owners will review products for you. These are usually genuine product reviews. There are strict guidelines and you simply aren’t allowed to give a good review just because someone gave you a free item! Not only would it be morally wrong, you don’t want to mislead your readers, but its also legally wrong, thanks to the guidelines from people like ASA.
Some product reviews can be from real people, or again on websites like this one, where we just want to share some great products we have bought ourselves. These reviews are really fantastic value as you will get a true reflection of how the toy was played with, for example.
Instagram is another place we go for ideas on what to buy. Your favourite Instagram influencer only has to include a new toy or item of clothing in their latest grid post, for a flood of questions on where to get them! This is why popular influencers are quite successful in terms of advertising and sponsored posts, because actually they have done all this work to get there! They can be parenting, wedding, or even pet influencers!
But how does it happen? People don’t just spring to fame, unless they have done some TV previously. There are lots and lots of really popular so-called mommy bloggers out there. They may have started out by perhaps writing a blog. This has then grown in popularity because they have also used social media (as well as great content). Instagram stories are one of the first things I go to in the morning. Its interesting to see people’s lives – it doesn’t matter if they are rich or just living an ordinary life. Its great to see how other people’s school runs go – and then get some tips on how to improve yours. Sometimes its nice to see that actually not everything always goes smoothly for everyone – yes kids make a mess baking, but look at the fun they are having!
You do of course need to take all social media posts with a pinch of salt – you are only seeing a tiny snapshot of people’s lives, and its not good to compare yourself with anyone. What you can do, is take some of their great ideas and tips and improve your life yourself.
Sometimes, though, its great to look through all the Instagram posts purely looking for some celebrity escapism. No, I can’t afford a $50million house with thirty rooms. But I really love checking out how the other half live! Also, some of these things can be used just for inspiration. I love to look at Beyonce’s latest post just for some good old fashioned gossip, too. Its interesting and fun, and can be used in such a light hearted way.
