Influencers have been shaping consumer behavior for the past decade, telling people what to buy and which brands to choose. But lately, a new trend called deinfluencing has emerged on social media, especially on TikTok. Deinfluencing involves influencers telling their followers what not to buy and which brands to avoid, based on their honest and critical reviews. The aim is to help consumers make more conscious and informed buying decisions and reduce overconsumption.
This guide will explain what deinfluencing is and why it's important for brands to understand it.
• What is Deinfluencing?
• Why is Deinfluencing Trending?
• How Deinfluencing Differs from Influencing
• Why Brands Should Care about Deinfluencing
• How Deinfluencing Could Affect Your Marketing Strategy
• Frequently Asked Questions
Deinfluencing is a trend where influential social media personalities persuade their followers to not buy certain products or brands that they think are overhyped, overpriced, or low-quality. They may share realistic and negative reviews or expose products that are not worth the money, helping consumers to evaluate their purchases more critically. The main goal is to encourage others to make more conscious buying choices and limit overconsumption.
Deinfluencing started in the beauty and lifestyle industries, but has since spread to other industries as well. It also originated from TikTok, but can now be found on other platforms as well.
Deinfluencing has become popular on social media for several reasons. First, many consumers are feeling overwhelmed by the constant influx of new products and trends that influencers promote, leading to shopping addiction and overconsumption. For instance, the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend encouraged people to make impulse purchases based on viral videos they saw on TikTok even if they didn't really need those products.
Second, many consumers are becoming more skeptical about the authenticity of influencer recommendations, especially when they are sponsored by brands. For example, a recent controversy called Mascara Gate involved a popular creator who was accused of wearing false eyelashes in a sponsored video promoting L'Oréal mascara. This raised doubts about whether influencers can be trusted or not.
Third, many consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental and social impacts of their consumption habits, and are looking for ways to reduce their carbon foot print and support ethical brands. Deinfluencing can help them achieve this by discouraging them from buying unnecessary or harmful products.
Deinfluencing is different from influencing in several ways. While influencing aims to persuade consumers to buy more products or brands, deinfluencing aims to persuade them to buy less or none at all. While influencing relies on positive and favorable reviews, deinfluencing relies on negative and realistic reviews. While influencing focuses on creating hype and excitement around products or brands, deinfluencing focuses on creating awareness and caution around them.
However, deinfluencing also has some similarities with influencing. Both trends involve influential social media personalities who have a large and loyal following. Both trends also involve sharing opinions and recommendations about products or brands based on personal experience or expertise. And both trends can have an impact on consumer behavior and brand reputation.
Deinfluencing is a trend that brands should not ignore because it could have significant implications for their marketing strategy and performance. Here are some reasons why brands should care about deinfluencing:
• It could impact existing marketing efforts: If influencers start deinfluencing your products or brands, it could undermine your existing marketing efforts and damage your brand image. It could also reduce your sales and revenue as consumers may decide to not buy your products or switch to your competitors.
• It could create new marketing opportunities: On the other hand, if influencers start deinfluencing your competitors' products or brands, it could create new marketing opportunities for you. It could boost your brand awareness and credibility as consumers may see you as a better alternative. It could also increase your sales and revenue as consumers may decide to buy your products or switch to you.
• It could influence future marketing trends: Deinfluencing could also influence future marketing trends as consumers may become more discerning and demanding in their buying choices. They may look for more authentic and trustworthy influencers who provide honest and helpful reviews. They may also look for more sustainable and ethical products and brands that align with their values and beliefs.
Deinfluencing could affect your marketing strategy in different ways depending on how you respond to it. Here are some possible ways to adapt your marketing strategy to the deinfluencing trend:
• Monitor the deinfluencing trend: The first step is to monitor the deinfluencing trend and see how it affects your industry, your products, and your brands. You can use tools like HubSpot or Influencer Marketing Hub to track the deinfluencing hashtag, videos, and influencers on social media. You can also use tools like Google Alerts or Mention to monitor mentions of your products or brands online.
• Engage with deinfluencers: The next step is to engage with deinfluencers and see if you can turn them into your allies or advocates. You can reach out to them and ask for their feedback, opinions, or suggestions on how to improve your products or brands. You can also invite them to collaborate with you on campaigns, events, or product launches. You can also offer them incentives, discounts, or free samples to try your products or brands.
• Improve your products or brands: The most important step is to improve your products or brands based on the feedback and insights you get from deinfluencers and consumers. You can work on enhancing the quality, value, and functionality of your products or brands. You can also work on making your products or brands more sustainable, ethical, and transparent. You can also work on creating a unique and compelling brand story that resonates with your target audience.
• Leverage your existing influencers: The final step is to leverage your existing influencers who are loyal and supportive of your products or brands. You can ask them to create positive and authentic content that showcases the benefits and features of your products or brands. You can also ask them to counteract the negative reviews or claims made by deinfluencers. You can also ask them to promote your products or brands to their followers who may be interested in them.
Here are some frequently asked questions about deinfluencing:
• What is deinfluencing?
Deinfluencing is a trend where influential social media personalities persuade their followers to not buy certain products or brands that they think are overhyped, overpriced, or low-quality.
• Why is deinfluencing trending?
Deinfluencing is trending because many consumers are feeling overwhelmed by the constant influx of new products and trends that influencers promote, leading to shopping addiction and overconsumption. Many consumers are also becoming more skeptical about the authenticity of influencer recommendations, especially when they are sponsored by brands. Many consumers are also becoming more aware of the environmental and social impacts of their consumption habits, and are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and support ethical brands.
• How does deinfluencing differ from influencing?
Deinfluencing differs from influencing in several ways. While influencing aims to persuade consumers to buy more products or brands, deinfluencing aims to persuade them to buy lessor none at all. While influencing relies on positive and favorable reviews, deinfluencing relies on negative and realistic reviews. While influencing focuses on creating hype and excitement around products or brands, deinfluencing focuses on creating awareness and caution around them.
• Why should brands care about deinfluencing?
Brands should care about deinfluencing because it could have significant implications for their marketing strategy and performance. It could impact their existing marketing efforts, create new marketing opportunities, and influence future marketing trends.
• How can brands adapt their marketing strategy to the deinfluencing trend?
Brands can adapt their marketing strategy to the deinfluencing trend by monitoring the trend, engaging with deinfluencers, improving their products or brands, and leveraging their existing influencers.
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