"Influencers" are driving luxury hotels crazy

[cattledogkisses]

www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/06/instagram-influencers-are-driving-luxury-hotels-crazy/562679/

Kate Jones, marketing and communications manager at the Dusit Thani, a five-star resort in the Maldives, said that her hotel receives at least six requests from self-described influencers per day, typically through Instagram direct message.

“Everyone with a Facebook these days is an influencer,” she said. “People say, I want to come to the Maldives for 10 days and will do two posts on Instagram to like 2,000 followers. It's people with 600 Facebook friends saying, ‘Hi I'm an influencer, I want to stay in your hotel for 7 days,’” she said. Others send vague one line emails, like “I want to collaborate with you”, with no further explanation. “These people are expecting five to seven nights on average, all inclusive. Maldives is not a cheap destination.” She said that only about 10 percent of the requests she receives are worth investigating.

[Miss Phryne Fisher]

That doesn't surprise me. Back when Mikey Chen had maybe 500k subs (he is Simply Dumpling and has 2-3 other channels) he was actually paying for all his hotel rooms when someone messaged him to tell him just to ask and since then he does hotels constantly. All for free, from what I gather. (he has 1.2 mil subs on SD alone). He also does airline food (and I bet he calls them too). He would definitely be what I would call an influencer. I remember thinking that I bet hotels get barraged with these requests. I certainly would if I had the eye of a whole lot of people, but it takes balls to do it as a small channel! I bet a lot of those 2k subscribers people say things like "do you know who I am?" and "I will ruin you on social media" when rejected.

[pixy0stix]

This is such an interesting phenomenon. I've watched (and read) several different ways that people boost their follower account, and it's a lot of work. Not very many of them grow organically anymore. (Now off to read the article.)

[msmerymac]

Lol. If you don't have an agent, you're probably not an influencer.

[msmerymac]

Jun 13, 2018 12:59:36 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

This is such an interesting phenomenon. I've watched (and read) several different ways that people boost their follower account, and it's a lot of work. Not very many of them grow organically anymore. (Now off to read the article.)

VERY recently Facebook changed their algorithm to highly prioritize friends and family, so getting in front of anyone who doesn't already know you is really hard - unless you pay for it. Which is what FB wants. 

[One Girl In All The World]

I had no idea what an "influencer" was until I read the article. 

[karinothing]

Wait this is a thing? I am going to email random vacation spots now for free vacations.

[Deleted]

Jun 13, 2018 12:59:36 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

This is such an interesting phenomenon. I've watched (and read) several different ways that people boost their follower account, and it's a lot of work. Not very many of them grow organically anymore. (Now off to read the article.)

This makes me think of the people in school who would put gobs and gobs of effort into cheating when it seemed like studying would probably have just been easier. Maybe just...get a job?

[jigsy]

I feel like "influencer" is the new #model

Just because you call yourself one doesn't make it so.

I have also begun actively choosing to not purchase products based on an influencer recommendation - The reviews can not be trusted at all, and the few people I used to follow have lost all credibility when they started shilling things that were not great.

[aurora]

I also had no idea. I can see how this phenomenon could be difficult to get a handle on.

As to the Coca cola remark at the end, I do think there is more danger to a hotel saying no to a bad match influencer (who I could easily see badmouthing the hotel online) compared to CNN turning down a Coke add.

[Champagne Supernova]

I've been doing this wrong! My 200 IG followers are missing out!

One time, in the special requests portion after booking a room, I wrote "Chocolates for a room upgrade?" and they did upgrade me. And yes, good thing I brought chocolates just in case.

I can't imagine inviting myself over somewhere and not paying for anything.

[ECB]

Jun 13, 2018 13:26:43 GMT -5 jigsy said:

I feel like "influencer" is the new #model

Just because you call yourself one doesn't make it so.

I have also begun actively choosing to not purchase products based on an influencer recommendation - The reviews can not be trusted at all, and the few people I used to follow have lost all credibility when they started shilling things that were not great.

Or momtographers.  Just because you bought an expensive camera and take pics of your kids doesn't mean your a photographer!

[Velar Fricative]

Jun 13, 2018 12:59:36 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

This is such an interesting phenomenon. I've watched (and read) several different ways that people boost their follower account, and it's a lot of work. Not very many of them grow organically anymore. (Now off to read the article.)

Now I am curious and will try to read about this later.

I think I have about 400 FB friends so it sounds like I should make some calls for free shit!!!

