Deinfluencing

Order Kerney Whoalbury and a waddery woman. And before we get started on She's on the Money podcast, I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land of which this podcast is recorded on a wondery country, acknowledging the elders, the ancestors and the next generation coming through as this podcast is about connecting, empowering, knowledge sharing and the storytelling of you to make a difference for today and lasting impact for tomorrow.

This trend or this concept of de influencing, and I'm here for it, like I want to ruin absolutely everything for everybody. So like ten out of ten, let's go. It's very hard word to say, de influencing, de influencing. I'm going to say that the episode. I don't know if there's a right or wrong. I think it's a made up word. So you can do whatever you want with us sick, yeah, greatly anything and hopefully everyone can follow.

All right, carry on. For anyone that's opened a social media app in the past twelve months, you would have seen the de influencing trend. And for anyone who hasn't seen it or still doesn't really understand it, kind of like me, what is de influencing? So it's like the opposite of influencing, which kind of makes sense because it says d front of influencing, so it's kind of self descriptive.

But we all know the quote influencers, right, So that's the term used for people predominantly on social media who use their platforms to sell products or influence their audience to purchase them, which usually results in monetary compensation for the influencer. Now, it would be amiss of me to not admit, right, here that I am an influencer. Hello, I'm not the biggest influencer. In fact, I'm a really

terrible influencer. Half the time, I am deinfluencing on my platform just because it's obviously not one hundred percent of what I do. But I do have a number of partnerships, which is why I feel so passionate about this space.

I suppose because I'm so aggressive on what I will and won't accept, because I feel such a level of I guess responsibility to my audience that I'm like, well, if I don't use that product, and I've never used that product, I'm not just going to get it in and try it and then be like, beck, you should buy it, because to me, that's a massive responsibility. But also the fact that people trust my opinion like oh, it's terrified. It's a lot of responsibility exactly. So deinfluencing

is the exact opposite of that. So rather than telling you to purchase a product, it's where people are influencing you not to buy something and saying, hey, here's all the reasons why you probably don't need the new XYZ.

So it actually originated on TikTok to combat over consumption, but it's now formed different branches where you might see someone really breaking down like a viral product or something, on why they tried it and why they would never buy it again, or at times deinfluencing you not to buy a certain type of thing but buy something else instead, so they might go, hey, cool, so this is trending, but here's the five dollar version ten out of ten.

Why bother getting the branded one. You're just going to ruin it anyway. Right, Wow, that's really like doing God's work. I love that. I think it's so important because at the moment, like they're something obviously this is not going to sit well with a couple of people, but I don't care being in this influence space right, Like, I get sent a lot of email pictures from people being like, hey,

here's this client that has this brand. If you would like to work with them, let us know and we can send some more information out right, ninety nine percent of the time I'm like no, thanks. So I get to see all these different brands. It might be like, you know, furniture companies, it might be clothing companies. It might be restaurants that are opening that say hey, like

we'd love to work with influencers. Rah rah. At the moment, Regulation as it Should Be says that any time you accept a gifted product, even if you don't get payment, you need to disclose that. And because I see all of these pictures and I go, oh, okay, restaurant A is going to be, you know, giving away a free dinner for four people to you know, promote their new business, which is genius, Like it's quite smart strategy, Like influencer marketing is very powerful. Right at the end of the day.

I don't think we're saying, oh, influencers shouldn't exist rarah. No, absolutely not, because I kind of like the market as much as like it's very biased because I'm in it. I really like it because Becky, if I adore you and then I get to see you posting particular products, I'm like, well, if beck likes it, I'm sure I will like it. H Do you know what I mean? Totally smart for brands, smart for them, like everybody is happy.

But do you know how many times over the last few months I've seen companies that I either have worked with or are going to work with, or have seen their pictures of and these influencers are not tagging it,

not branding it. They're just like I'm at the restaurant and you're like, can you please put your hashtag gifted or like the paid partnership thing on, or they're like, hey, I got these products, you know, and they're just styling it in their home or whatever, and I go, yeah, but like, I know it was free, so if you

could just let your community know that, that would be great. Yes, I cannot tell you how many of these things are happening, Like I just it grinds my gears because I look at it and I go, that's so unfair for them not to disclose that they're, you know, gifted a product. Make if I get gifted a product. I'm always on my Instagram being like, look at this free thing I got, guys. Yeah, Like I got sent a baby bounce out and a baby carrier recently, and I was like, guys, look at

this baby Beyon send me their cool baby carrier. Here's my cat in it. That's all my stories right now. Obviously not well the episode maybe not anymore. I'll save it in the highlights or something. But like, I'm so stoked when brands are like, hey, we think you'd love our product, and I'm like, actually, that was all my list of things to buy. I would love that, Like how picked exactly? Money win, Yes, but like, shouldn't we be proud of the partnerships we have? Why are you?

