Challenges of a social media influencer! #AAH
Social media in its most democratized way, has positioned this new genre of very powerful “Social media influencers” across platforms. People from metros, small towns & even villages are stars in their own right. It’s beautiful to see their rise, popularity, dreams come true. Fantastic that you are making money, brand collaborations, talent is getting stage, people’s passion is soaring. It gives you an opportunity to meet celebrities, go to big events. I mean, just wow!
But like everything in life, there is a downside as well. Here are few of the challenges of a social media influencer cos as glamorous as it sounds, there is a lot of stress & pressure attached to being a content creator.
You are always playing the role/ character! -Always performing!
Part of what comes with having an established platform as an influencer is having eyes on them all the time. An influencer’s audience may expect them to behave in a certain way and are often disappointed if they do not live up to those expectations. Influencers also have to be “on” in the sense that they pretty much need to be constantly posting and updating their socials.
Negative feedback/ Trolls/ constant mean comments
It takes thick skin to be an influencer as there will be people who do not have kind things to say or may even attack them. An influencer has to be able to ignore or brush off these haters. This is, of course, much easier said than done, which makes this a super tough part of being an influencer. This has very big impact on mental heath. We are human beings & constant harsh words can be detrimental. It can manifest as physical illness as well.
Career uncertainty
Being an influencer does not provide much job security. The competition in the influencer space is fierce. An influencer must constantly be thinking of new and exciting content to keep their audience engaged and growing. They must also be searching for new sponsorships or brand partnerships continuously to keep their income afloat and remain financially stable. Influencers are often sourcing their income from short-term campaigns, always being on the lookout for more opportunities is a must to be able to support themselves and their goals.
Someone pointed out- Undoubtedly, one of the disadvantages of having so many followers on social media is also that that you’ll have less time for your personal life. You have to spend a lot of time finding something interesting to post online or responding to other people’s comments and messages. I’ve seen some influencers decide to quit social media simply because they want to have more times on their own and enjoy their own company without others invading their privacy. Risk of burnout: The constant pressure to create content and maintain an online presence can lead to burnout and mental health issues.
Constant comparison: Influencers are often exposed to a constant stream of images and content from other influencers, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt.
Dependence on social media: Influencers often depend heavily on social media platforms to promote their brand and engage with their audience, which can make them vulnerable to changes in algorithm or policies.
The risk of brand damage: Influencers have to be very careful with the brands they promote, as promoting something that turns out to be a scam, or of poor quality, can damage their reputation.
An important risk no one talks about is that in an effort to make themselves personable, influencers end up exposing their families, children, home, intimate details of their personal lives on social media. Not all influencers travel with security 24×7. This is a serious security risk. Please even if you still wish to continue being an influencer, please be very careful. Revealing details of your residence, all your vulnerabilities, children, old parents, can have serious repercussions.
Social media addiction also leads to addiction to validation. Algorithms will change, new influencers will come and you might get less likes, there will be a new sensation. It might be a very hard emotion to deal with if you are used to public adulation & thrive on it. Remember to come back to real life, practice mindfulness, have a backup plan,
PS- We have also included relevant content from articles/posts available on the subject, online.
Stay Aware, Stay Safe.
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ABOUT ‘AKANCHA AGAINST HARASSMENT’
‘Akancha Against Harassment’ is India’s largest social impact initiative against cyber harassment. It was founded by Miss Akancha Srivastava in February 2017. It’s a not-for-profit Section 8 organization.
Honorary Board of advisors
Foundation’s advisory board hosts – Former Special DGP RK Vij (Chattisgarh), ADG Navniet Sekera (Uttar Pradesh), ADG Krishna Prakash (Maharashtra), Dr Poonam Verma (Principal- SSCBS, Delhi University)
Goals of this initiative
The initiative aims at Education, Empowerment & Bridging of general population with the authorities.
Support of the Indian Police for the initiative
Bridging is the most unique attribute of the initiative. We have a host of over 65+ senior police officers from across the country supporting us in content & awareness drive.
This unique strength helps us address any victim complaints that come to us as well as inform people about various measures of law enforcement across the country.
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