[carmenere]

On American Horror Story there were a couple of "influencers" who demanded a free room and a bunch of other stuff (and met an unfortunate end) and I couldn't believe that was a thing that people actually do. Like, I'm just thrilled if the restaurant owner comments on my photo. Some people are so ridiculously full of themselves.

[janetplanet20]

I have over 2,000 on my teacher IG and I would never think to ask for comps at luxury hotels. You can’t even get the swipe up feature on IG stories until you have 10k followers.
I do get emails pretty frequently to promote products on my IG but since none of them are in any way related to teaching I just delete them.

[Deleted]

Jun 13, 2018 13:31:58 GMT -5 ECB said:

Jun 13, 2018 13:26:43 GMT -5 jigsy said:

I feel like "influencer" is the new #model

Just because you call yourself one doesn't make it so.

I have also begun actively choosing to not purchase products based on an influencer recommendation - The reviews can not be trusted at all, and the few people I used to follow have lost all credibility when they started shilling things that were not great.

Or momtographers.  Just because you bought an expensive camera and take pics of your kids doesn't mean your a photographer!

Fauxtographers are the worst. Everyone with a DSLR camera and editing software thinks their a damn photographer. My cousin claims to be a photographer and can't even grasp basic techniques so the sun doesn't wash out every picture, and then gets super offended when no one in the family wants to pay for her "services".

[pixy0stix]

Jun 13, 2018 13:21:53 GMT -5 @slk4117 said:

One of my BFFs considers herself an "influencer" in the fitness/wellness community. She's trying to start her own online personal training business. She has around 8k followers on IG, many (most?) of which are purchased. You can tell when she suddenly has 1k-1500 more followers overnight, when she's maybe posted 1 or 2 pictures, neither of which have more than 50 likes, and then she loses them all with a few weeks.

To piggy-back off what I said earlier and this - Yes, it's followers, but it's also engagement (which they mention in the story). You can have all the followers in the world, but unless they're commenting and liking your posts you have doodly squat. The game has changed, and a lot of these wannabe influencers seem to not realize it.

[Aloe Vera]

Jun 13, 2018 14:28:26 GMT -5 papiercherri said:

Jun 13, 2018 13:31:58 GMT -5 ECB said:

Or momtographers.  Just because you bought an expensive camera and take pics of your kids doesn't mean your a photographer!

Fauxtographers are the worst. Everyone with a DSLR camera and editing software thinks their a damn photographer. My cousin claims to be a photographer and can't even grasp basic techniques so the sun doesn't wash out every picture, and then gets super offended when no one in the family wants to pay for her "services".

My SIL is one and people in the family love her work! I refuse to use her because her pictures are nothing exceptional. Faces are dark, sun is glaring... My MIL displays family pictures all over her house and you can clearly see the difference between her work and our photographer. It is day and night. 

[Aloe Vera]

I know someone who is trying to become an influencer on Instagram. She is 25, has a real job and is hoping this Insta gig turns into her full-time job. It would be about farm decor. She is a HUGE fan of HGTV Chip and Joanna. Problem is, I tried to find her Instagram and it is impossible to find. I've looked at it before but now I can't find it anymore. Either she gave up the idea or she isn't too good at marketing herself.

[captainobvious]

My dog has ~500 followers. Pretty soon he'll be an influencer! (That's all I've got.)

[jigsy]

Jun 13, 2018 14:36:34 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Jun 13, 2018 13:21:53 GMT -5 @slk4117 said:

One of my BFFs considers herself an "influencer" in the fitness/wellness community. She's trying to start her own online personal training business. She has around 8k followers on IG, many (most?) of which are purchased. You can tell when she suddenly has 1k-1500 more followers overnight, when she's maybe posted 1 or 2 pictures, neither of which have more than 50 likes, and then she loses them all with a few weeks.

To piggy-back off what I said earlier and this - Yes, it's followers, but it's also engagement (which they mention in the story). You can have all the followers in the world, but unless they're commenting and liking your posts you have doodly squat. The game has changed, and a lot of these wannabe influencers seem to not realize it.

A few cosplayers I follow have called this out, and it is weird. They will say "I have 30K followers, but only 250 likes? What is up with that??"

I imagine they want to get free shit but aren't able to with the level of engagement they generate. 

Does anyone on here engage with random people/celebrities they follow on instagram? I pretty much never do, but, obviously a lot of people do it. It just seems weird. 