Why are you being a little bit sneaky? It's gone on here. I can't trust you can't trust it. So always feel like if somebody is posting something, You're like, is that paid? Ask Yeah, They're like, hey is this gifted? Oh my gosh, they'll probably block you, so probably do that. Honestly. Is it kind of a new term deinfluencing? No, I don't think so. Like, if we consider deinfluencing, it's obviously encouraging you not to buy certain products. I wouldn't say

that that concept is new, but the terminology around it is. Gotcha, So hashtag d influencing. Looked it up before over eight hundred and eighty million views on TikTok in the past eighteen months. Before that, it just had two million views, which is obviously a lot of views, but like not nearly as many as eight hundred and eighty million. Yes, jeez, that's heaps. Okay, So it's really exploded this year, and I don't really understand why we need someone online to

tell us, you know, not to buy it something. I guess it makes sense if you're being fed all this information, all these ads and all this kind of stuff. I guess you do need it. But is there a reason that it's been such a big conversation and white so relevant right now? I think there are a few reasons.

I mean, first things first, I do disagree with you a little bit, like I think we need it, yeah, because social media is just becoming a sales platform if we don't have people like this or people who want to be just pushing their organic content. Like please, don't get me wrong, I keep referencing myself and I don't mean to. It's not because I'm egotistic or it's just because I live in I guess this sphere. But my

favorite people that I follow aren't pushing products. They're just posting pictures of their kids, pictures of their cats, like what they get up to on the weekends. And I feel like there's actually a push towards an expectation that influences are more organic than they have ever been. Like do you follow someone back nowadays because they have a beautifully curated Instagram feed or do you follow them because they're real and kind of funny, like real and kind

of funny, exactly like whatever. I feel like we're moving away from these carefully crafted Instagram feeds and like beautifully styled TikTok videos to just people who are relatable because we're over that sales pitch and I think having come out of COVID, everybody's feeling the pressure of the cost

of living crisis. But then over consumption is a massive thing, and I think it's pretty sexy when people are kind of calling you out, being like, Beck, you don't need twelve new tops just because you saw them on TikTok, And like that's a bit rich because how many times do I come on this pot I'm like, Ah, this brand new thing that I've bought I got on Dick. You're just like Victoria, but I am a marketer's dream. Like you want me in your like marketing pool because

I'll buy it, Like I'll be convinced three am. I'm like, oh, squishy Toyah, I need this thing that I'll never be uge my life. I'm going to be a better human because of it. So I think it's a huge problem because there are a lot of people like me. We're also way more aware these days of who makes our clothes and where our clothes come from and how many where are we going to be getting from each purchase.

Recently we talked about girl math, and one of the main things on that, I guess girl math trend was really justifying your purchases and going, well, how many wars am I going to get out of this? Can I girl math this beautiful T shirt away? Like, oh, it's one hundred dollars, but I'm definitely going to get a hundred wars out of this, So now that T shirt

is a dollar. So obviously I don't like the concept of girl math, but obviously we are trying harder to justify our purchases now and after you've done an online shopping hall, Like, let's be honest, you you might wear an item one or two times and then think you're doing the right thing by taking it to the op shop because smart genius. Yes, but fifty seven percent of our discarded clothes actually end up in landfill because they don't get sold at the op shop. Oh that's a lot,

that's a lot. That's more than half back production of clothes. You know, we actually did a whole episode on fast fashion, so go back to that for obviously and even deeper dive on that. But it's something that she's on the money is really passionate about. But production of clothes contributes to around eight to ten percent of the world's carbon emissions. So by having de influencers encourage us to buy less or shop well mindfully, it's actually helping with over consumption

and that's a good thing. That's a good thing, honestly, pretty sexy. Back to me being absolutely influenced by everybody always. The hashtag TikTok made Me buy It has more than seventy one billion views. People share things they've impulse bought. Now, I've never made a video like that. If I had started making videos like that, i'd double those views for them because there's just so many things that I have been influenced to buy that's not good, that is terrible.

