Greetings from Greenpoint, where it's #nationalloveyourpetday, which is not an official day off for the members of LHC who are not pets. The pets however, are chillin.
Excitement continues round LHCHQ, where we're psyched for the end of winter as portended by a groundhog, but even more excited that our erstwhile content strategist Tallie's band has their first single on Spotify, not to mention a monthlong residency at one of the cooler clubs in the East Village. Some of us have talent!
On to the #content:
Influence
Today in What Are People Lying About on Social Media This Time? we present to you influencers, or more likely wannabe influencers, posting fake sponsored ads on Instagram. Gone are the days when partnering with a brand meant selling out; now, it’s a coveted status symbol which, it turns out, is pretty easy to recreate. #ad
Though the Federal Trade Commission purportedly has rules in place to ensure that followers know when influencers’ posts are being paid for, a billion some-odd Instagram users are not that easy to regulate. And now that information about just how much influencers are paid per post is widely accessible, Insta sponsorships have turned into the ultimate social media status symbol.
Honestly, it’s not that hard to do. If you look at enough paid posts you’ll start to notice a formula, or script that influencers follow. Tag the brand in your post, throw their handle into your caption, and say something along the lines of “I love [x product] in [y time of year] because of [i, ii, and iii reasons].” Influencers are supposed to use #ad or mark that the post is a paid partnership in the location block above the image, but plenty of them just...don’t, who who would be the wiser? Close out with a question for your followers or other engagement CTA, and you’re Gucci. (At least, fake Gucci.)
Naturally, these fake posts frustrate brand spokespeople and actual influencers, both canine and human. Not only does it make it harder for brands to know who’s legit, but the promotional market is becoming over-saturated. Some influencers are noticing a pay cut as up-and-coming influencers will promote a brand’s product for a fraction of their price, or simply for the exposure. Which is why when we start promoting Fit Tea in this newsletter, you might want to think twice about why.
What We're Listening To
Sammy Rae! The NY local mixes funk, soul, and amazing high energy into an epic groove fest. Sammy Rae and her band The Friends gig locally all the time, so if you happen to be in NYC, let us know when you’re going, we’ll totally be there.