Insta-brand influencers

Crossed the 20k mark on Instagram and Twitter? Congratulations! You could be the next go-to for legit brand advice! The new media landscape has amassed a strategic space in the way millennials think and function, owing to which influencers aka young adults with a massive following on social media are being banked for accurate reviews on a place, product or service. But, how bankable is the trend? What are some guidelines to keep in mind if you’re an aspiring reviewer or somebody who is an influencer loyalist? We talk to popular influencers to share the inside track with us...

Shruti Sarin, she is a fashion influencer and entrepreneur.

“When I started blogging towards the end of the year 2015, it was very different as compared to how blogs are viewed today. The fact that influencers provide information about a service or a product much before it actually hits the market is what makes this concept a  lucrative and reliable option. Forums like Instragram and Twitter have evolved into  platforms that are a lot more than just social networking sites — businesses thrive, social messages of absolute relevance are spread and there’s so much of productiveness out there. Influencers are a lot easier to get in touch with as compared to celebrities. So, it makes sense to bank on someone who is relatable with a reach, who’s considered an authority on fashion, food or beauty and at the same time, is aware of how their views determine the authenticity as active online personalities.”

Jigar Shah, a model and fashion blogger.

Debates over the authenticity of such posts have often come under the scanner, but the number of followers stands as a marker which eggs influencers on to being genuine. “The whole point of us being individuals with our personal opinions and not being “stars” makes our opinion more authentic and personal. Only because we know that huge stars are paid to run commercials and people on social media with a 10+ following are more cautious on what they endorse, begins Shruti Sarin, a Bengaluru-based entrepreneur and influencer with over 13.7 K followers. Her profile inclines towards fashion blogging,  and is reflective of her sartorial sense. “Everything that goes out there also reflects on us as individuals. Which is why, I don’t endorse anything that I don’t use daily,”she says.

Aswathi Balakrishnan, a very popular fashion, travel and beauty influencer.

Budding businesses can benefit immensely, but  unnecessary dependancy is not right believes city model  Jigar Shah  “Influencers, with thousand plus followers,  play such an important part in advertising for the product, but in my opinion honestly is the key. Getting an influencer to market a product is an easy card. But, the focus needs to be on the product and not excessive marketing, as irrespective of how many hits a post gets, if the product doesn’t live up to the mark, it’s hard to stay in the market. I see an unnecessary amount of dependency on influencers. Irrespective of how much it works, it’s going to vary. So, posts need to come with a statutory warning that the services are subjective,” he signs off.