I know you have come across ‘paid partnership’ or ‘sponsored post’ sort of attachments in different social media platforms. Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube have become an earning point for many individuals. The term ‘social media influencer’ was coined and has gained significant popularity. Businesses from large corporates to SMEs have shifted their social media marketing strategy. They no longer just post in their pages but use different persons or celebrities who have a wide audience outreach to market their services or products.

Now, earning from social media is not a bad thing because we are all looking for ways to add an extra coin to our pocket. However, it is concerning that the essence of social media is being lost in this new wave of influencer marketing. The never ending marketing posts have taken over the normal content that should on be social media platforms. The issue is that every time I scroll through my IG page, there are more of ‘paid partnership’ posts than there are social posts from my friends or followers.

Social media was created to communicate with friends , foster human connection, or share ideas. Prior to all this, people logged in into Facebook and Instagram to change their profile picture, like and comment on their friends/ families posts as well as write what they truly had in mind. They would simply project whether they were sad, happy, with family, out and about or vent their frustrations.

It’s not the case anymore. Many individuals are in their social media platforms to sell what different brands have paid them. The need to associate their posts with numerous hashtags – mostly of well known brands – so as to attract brand sponsorships has become more common. How many hashtags were there in an IG post in 2012 in comparison to one in 2022? The answer is definite. Recently, there are more hashtags than the characters in the caption of every post.

Why is this? Because social media has become a point for companies to instigate more consumerism. The more we scroll, like, comment, and admire what our favorite influencers are being paid to post, the more we are buying. Social media influencing has become an effective digital marketing strategy as companies are assured of increase in sales. A study done by Forbes showed that 81 percent of consumers’ buying decisions are influenced by social media posts. Consumers are drawn into purchasing ‘paid partnership’ products because they believe their favorite influencer is using them.

Of concern is that this might not be the case. Think about it this way, if every post is being paid for, then what is is authentic and what is a façade? How can I be sure what you’ve posted and recommended as a good product is true yet you have been paid to tell me so? That means that most of us are just buying things because of a ‘sponsored post’. The higher the number of these posts, the thinner our pocket gets. Being able to discern what is right for you amidst all this, is quintessential not just for your finances but mental health as well.

While one would not reject the concept of social media influencing in its entirety, it is definite that it has unlocked a new kind of evil in society- that of manipulation, deceit, and greed.