[Champagne Supernova]

I'm happy to get more than 20 likes, LOL.

These "influencers" will follow people to get them to follow back and then unfollow after a few days.

[Champagne Supernova]

Jun 13, 2018 15:00:59 GMT -5 jigsy said:

Jun 13, 2018 14:36:34 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

To piggy-back off what I said earlier and this - Yes, it's followers, but it's also engagement (which they mention in the story). You can have all the followers in the world, but unless they're commenting and liking your posts you have doodly squat. The game has changed, and a lot of these wannabe influencers seem to not realize it.

A few cosplayers I follow have called this out, and it is weird. They will say "I have 30K followers, but only 250 likes? What is up with that??"

I imagine they want to get free shit but aren't able to with the level of engagement they generate. 

Does anyone on here engage with random people/celebrities they follow on instagram? I pretty much never do, but, obviously a lot of people do it. It just seems weird. 

Only the local celebs because they actually engage and follow back. I connected with a couple of random people so now I have a place to stay in Basel and Amsterdam. But that's pretty much it.

[pixy0stix]

Jun 13, 2018 15:00:59 GMT -5 jigsy said:

Jun 13, 2018 14:36:34 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

To piggy-back off what I said earlier and this - Yes, it's followers, but it's also engagement (which they mention in the story). You can have all the followers in the world, but unless they're commenting and liking your posts you have doodly squat. The game has changed, and a lot of these wannabe influencers seem to not realize it.

A few cosplayers I follow have called this out, and it is weird. They will say "I have 30K followers, but only 250 likes? What is up with that??"

I imagine they want to get free shit but aren't able to with the level of engagement they generate. 

Does anyone on here engage with random people/celebrities they follow on instagram? I pretty much never do, but, obviously a lot of people do it. It just seems weird. 

I'll go through and like a bunch of posts. I figure if I'm signed up for the content that's the least I can do. I comment very infrequently.

[WOT?*]

Jun 13, 2018 14:58:22 GMT -5 captainobvious said:

My dog has ~500 followers. Pretty soon he'll be an influencer! (That's all I've got.)

My granddaughter just started an IG account for our dawg. They should be IG friends. That will get George to maybe 5 friends. lol.

[Champagne Supernova]

Liking a bunch of posts resulted to a DM from a local athlete. That was really interesting. LOL.

[sugarglider]

Jun 13, 2018 13:00:39 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

Lol. If you don't have an agent, you're probably not an influencer.

One of my good friends is an influencer agent. She does well for herself. She is not an influencer herself, but her dog is close to low-level influencer status with 8.5k followers.

I could see being a micro-influencer with 2k if your followers are area of expertise were hyper-local. Not worthy of 10 days in Maldives.

[meshaliuknits]

Jun 13, 2018 15:00:59 GMT -5 jigsy said:

Jun 13, 2018 14:36:34 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

To piggy-back off what I said earlier and this - Yes, it's followers, but it's also engagement (which they mention in the story). You can have all the followers in the world, but unless they're commenting and liking your posts you have doodly squat. The game has changed, and a lot of these wannabe influencers seem to not realize it.

A few cosplayers I follow have called this out, and it is weird. They will say "I have 30K followers, but only 250 likes? What is up with that??"

I imagine they want to get free shit but aren't able to with the level of engagement they generate. 

Does anyone on here engage with random people/celebrities they follow on instagram? I pretty much never do, but, obviously a lot of people do it. It just seems weird. 

Occasionally. LL Cool J retweeted me once and it nearly set my phone on fire and MC Hammer follows me. I interact with people who are famous in a particular subgroup like Yaya Han or the God Emperor Dave Filloni. Mostly I engage with people I know or people I now internet know.

[wambam]

Jun 13, 2018 15:01:47 GMT -5 Champagne Supernova said:

I'm happy to get more than 20 likes, LOL.

These "influencers" will follow people to get them to follow back and then unfollow after a few days.

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I have been followed and unfollowed NUMEROUS times by this one particular influencer. Like, she keeps trying even though I have never followed her back. She does it to my dog too. 

[wambam]

Jun 13, 2018 15:06:42 GMT -5 WOT?* said:

Jun 13, 2018 14:58:22 GMT -5 captainobvious said:

My dog has ~500 followers. Pretty soon he'll be an influencer! (That's all I've got.)

My granddaughter just started an IG account for our dawg. They should be IG friends. That will get George to maybe 5 friends. lol.

@kappythehavanese

My dog loves friends!