This is why I need the de influencers. Like I'm all about it, So I said a few things. Another thing that I have thought of is reviews, So you might see influencers telling you what they wouldn't buy again, and it's often a product that went viral on social media. That's a money win because you get a review of a product without ever using it or spending your money

on it. Now, making this about me again, I use TikTok all the time to do research, like I wonder if other people are the same as this, because you know, it's no secret. Now I'm having a baby and I'm looking for a pram and there are in Australia. I did not realize this. Beck it's like a cult like the Mummy like circuit, right, Like there are like two

prams they like and that's it. Oh, Like I didn't realize they're really expensive, Like they're like the fancy prams and you when you're like, are these things actually that good or are they just expensive? Because surely surely it's wheels.

It's a little thing exactly. You see every baby shop and they've got like tens of tens of prams lined up and you're like, surely anyway, So no, going on TikTok has helped me realize I don't want either of those prams because they might have cult status, but they

actually don't have the functionalities I want. So those reviews have really helped and I feel like historically we went to YouTube, but that's really long form content, whereas I can watch like five or ten different two or three minute videos and be like, all right, I know I don't want that now because it's like different mums who have done it, like whatever it is, and I'm sure you could do that with a million different things. Prams is just what I have been looking at at the

moment there. I don't know who I've become, Like, I'm embarrassed, I'm scared. What is the next This is a really slippery slope, like, am I gonna cut all my hair off? Like, we don't know. I think you'd legally have to. I think I need the mum bob. I think you'd leave have to have a mumbob. I soon have to give birth. Maybe you could be de influenced out of the mumbob because you have been de influenced out of the PRAM situation.

So I that seems like a really good thing. I'm look on TikTok reasons not to cut my hair all right, Moving back to the story that we are curating here, a recent study from Meta so they're the people who own Instagram and Facebook. They showed after seeing a product advertised on social media by an influencer. Get this, eighty seven percent of people surveyed either followed the brand on socials, visited their website, or made a purchase.

that was what Instagram was ten years ago. Now they're like, we want people with substance who have real opinions on things, and we follow them, but they also sell product. So I feel like now we have different expectations, but the

influencer space is not going anywhere from my perspective. So what we've learned from Meta is basically that we need dinny influencers, beck Like, we desperately need them, and we need them to make sure that we're not in pols purchasing absolutely everything we see on social media, because obviously that's what's going on. Yes, okay, all right. So the third thing I've come up with is pseudo authenticity, which is obviously meaning fake authenticity, but pseudosocial relationships come into

this as well. So when influencers are super organic on social media and they share basically everything about their life, you immediately go, oh, my friend beck Wait, no, they're not my friend. I just follow them on Instagram, Like, you create what's called a pseudosocial relationship with them, which means you trust them inherently more than anybody else that you see online. Obviously, this is where it's not coming

from a good place because what you have created. It's like when I don't know if you've done this back, but like, you download a dating app. This hasn't happened to me in ten plus years, don't worry. You download a dating app and then you start talking to someone and you're like, this person is the one, Like they are so nice because you know what you've done. You've taken their words and you've put your own tone on top of it, and so you've decided what tone that's

coming from. Like if they say, oh, I'm having a good day, you're like, oh my gosh, that's so nice of him to say that I was having a good day. Like you've just decided in your head what the meaning of all these things are. Yes, And that's really dangerous. It's a slippery slope because you trust them even more. Then, you know what the worst part is you then go on a date and you're like, who is this I are?

So obviously that pseudo social situation means that you're more likely to jump on the bandwagon without questioning it too much. But the other thing with this, Beck is pseudo authenticity. So I said, you've got this pseudo relationship with your influencer, and that makes sense. But then pseudo authenticity because do you know what marketing departments in big retail companies, they spend millions each year. They know about this de influencing

like trend or whatever we're going to call it. And essentially it might actually be marketing companies going, hey, Beck, we want you to make a video about why you wouldn't buy this product and then recommend our product as a as a good alternative. Right, So instead it could actually be a brand jumping on the trend of de influencing by masking something as de influencing when actually it's

not so. For example, they might tell you not to buy certain products, as I explained before, but then go, oh, why don't you buy ours instead? Ha ha ha way better. So similarly, they might hire someone with a social media following to do that for them, Like they might hire me or someone and be like, hey, and I never would accept this. Let's be honest, I'm such a pest. No one wants to work with me. It makes sense.

