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Don’t Aspire to Be an Influencer
As Instagram crushes opportunities for organic growth, micro-influencers like me risk being exploited. It is time for me to quit.
My name is Emily Aeyoung, or at least that is what over 7,000 people on the internet know me as—a curated digital personality and micro-influencer on Instagram. My account has opened many doors for me, given me a creative outlet and community, and allowed me to collaborate with large brands such as Macy’s, OPI, and Amazon. However, when young girls tell me they look up to me and aspire to be an influencer, my answer is simple: don’t.
I am extremely grateful for the friendships, partnerships, and opportunities I have received through this platform. But my work as a micro-influencer no longer feels worth it to me. I am a full-time graduate student at the University of Southern California, where I study strategic public relations. After graduation, I will likely pursue a 9-to-5 job in the best interest of my financial security, as well as emotional and mental health.
Aside from the most common critique of the influencer culture — namely, its superficiality — the industry is relatively unregulated. This makes monetization, as well as organic growth and reach, incredibly difficult. Many aspiring influencers or micro-influencers are operating at a deficit. As influencers fight for their engagement rates, they struggle to balance the desire to present themselves creatively and authentically, while also conforming to societal standards of what performs best on the app.
Free labor with little payoff
I’m tired of the narrative that casts influencers as entitled millennials who take advantage of businesses. In reality, it’s just the opposite. Mass media is quick to cover the most successful influencers. People don’t recognize the investment (of time, effort, and money — and thus, privilege) that goes into smaller accounts that are trying to make it in the industry. The less advertised reality is that many micro-influencers are being exploited by brands. They don’t recognize it…
