Daily Times

The marketing cost has been reduced significantly due to paid sponsorships with influencers.

With the rise of YouTube, there has been a simultaneous rise in the influence, popularity, and riches of its beauty, motivation and wellness gurus. Mostly young, twenty-something-year-olds, these men and women have found fame while doing what they love: entertaining the global audience.

Apart from the growing number of their millennial and gen-z subscribers, many wellness and beauty brands have also been working closely with these influencers. The increasing–and somewhat, bewildering–fame of these young stars has granted them celebrity status. They get endorsements, create products, do photoshoots and give interviews like “conventional” celebrities. These influencers have made their way into mainstream media with tabloids reporting their every move and obsessing over their lives.

We all know there is a wealth of misinformation and pseudoscience available on the internet. The real researchers do not clad themselves in body-hugging outfits nor do they flash pouty smiles. Influencers know that good images matter and can hold the power to sell any dubious claim. These young men and women, therefore, use powerful, colourful and convincing images to masquerade health and wellness products to the general public. Big brands have also not been blind to the possibilities of profit that could be earned by working with these people. The number of promotions and marketing, covered by social media influencers, is a huge determinant for the growth of many weight loss, hair and skincare brands. This is because the cost of marketing has been reduced significantly due to paid sponsorships with these influencers, who seem to be doing most of the work for these brands. They promote new makeup and skincare lines in their YouTube videos and on their Instagram accounts. Furthermore, many drugstore and high-end brands have taken to collaborating with these internet stars.

We all know there is a wealth of misinformation and pseudoscience available on the internet. The real researchers do not clad themselves in body-hugging outfits nor do they flash pouty smiles

In his mind-blowing article in Forbes, “Helping Or Hurting Your Health Goals,” Andrew Arnold hits the nail on the head, “It doesn’t help matter that many of the people who have positioned themselves as being fitness influencers aren’t necessarily qualified to provide wellness advice. Instead, their posts may be motivated by a desire to promote certain products or simply to further their personal brands.”

So, what makes these people influencers? The answer is trust. Their subscribers view them as genuine people who they can count on for honest reviews on newly launched products. For example, Zoe Sugg has amassed 12 million subscribers on her main beauty channel because she is perceived as candid and reliable. The rags-to-riches troupe also comes into play. Even after achieving celebrity status, these stars are seen as humble, average citizens, who can relate to the lives and problems of their subscribers. Such a thing cannot be said for conventional celebrities such as actors and musicians.

Because the foundation of this influencer-subscriber relationship lies in so-called candour and truthfulness, these social media personalities drive sales, by telling their audience that they too regularly use these products. Most don’t care if they are recommending a terrible product as long as these products have eye-catching packaging and good payroll. Keeping in mind the current hype around these internet celebrities, it is safe to say that the power of their voice in the beauty industry will not diminish anytime soon. Buyers themselves need to be aware and do proper research and reviews about health, wellness and beauty products.

The writer is a wellness and yoga expert