But they might hire someone like me and go of a like, this is the style of video that we would like you to make, because the way content happens is they don't just go all right, well, let's pretend it's coffee. They don't just send you the coffee, Beck, and they go all right, here have this coffee. Sell it to your audience. They go, hey, Beck, a few weeks before the video comes out, we're going to send you the coffee. Here's a brief. This is kind of

the video we want you to make. Here are all the additional points that we need you to hit in this video. So could you talk about it's color could you talk about the cup it comes in and how comfy the cup is to hold, could you, you know, do all these other things. Then I would make my video and I would send it back and be like, hey, Beck, he's the video that I made. Do you like it? They may go, oh, cut out this bit in this bit, and can you do a voiceover of this? Also, can

you make the caption of this content this? You go, yeah, no worries, and then they select a date that it goes live on your platform. So it might feel super authentic. And if you're working with genuine, super authentic I guess influencers, they might go, n don't like your brief, get that in the bin like it's a grace. Though that is not available to many because if you're in a situation where you're a full time influencer and is your full

time income. If someone comes to you and says, hey, Beck will give you three thousand dollars to make a video, are you gonna then argue with them over the scripting? Probably not. Yeah, So I think it's really important to remember that these things do happen and how it works, and maybe we'll do a whole episode. I think people would be so pervy how to influencers make money. Like, I'll just break it down and be like, all right, here's my media kit. Here's what we do. Here's how

it works. This is what you know on average and influencer charges for an Instagram post if they have this many followers. Here's what they charge for a video. Here's what they charge for a TikTok. This is the process, so that you kind of understand the background of that, because I think it's important for you to be completely across it. And that's probably why, going back to the

start of this episode, I'm so aggressively passionate about disclosure. Yeah, because I'm like, if I've been gifted it, you will know I've been gifted it. And the amount of times I post something that people are like, oh, you didn't say that was gifted, I'm like, no, no, no, that's because I bought it with my cold hard cash, Like I bought that myself. So sometimes you'll actually see my posts not sponsored, just good because I want to share it. Yeah,

because I'm like, I love this. I have ADHD, I live on the internet, and I'm a psycho, Like it's really fun. But I think it's so important to understand why things are done how they're done. And it feels a little bit reminiscent this whole. I guess pseudo authenticity of that green washing episode we did recently or not recently.

It feels recently, but it would have been twelve months ago about the investment world, about how they greenwash you know, their product to make it a little bit more attractive to you so that you think it fits your ethics and values. And I think we'll actually start to see a rise in pseudo authentic posts of this kind, which is why we have to be so careful about being able to identify them. Okay, complex, complex, but her be right, Like,

who doesn't want to know what the influence is making? Yeah, this is juicy. I'm loving this episode. I think let's go to a quick break and when we come back, we'll talk about if we can or cannot trust d influencers. BB. We are back, and you do get me on board. In the first half, they're lad because you said I'm not sure we need this, and I was like, sit down, Becker Roe, we do. I think we do. But also then you mentioned that some de influencers are being told

to de influence so that they can. So how do we know? Like, how do we know? Well, because earlier we learned the stats that quote TikTok made me buy it has over seventy one billion views. Like, obviously, the marketing companies they're going to spend some money on understanding these trends and if they realize that de influencing is a good one, and they're going to be like, how do we integrate this strategy into our marketing plan? Like have you seen how many businesses are now on TikTok

actually creating funny content. Actually, do you know who my favorite person to follow or favorite? Is it a group or a company? You'll be able to tell me in a hot second. I love following New South Wales police on TikTok. Oh following Oh my gosh, they're the best. They are Savage day. I'll show you more videos later. But we do need to talk about whether we can trust d influencers or not. Yes, I mean I don't think de influencing is that different to influencing. They're still

trying to sway your purchase decisions. I guess take the same care as you would when you consume any type of influencer content importantly, ask yourself the question does it feel authentic? Are you feeling the need to impulse purchase something because of this video? Or if they actually just like absolutely sacrifice to product and then you're like, where do I go from here? And you don't know, they're probably genuinely being a dear influencer in that situation if

they've not given an alternative. And then people online are holding brands accountable nowadays, which I think is important, yes, and can spread the world to the masses. It's giving consumers back the power. I think, like, how many times have you seen videos pop up on your feed where they're like, Hey, here's some terrible customer service I got from a brand. Here are all the email replies that I got, and I'm still not happy. So I'm making a TikTok and you just go far out Brussels Sprout

like this is going wild. It also really allows you to reconsider an impulse purchase. How many times on this podcast, Beck maybe with the original de influences us, you're me, how many times have I said put twenty four hours between when you're spending, Like you don't like that? We don't have to say no, we just go how about tomorrow? So put some time between the purchase that you're making

and allow yourself to reconsider an impulse purchase. Obviously, if you listen to the first half of this episode, no you didn't. I'm definitely someone who puts twenty four hours between me and my spending. But it may make scrolling on your phone a much cheaper experience. If eighty seven percent of people start following a round on socials or visit the webs, all make a purchase, the mindless act of scrolling and watching videos actually becomes a really expensive habit.

