Hello Lovelies!
I know what you’re thinking, and no this truth bomb is not about how social media is just some mirage posing as reality. I have plenty of thoughts regarding the reality of social media, the images that influencers present, the relationships we create, and the stories we tell, but that is all for another time. Today I am here to discuss social media platforms, particularly instagram, and how they greatly affect the business of influencing.
Earlier this week my instagram appeared to be hacked. After some suspicious notifications within the app, 51 instagram posts, 2 IGTV videos, and numerous archived stories were deleted from my instagram. I do not believe this was the work of a hacker, however, I believe this is a very real glitch that happens to many instagram users. Some users spontaneously lose their posts, and others have their accounts wiped out entirely. Sure, Instagram is a very large platform and cannot realistically keep up with the needs of all 800 million of its users, but these issues and other app glitches present real world problems for the people behind the post.
The main issue here is trust. Every day, SO MANY PEOPLE put their trust in an app to maintain their image, create their portfolio, connect them with friends, and protect their public and personal data. Yet, these expectations we have for platforms are NEVER guaranteed. Instagram has the right to completely wipe out our accounts yet we focus so much energy on our feeds and follower count that we forget this reality.
It is one thing to lose your photos from an incident like this, but now imagine yourself as an influencer, working hours at a time creating and promoting instagram posts in order to make a living. Now imagine your source of income, your connections, and your portfolio wiped out.
The unreliability of Instagram and other platforms poses a silent threat to influencer marketing. This particular platform is arguably the most important tool for influencers and other businesses, but when you suddenly lose all your hard work to a glitch, you wonder if it is all worth it.
Please keep yourselves safe on social media. I hope this article teaches you all how fleeting this world can be, and why you should carefully consider the decision to depend on it for a career.
xx,
A
I couldn’t agree with all of the thoughts you just shared more than I already do! I am loving all of the things you have shared on your blog and cannot wait to read the next.
Lexie