by Reed Crosgrove
In a world full of influencers, it can be hard to decipher what products being marketed by influencers are actually used by them. Let’s be real, we all know that people influence products they don’t actually stand by just for the paycheck. This sucks for consumers who trust that creator and their opinions because they end up purchasing a product that really might not be worth it. I’ve put together a few of my best tips and tricks for not being tricked into thinking a product is great by someone who does not even use it.
Starting off, I think it’s important to think about what products this influencer has posted about. If you follow someone close enough to want to buy what they are marketing, think about if you have ever seen them post about or talk about this product prior. Many influencers post about products they absolutely love even if they aren’t partnered with the company. If they have posted about it before and got the sponsorship afterwards because they love the product then they probably do use the product. I’ve found that this is especially true when it comes to beauty products and supplements.
Next, do your own research. I know that this probably seems kind of obvious, but it’s a step that many people miss. Just because one person you like posts about it does not mean it’s a fabulous product. Look it up and read the reviews. People are brutally honest in reviews and will tell you every opinion they have about it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve saved myself from buying something I saw someone influence just by reading the reviews. There is nothing worse than ordering something and then it’s awful when it arrives, so do your research!
If there’s something you’re thinking about buying, pay attention to if that person keeps using/wearing it when they’re not promoting it. If it’s a piece of clothing, are they still wearing it even when they aren’t talking about it? This is a good tactic to use when it comes to YouTubers because you can watch their vlogs and see if they wear and use products in their videos that aren’t openly sponsored.
Another trick that I’ve found very useful for clothes, is looking at influencers Depop and Poshmark accounts. So many influencers sell things on those platforms that they’ve gotten from PR boxes or partnerships and it is so telling. I’ve scrolled on influencers closets and seen things listed on there I saw them posting about a week prior. This right here is what taught me to not believe everything my favorite influencers say because they really can make you believe whatever they want.
Be careful with what you are choosing to be influenced by because you can’t always trust what someone says about a product. Do your research to ensure what you’re buying is actually worth it so you don’t waste your time and money.
Hi Reed!
I love this post and I think it’s really beneficial for people like me who are active online shoppers. I act very impulsive when it comes to purchasing at times and then never return any product that does not work for me. With your tips hopefully I can prevent this in the future. Great read!
Hi Reed! I enjoyed reading your post about purchase habits in relation to social media influencers. Alike many people, it can become somewhat easy to fall into the trap of online shopping for hours upon hours. Not to mention, the influence and coupon codes offered by influencers significantly impact many consumers final decision in whether or not to purchase an item. Among my social media platforms, I follow an immense amount of influencers that are constantly trying to promote partnerships with brands — making it challenging to abtain from my shopping addiction. However, I have learned to trust a slim number of influencers that promote the brands they truly support, regardless of monetary compensation. In relation to this post, the suggestions provide a great foundation to evaluate the reasoning behind purchasing products instead of simply contributing to waste with unthoughful purchases. Thanks for sharing!
In my opinion, those influencers on YouTube keep selling thing which doesn’t match the price is a new type of scam. Some people even sell fake nutrition products. It looks like a pill, but actually, that is just a harmless pill and you spend money on it weekly for covering you doing eat healthy food on time. Dude, please be careful! Haha.
Hey Reed! I thought this post was so insightful and relevant right now. It’s so interesting to me that there’s basically a section of TikTok that is only influencers opening their PR packages. They get so much stuff that you know they probably won’t keep it all and it just seems so wasteful.
Hi Reed,
I think that your post has been really insightful. I like the way that you have incorporated influencers and the idea of making logical purchases. I think that we all live in a world where it is very easy to be a consumer, so we need to be very aware of all of our purchases because they all add up. Making mindful purchases is great, and we have to be aware of whether or not influencers that are promoting products are not just in it for the money.