2024 - The Death of the LinkedIn Influencer

My prediction is that in 2024 we start to finally get rid of the worst thing on LinkedIn: the “Influencer”

We all know at least one. They are all over our social media feeds. Influencers. A common definition of an influencer is:

a person who attempts to convince many people to buy, use, or do the same thing as them. Influencers are often paid or given free products in exchange for doing this. 

Influencers gain influence through their relationship with their audience and their expertise in a specific area. For example, an influencer might have expertise in fashion, technology, or travel.

Image Created by DALL-E - any likeness to anyone real or fictional is coincidence

A virtually unknown “profession” just a few years ago, there are now 1000s of people on multiple platforms who have gigantic followings. Their posts get 100x or more multiples of views than most other people. The point, ostensibly, is to make money doing this by monetizing their posts. However unless you are doing long form YouTube videos (I would not even classify these as “influencers” more so “creators”) you probably are not making much on LinkedIn (TikTok is a different story which I’m not addressing here).

Note: Some will say, “Sean.. you post a lot on LinkedIn and have a decent sized following. Aren’t you a “influencer” too?” After you read this article I’d like you to ask that question again. Am I an influencer or an informer?

So why do I think this may be the beginning of the death of influencers on LinkedIn?

They Are Often Disingenuous

In many cases the influencers use their popularity and reach to sell pay-for-play posts to promote products. This of course is nothing new. We have had celebrity endorsements for 100+ years.

However the lines geta buy fuzzy when there is lack of transparency. Not telling your audience that you received compensationf or a post or video is not only ethically wrong it’s illegal according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

If you endorse a product through social media, your endorsement message should make it obvious when you have a relationship (“material connection”) with the brand. A “material connection” to the brand includes a personal, family, or employment relationship or a financial relationship – such as the brand paying you or giving you free or discounted products or services.

Telling your followers about these kinds of relationships is important because it helps keep your recommendations honest and truthful, and it allows people to weigh the value of your endorsements.

The FTC continues to state

“Consumers should be able to notice the disclosure easily, and not have to look for it.” In some instances, influencers “disclosed” their connection with obscure hashtags (such as #partner), at the end of longer descriptions… methods the FTC staff says are insufficiently conspicuous.

When endorsements are made audibly in a video, the video should include a prominent audible disclosure. When endorsements are made visually, there should be a prominent visual disclosure in the video as well. Videos that have both audible and visual endorsements should have prominent audible and visual disclosures.

On LinkedIn I have noticed a definite lack of disclosure. The FTC points out that just placing a #partner hashtag in your post is not enough. In your videos you need to state this was a paid promotion.

LinkedIn themselves even rolled out a new rule that paid promotions must use the “branded partnership tag” about 6 months ago. Linkedin states

“Your sponsorship or brand partnership should be clear, conspicuous, and transparent.”

However I have yet to see more than one or two posts in the wild with this tag.

This should also extend to investors who recommend a product. I always state if I have a financial interest in a company when I post about them.

The FTC states that fines up to $50,000 per incident can be levied. While there has not been a lot of enforcement on this front to date, influencers… might want to start working on those disclosures. The FTC did prosecute Kim Kardashian and Sugar Bear Hair for breech of this law but decided to waive the fine and use it as a teachable moment for all influencers.

Influencer Fatigue

How many times can we see the same video, meme or quick reel from a podcast? Advertising studies have shown that the more we see the more likely we are to buy… up to a point… and then we are LESS likely to buy. We simply get tired of the same things over and over.

How many times can we hear generalized content like “we need more young people in manufacturing” without actually doing something about it. Stating the problem is one thing. Offering actionable solutions that you, the influencer yourself are working on is another.

More than one influencer has became “famous” by posting videos with no credit. I think I see those same videos, monthly, even years later. Still with no credit.

Incorrect Information & Laziness = Reduced Credability

Many of them latch onto the latest “hot” story and post their version of it. However there is often no editorial analysis of the issue. Just regurgitation of the original story with a few throwaway comments; often with incorrect facts.

For example, a recent article about a “fully automated McDonalds” had influencers posting about how there were no humans involved. When in reality, if you did 30 seconds of research, you found out that the ordering and delivery was automated but there were plenty of humans still making and assembling the burgers and fries behind the curtain.

Many humanoid robotic videos are clearly teleoperated yet many influencers post them as if these robots are folding shirts or making coffee automatically by themselves. They either have no idea (or don’t care) about the real technology behind the videos. Are these the “experts” we should be following?

When the posts are full of misinformation, their credibility begins to wane.

Shift in Audience Preferences

There's a noticeable shift in audience preferences, with a growing demand for authenticity and relatable content. The traditional influencer model, often built on aspirational lifestyles and polished images, has started to lose its appeal. Users are increasingly gravitating towards content that is more genuine, less scripted, and offers real value, whether educational or entertaining.

Interview video where the host really digs into the person (vs the brand) are genuine and watchable. No one wants to watch a 30+ minute long commercial.

Rise of Niche Content

The rise of micro-influencers, who cater to specific niches and possess a smaller but more engaged and loyal following, has also contributed to the decline of traditional “generalized” influencers. Brands are recognizing the value of partnering with these micro-influencers for more targeted and effective marketing campaigns, as they often boast higher engagement rates and a more authentic connection with their audience.

Again, just be upfront and honest if you were given consideration by anyone for the

Economic Factors and Budget Shifts

Economic factors, such as budget constraints faced by companies, especially during uncertain times like the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to a reevaluation of marketing strategies. Many businesses are redirecting their budgets from influencer marketing to other methods perceived as more reliable and cost-effective.

Conclusion

Add up all these factors and I believe you will see 2024 as the start of the fall of the influencer on platforms such as LinkedIn. It has it’s place and people who continue to create new and informative content will continue to have their following and can even monetize the work. However the people with 10s of thousands of followers that just post pay for play interviews or reviews have their days numbered.

I have never, and have no plans to ever monetize my content. I believe in giving back to the industry that has given me my career. I want to help those who come after me to be successful. I, more often than I probably should, post my opinions that cause debate and can sometime rub people the wrong way.

Add up all that and that’s why I hate being called an “influencer”. I chose to “inform” not “influence”. I give my opinion and the facts I know to be true and allow you to either believe me and agree or to not and disagree. In fact I want disagreement. It’s what makes ideas all the better!

So I urge the influencer crowd to be creative, genuine and honest… because if you continue with your old ways I feel they are going to be short lived.

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