#Deinfluencing: Empowering students to fill their feeds with authenticity and positive role models
#Deinfluencing is a growing trend that is gaining popularity amongst students and young adults around the country. The fact that there is a new influencer trend on TikTok is not surprising. What is surprising is its purpose.
So what is it? #Deinfluencing is a recent movement in which influencers on TikTok are “speaking their truth” about trending products. In the last week alone, the hashtag has grown from 50 million views to 70 million.
So what does de-influencing even mean?
De-influencing is when a TikTok creator makes a video about their least favorite products instead of promoting things they think their followers should buy. This is a considerable shift from the typical influencer videos that students see on TikTok – where influencers are paid to do exactly that: Influence.
Why is this relevant to your students? A study found that nearly 40% of Gen Z consumers say their purchasing habits are heavily influenced by what they see on TikTok. This new trend gives students the opportunity to witness influencers showcasing their true selves online through “de-influencing” their followers from purchasing something just because it is the latest trending thing.
Don’t Believe Everything You See
Social media is an easy place for students to find new products and brands with one simple search. 35% of TikTok users discover new products and brands on their TikTok feeds. Discovering influencers who are genuine in their endorsements and only show their followers products they believe in is a challenge that students on TikTok often face. Nevertheless, Gen Z, having grown up in a transparent era, tend to value authenticity and transparency from brands. 67% of Gen Z believe that “being true to their values and beliefs makes a person cool.” No wonder this de-influencing trend has taken off so quickly.
Surrounding yourself with online influencers that understand and respect their audience is essential. Encourage your students to take advantage of this new trend and “cleanse their social media feeds” of influencers who are only trying to sell them things. When a TikTok influencer posts only glowing reviews for hundreds of trendy products, it raises questions about the authenticity of their intentions. This college student shares her biggest takeaway from the #deinfluencing trend and says, “You don’t need to follow every trend. You don’t need every new product because I bet you have great stuff that works for you- so why do you need more?”
Embracing Authenticity
Statistics show that people who see a product on TikTok are 1.5x more likely to buy it. By showing your students how influential the people they follow on TikTok are, you can help them make sure their feeds are filled with genuine creators instead of people pushing them to consume the latest trendy makeup product or the newest video game. The people they follow should also empower them to be authentic when they post their own videos or reviews.
TSI’s Take
We are constantly informed and persuaded by influencers online. While prominent TikTok creators have the power to influence our lives with their successes, some influence us to consume an unrealistic amount. This leads to challenges for students such as feeling pressured to buy and keep up with the latest and greatest products they see. As TikTok is one of students’ favorite social media apps, filling their feeds with positivity, authenticity, and credible reviews is key.
This month, we are highlighting the importance of finding positive and credible influencers who support us and have our backs. In our #WinAtSocial Grade 8 Find Your Influencers Lesson, Recognizing how much we’re influenced by online ads and social media influencers, we help students understand how sponsored content works and how to spot the difference between a normal post and a sponsored ad.
Throughout this lesson, students:
- Learn how companies pay influencers to promote products and just how common it is.
- Build awareness of what influences us to make purchases based on what we see in our feeds.
- Analyze online articles and determine whether or not they are sponsored by a company.
Not a partner but want to run this lesson with your students? Reach out to learn how you can gain access to this lesson and so much more! For more ways on how you can support students to manage social media in positive ways through The Social Institute’s Seven Social Standards, check out this blog.
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The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in understanding student experiences and creator of #WinAtSocial, a gamified, online learning platform that equips students, educators, and families to navigate social experiences — online and offline — in healthy ways. Our unique, student-respected approach incorporates topics like social media, technology use, and current events that have a significant impact on student well-being. Lessons teach life skills for the modern day to inspire high-character decisions that support the health, happiness, and future success of students, while capturing data that provides insights to school leaders to inform school policy and communications, and enable high-impact teaching and a healthy learning environment. For schools, our turnkey technology allows for easy implementation and a comprehensive game plan to support the well-being of school communities. For schools, our turnkey technology allows for easy implementation and a comprehensive game plan to support the well-being of school communities.