AP's free, but how much is it costing you? Oh, that's a good way to frame it. Deinfluencing in its truest form helps break up the content getting you to impulse by And importantly, I don't think that you should feel guilty if you impulse purchase from time to time. It's not your fault. Sometimes we really do need that weird cat brush. Exactly how many random things I've purchased and they actually spark joy in my life. It's terrifying.

My friend brought me this little duck that you push its head down, it brings you a toothpick, and it's the best thing that I actually bought you something from TikTok the other day, and I've given Jess her one, but I haven't given you yours, and I meant to bring it in today. But yeah, that was a TikTok purchase. But I know you're gonna love it. I'm really really excited. Thank you so much. You don't even know what it is, but I know I'm gonna love it whatever it is.

As someone with a social media following and you have a level of influence, do you think this new trend kind of undermines the role of an influencer. No, I think it holds it more accountable. Yeah, at the end of the day, like, I think content should be organic. I feel very uncomfortable with the idea that people exist solely on social media to sell products. Yea, And that comes from the very entitled position of not being in that position as a quote influencer. Like I hate the

term influencer, Like it makes me so ick. Like if people like, what do you do for work? Honest to god, I'll always be like, oh, I just work in finance. I don't want to talk about it. It's so weird. And then when you do follow me and you actually know me. Please don't bring up the videos that I post on Internet, like, oh so awkward. They're like, oh, I saw that video you did for Nivia the other day, and I'm like, yeah, it was a really good video. But now can we just talk about how I put

my skincare on? Because I do like that product, but now it feels weird that we're talking about it. I can't imagine what that feels like. But hey, listen, you'll get that linked. Oh I want all your unsolicited recommendations, like do you know why Friday Drinks bex Broke tips goes off because everybody wants you advice. They're like, oh, Beck, this is a legit tip. That is so nice. It all. Mostly, I'm not saying that people are write in but my

ones are usually useless. But I'm very, very crazy. They're not. You've taught me a lot. You've taught me a lot. That's nice, so V. At the end of the day, what would you like people to take away from this episode? Impulse purchasing can happen anywhere, not just on social media. Like the other day, I nearly bought an inflatable spar from Bunnings because it was right there on the way out. I didn't buy it, though, so that's pretty good for me. I'm proud of you, thank you, But I will be

buying an inflatable spir at some point. It just feels like something I need in my life. You need it, Yeah, you totally. I'm over and going my inflatable spa. I got it. Not proud, Actually, I'm disappointed that you didn't buy smart I wanted to do more research. If I'm being honest. Oh okay, then proud again, Thank you, thank you.

But I think we all should be taking a moment before making any type of purchase anyway, and obviously putting twenty four hours between you and your spending and consider if you actually need it. Stick to your budget. That's really sexy. Sometimes it doesn't feel that way, but I promise budgeting is sexy, and don't punish yourself too much if you actually do do it. Yeap, who cares? Move on? Yep, Absolutely no point sacrificing ourselves right now when it was

a mistake we made. Ages go doesn't matter. So I think just being aware of the world as well is quite important. So like the people we follow online do influence the way that we think and feel and act and behave. And I think that it's really important to reflect on that and go, well, other people I'm following actually adding value? Or every time I go on social media, do I feel a little bit trash about the decisions

that I'm making? Like at that point, I go, it's probably time to unfollow, Like you don't necessarily need to be following someone all the time, Like they might have changed their content and you now don't like it anymore.

They might have gone too commercial. Like, don't feel bad if you unfollow someone, because I think making sure that your feeds are really authentic to you is also really important because how many times do we get swept up in peer pressure go, oh my gosh, I must eed the iPhone fifteen, I must everybody else just getting it. I don't need it. My phone works ten out ten. Yeah, so I think it's just really important to take a moment. Again,

don't punish yourself if you're doing it, it doesn't matter. Yeah, I agree with that, great advice for you. I think it's a really good place to leave it. I think it's the best place to leave it. Let's go. I hope you guys have the best weekend. We'll see you on Friday for a Friday drinks, but till then, love you, Bye bye, guys.