However, to attract viewers, get clicks, and gain followers, some influencers go too far without realizing that what they’re doing is ignorant and sometimes even downright wrong. Unfortunately for them, their wrongdoings usually don’t go unnoticed and end up on the news for everyone to see and shame. And Instagram account Influencers In The Wild has done a great job at gathering some of the most shocking ones. Keep scrolling to find them, and don’t forget to let us know your thoughts down below.
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Over the past 20 years, the influencer industry has grown from nothing to a $21 billion empire that has changed our culture and the way information is received, produced, marketed, and shared forever.
This industry was born in the early 2000s, when software such as WordPress and Blogger made self-publishing possible for anyone in the world who has a computer. Later, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, and X normalized regular people creating content online. The first social media companies introduced themselves as more authentic and democratic—a strategy that successfully continues to guide them today.
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Interestingly, the 2008 financial crisis and the Great Recession that followed shortly after encouraged the industry's growth, as many unemployed people turned to blogging and social media to show they hadn’t gone anywhere. That’s what made them authentic and trustworthy—they were just like ‘the rest of us,’ struggling amidst economic and professional crises and trying to connect with others.
Marketers, of course, took advantage of this and began to monetize the relationship between early influencers and their followers. Suddenly, paying for a shout-out with money or free products became possible for brands, and sponsored content was born.
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Posting a photo or video while promoting a product and getting money in exchange can certainly seem appealing. However, a group of researchers from Leuphana University of Lüneburg revealed that this industry is hard work and badly paid, if paid at all, that is.
The first drawback the authors of this study mention is that career and pay are unpredictable, as contracts are often short and job protection is limited. Earnings for those who get paid can range anywhere from £10 to £10,000 for one post. On average, monthly salaries for micro-influencers (1,000 to 10,000 followers) are about £1,135 per month, while for “mega-influencers” (over 1 million followers), it’s £12,279.
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However, to earn this much on social media, people need to put in a lot of administrative and creative effort to attract followers. As one influencer from the study said, “Remember that you are wearing multiple hats—concept creator, set designer, stylist, lighting director, makeup artist, marketing specialist, and photographer—when you’re posting for any brand.”
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Nowadays, some influencers have become brands themselves, creating images, videos, podcasts, and their own merchandise and products. Given their list of tasks, such work can be non-stop, especially keeping in mind that social media is open 24/7 and the need to maintain relationships with followers is constant.
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For some, it’s all worth it, as most influencers started their social media journey as their passion project, wanting to share it with their audience. However, with so many controversies surrounding influencers, like donation embezzlement and spreading misinformation about forced and dangerous labor in fast fashion companies, experts believe the industry needs some guardrails.
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