Scrolling on Instagram, we’re often presented with the ‘Insta-perfect’ lives of influencers – from back-to-back holidays, to the latest designer purchases. However, the reality is far from perfect. Ever-worsening economic conditions and a mental health crisis have triggered an anti-social media age, where the need to go offline has never been greater. Celebrities, public figures and even businesses have decided to step away from platforms such as Twitter and Instagram because of the huge toll it was taking on their emotional wellbeing.

In fact, new nationally representative data from Room Unlocked – a platform revolutionising the future of influencer marketing – revealed 24% of Brits say comparing their lives to those of content creators negatively affects their mental health. Delving deeper into the relationship between content creators and their followers, they found a further 60% of Brits state they find the cash-rich lifestyles of influencers infuriating amidst the cost of living crisis. As the public becomes increasingly disengaged with this type of content, Alex Payne, CEO/Founder of Room Unlocked, explains that influencers must now focus on authenticity over income in order to survive and thrive.

Not only are there societal pressures that are forcing influencers to change tack, but brands are also facing their own ‘cost of operating crisis’ and having to slash marketing budgets across the board. This has caused them to reassess influencer relations, and whilst there is no doubt that this form of marketing can be effective, it must done in a way that transmits trust, transparency and authenticity. The landmark research from Room Unlocked also revealed that 37% of Brits say they do not identify with influencers who do not post with a social cause at the heart of their content – highlighting the need for content creators to use their platforms not just for financial gain, but to make a positive difference in society. Influencers that choose to take this direction will not only be contributing to a worthy cause, but will also benefit from the sense of authenticity that this breeds.

How Room Unlocked is revolutionising influencer marketing:

Room Unlocked offers a solution to restore trust in this fragmented relationship between influencers and society by providing a marketplace which connects those with a profile to brands offering products and services they genuinely love. After registering with the platform, brands then create a brief with a reward attached – this could be in the form of a product or an experience, which is then advertised to the thousands of influencers who are also signed up to Room Unlocked. From a choice of over 4,000 opportunities, influencers can then contact the relevant brand and offer to share the product or experience on social media, simply in return for receiving it. This is an exchange free of transactional fees, and means influencers only post the things they are actually interested in using.

Founded in just 2017, their innovative and first-of-its-kind take on influencer marketing has already attracted the interest of widely recognised brands such as O2, Charlotte Tilbury, Mars and Odeon. Fundamentally, Room Unlocked is fighting against everything that is wrong with influencer culture, with brands historically trying to buy influence resulting in disingenuous content. Room Unlocked believes that this approach has created total distrust between influencers and the rest of society and is currently benefitting no one. When done right, however, it gives brands a way to weave their offerings into the social media experience which users log on for.

Not only is their method fixing a fractured relationship in society, but it has been proven to drive higher engagement rates. Proprietary research from Room Unlocked has also found that influencers are more likely to share more pieces of content when they have actively searched out the product or experience they’re advertising – further highlighting the benefits of this approach. Brands also have instant access to diverse advocates from A-list TV talent to macro and micro influencers, eliminating countless wasted hours of outreach on the wrong people, whilst also fostering relationships underpinned by love and not currency.

Alex Payne CEO and co-founder of Room Unlocked, said:

“Influencers are earning less because brands are being more cautious with their spend, ensuring they connect with the right creators who align with their values and also those of their customers. Influencers who are going to survive and thrive in the current climate are those that have a social cause or genuine passion at the heart of their voice and the content they create, rather than just posting things that they’ve been paid to advertise.

“Authenticity has quite rightly become king amidst an industry that has been awash with disingenuous content throughout the years and this is becoming increasingly easier to spot. Another crucial trend that’s causing influencers to report a reduction in earnings is the simple fact that there are far more of them now. There’s been a wave of people leaving their jobs to chase this career path meaning there’s more competition by way of choice and as such, brands can pay less.

“Room Unlocked recognises the growing desire for truth and authenticity, providing a platform that connects brands, agencies and organisations with their true advocates; for love, not money. People of influence are connected to the brands they genuinely love and post content telling their audience why – this exchange unlocks real trust and loyalty in brands via authentic stories and experiences.”