The Rise of De-Influencing

Have consumers had enough of influencers?

Influencer marketing is a growing segment of social media marketing. Brands pay individuals with a huge following to market their products and services on social media, and sometimes, they can get a significant return on their investments with an influencer. It’s at least a billion-dollar business. From A-list celebrities to micro-influencers, they have an important role on social media because it is their job to create content and persuade others to buy the products.

Most customers make purchases online because they see it advertised on TikTok or Instagram. As an older Gen-Z woman, I always see beauty and clothing promotions as I scroll on TikTok. I’ll admit—sometimes, I buy stuff because I saw it on TikTok, too. There are also hashtags for people who are influenced online, like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt or #AmazonFinds.

It is a bit wild to be in a generation where our attention span becomes short: we scroll on our phones, see a video of trending world news, and then scroll up to see someone else showing off her Amazon haul.

But that’s a different topic for another time, so I digress.

It was so refreshing to see a TikTok video on de-influencing for the first time last year. As I looked into articles online, I was glad to see this topic trending over the past year.

So, what exactly is this “de-influencing” trend?

You can say it’s the opposite of influencing. De-influencing discourages consumers from buying overhyped products on social media. Sometimes, it convinces people to purchase alternative and cheaper products that do the job just fine—or even better. It is another way to oppose overconsumption and materialism and move towards minimalism, where you are conscious and intentional with your purchase.

But is de-influencing another way of influencing? Of course, it is. But this trend encourages people to think twice before they click “Add to Cart.” It convinces others not to buy things just because you saw it trending on Instagram and TikTok.

De-influencers are transparent and critical of overhyped products. They encourage consumers to have honest conversations about the products and brands, from their quality to the brand's ethical standards. This new trend makes customers more trusting of the de-influencers than influencers because they are genuine, whereas influencers are paid and sponsored to market products.

De-influencing is going to change the game in influencer marketing. This trend won’t harm businesses’ influencer marketing strategies because people still (and have to) buy stuff. However, marketers must understand that people are likelier to buy into authenticity and transparency. On social media, we usually see influencers living extravagant lifestyles.Now, the audience wants to watch relatable and unfiltered content.

In some cases, people called out the influencers and the brands when they found out they were lying about the product, which hurt their reputation. So, this feedback held the brands accountable to provide quality products for their businesses and customers.

When I typed “de-influencing” on my TikTok, the top videos were people discussing makeup and skincare products that were way overhyped and not worth it. As a regular (and also broke) consumer, usually unfazed by the “aesthetic” lifestyle and the cute packaging, seeing de-influencing videos was interesting and informative.

This trend is becoming popular for another good reason, too. People now realize that overconsumption is wasteful for their wallets and the environment because they will eventually throw the product away if they don’t use it.

As I mentioned, the de-influencer trend is similar to the minimalist trend. The message is to start buying with intention. Is this something you will use consistently? Will you see yourself using it in the next six months? Or are you just buying it because of the hype?

De-influencing does not mean discourageing people’s spending habits. In fact, if you have the money and want it, go for it! The point of this trend is to encourage conscious spending habits so that you don’t fall into the hype and waste money. Only buy it if you need it and can afford it!

So, no—I don’t need the $500 Dyson hair dryer. My regular hair dryer does the job.

You don’t need that pink $45 Stanley Cup. Any quality, reusable water bottle should do.

We don’t need to buy more empty containers…when the laundry detergent and cleaning wipes are already packaged in them.

Remember: product reviews are also subjective. Sometimes, what works for others may not work for you, too. So, you don’t need to buy it just because everyone else is buying it.

- Amy Tang