Influencers need to drop their pretensions I
n rock music they call it DSAS, or “Difficult Second Album Syndrome”. A new artist bursts onto the scene with a clutch of unpolished gems, packed with authentic observations on life, love and loss.
The fans and the record company demand more of the same. But as the royalty cheques flood in, so the inspiration dries up.
Real life can be hard to come by as you’re chauffeured from the sold-out stadia to your private jet.
The loss of authenticity can be smelt a mile away. Social media influencers have arguably replaced rock stars at the vanguard of culture — with mind-boggling numbers of potential fans. There are 8.8 million active Facebook accounts and 3.7 million active Instagram users in the UAE alone. And just wait for the TikTok boom, which is right around the corner.
But some of the internet’s biggest home-grown stars are in danger of falling to the digital domain’s version of DSAS. They began as a joyful wave of amateur enthusiasts raving about whatever made them tick: sports, fashion, travel, technology, music, family.
Sure, the production values were often low, but that didn’t stop the followers gathering in their hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands. That’s because no amount of dodgy camera work, amateur graphics or poor lighting could overshadow the sheer passion and energy on display. The followers weren’t cash cows, waiting to be milked. They were part of the gang, sharing the journey.
Losing its charm
And then, inevitably, big business moved in. A recent poll found that 63 per cent of UAE businesses pay an influencer to promote their product. The fees are usually between $1,000 and $10,000 per campaign — but bigger influencers with more followers regularly command fees of up to $50,000.
That’s great for the company — assuming all the influencers’ followers are real, which they often aren’t. Research by HypeAuditor found that 31 per cent of UAE social media influencers buy followers, while 20 per cent use tricks to artificially boost their online profile.
You might say it’s also great for the influencer, at least in terms of short-term financial gain. It’s even great for the authorities in the UAE, who are now charging social media influencers Dh15,000 per year to be licensed. Or the schools offering “Influencer Diplomas” for those who dream of internet stardom.
The party who misses out is the genuine follower. The one who thought he had a friend but logged on one day to find he’d been replaced by a salesman. Remember those music fans who can smell the inauthenticity of their fallen idol? Yep, that goes for online heroes, too.
The difference is that dismissing the rock star who wrote your favourite song is hard. Cutting loose a guy you quite like to follow on Insta? That’s an easier cut to make.
The good news is that there are ways for influencers to ride out the DSAS storm.
The party who misses out is the genuine follower. The one who thought he had a friend but logged on one day to find he’d been replaced by a salesman. Remember those music fans who can smell the inauthenticity of their fallen idol? Yep, that goes for online heroes, too.
Return to identity
■ First, like any good musician or band, stay true to yourself. Don’t take money to advertise a product you wouldn’t happily recommend to a friend for free. Better still, when you find a cause you believe in, don’t ask for payment — back it without charging.
■ Secondly, keep it real. Improving production values is fine, especially if your brand was glossy from the outset. But the punk influencers who gained millions of followers with low-tech videos must be careful not to polish out their own personality.
The British gaming YouTuber Dan TDM has 22 million subscribers and 15 billion views — but still makes his videos from a modest home computer. He remains humble and his fans love him for it.
■ Thirdly, most crucially of all, tell a great story. Tell it with passion and creativity — and use filming to jump-start an instant connection with your audience.
Have influencers lost their charm? Of course, some of them have. But — just like the best rock stars — the true icons of social media will find a way to keep belting out the old favourites while also telling new stories which their fans will love to hear.
■ Gregg Fray is founder of Seven Media and the UAE-based video production company Seven Studios.