What was once a way to share fun pictures, videos, and updates on one’s life has become the most prominent marketing tool. Social media allows businesses to advertise their products and connect with consumers, even if the average internet user is unaware. In an age where posting on social media has become a career for some individuals, influencers have set unrealistic lifestyle standards for the masses.

The most popular videos circulating on Tiktok and Instagram are “get ready with me” videos, in which the influencer will give a step-by-step makeup or hair routine, making sure to spend time discussing the sponsored products. For each product listed in the videos, there is usually an affiliate link right in the video’s caption in order to encourage viewers to buy said products.

“Within seconds of opening Tiktok, I see an influencer doing their makeup and telling me to buy the ‘best’ and newest product,” senior Hannah Laube said. “Sometimes I don’t even realize it’s a tactic to get viewers to buy these products, and it looks like they actually use and love the products. Occasionally, I’m tempted to try them.”

The type of content influencers have produced as a result of sponsorships has created an unrealistic idea of what one should look like or how one should live their life. Because these influencers make seemingly relatable content, people compare themselves and fail to realize that influencers are able to live a lavish lifestyle due to the amount of money is made off of sponsorships. 

“Influencers promote an unrealistic view of productivity,” North alumni Annalee Heckman said. They also harm the minds of adolescents because they post heavily edited versions of themselves, so it sets the beauty standard way higher than it should be.” 

The disconnect that these influencers create by flaunting the expensive products that brands send them for free has caused viewers to become far too indulgent in their spending habits. According to the Allianz Generations Ahead Study, conducted by Larson Research Strategy, out of 3,006 U.S. adults ages 20 to 70, 1,713 admitted to spending money they had not budgeted for due to what they had seen on social media.

Apps like Instagram have the option to add your payment information right into the app in order to streamline buying products straight from the app.

“Billions of dollars are spent on social media marketing every year,” marketing major at the University of St. Francis, Molly Weindorf said. “From the second you start scrolling, it’s almost guaranteed you will see an influencer raving about a sponsored product. It’s so simple to use your connected payment to the app in order to purchase the product from the affiliate link.”

A lot of the time, the products that are being promoted are not actually beneficial and could be considered a scam. A prime example of this is the popular and most promoted product on Tiktok, Bloom Nutrition greens. Bloom Nutrition is a dietary supplement brand that claims to offer superfoods that supply users with health benefits such as increased energy, improved immune systems,and overall supports general wellness. 

On average, Bloom Nutrition pays about $128.94 for each post an influencer makes featuring the product, according to influence.co.

Calloway Cook, President of Illuminate Labs and author of “Bloom Nutrition Review: The Best TikTok Health Brand?” says, “Our main complaint about this product is that the fruit and vegetable blends only have a total dose of 2.49 grams which is relatively low. We have not come across any medical research suggesting that a fruit and vegetable supplement dose this low has proven health benefits. We don’t like when supplements try to ‘do everything.’ ” 

Influencers have given a new meaning to advertising, and the average social media scroller is constantly being flooded with pictures and videos of promotions and costly products paid for by companies. The pressure to live up to that standard continues to increase.

“The fake world that influencers have created in order to push products on viewers has ruined social media for regular people,” Weindorf said. “Between the false advertising of low quality products and the unrealistic lifestyles, it is causing consumerism to skyrocket in a very negative way.”