So I’ve noticed a recent wee bit of an uptick in followers on my personal twitter account – and have also started seeing the dubious #influencer hashtag used in their profiles. They usually follow a lot of folks (>10K) and have a lot of followers (>10K) and some even in the millions. Borderline absurd. They are slightly more subtle or sophisticated than the old #pumpAndDump strategy (follow heaps of accounts and then unfollow them all so your twitter ratio makes you look like a star). But only slightly.
Who uses the hashtag #influencer to say that they are an influencer?
Surely if you are an influential tweeter (and I’m not even thinking celebrity status) this goes without saying? What happened to show don’t tell?
I’m getting more cynical about social media.
Everybody knows that the dice are loaded.
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed.
It still retains the element of fun, so I stay on the platform. I’ve promised myself on my personal account to largely engage with other artists, curators and those in the arts. On our semi-dormant business account the sphere of engagement is that of design / tech.
Side note, I started the company twitter profile in 2009 and at the time there was this kind of general vibe about making it personal – so not using a company logo / etc; hence it has my shiny face and name in the profile. This is all thrown out the window and beyond of course (with promoted tweets on offer even) but I have yet to get around to re-branding the profile.
I am still occasionally guilty (ahem) of reacting to current events (The Trumpster point in case) and getting grumpy at corporations, but in general I stick to the stated themes I want to engage with.
What I know is that social media (whichever platform) is really quite a bit of work. To get to true influencer status is no-doubt a full-time job. I don’t have 7 or 10 pithy tips to help you get there.
Everybody knows that the deal is rotten
Old Black Joe’s still picking’ cotton
All can say is keep it authentic and play nice and keep chipping away at the marble block. And ignore the puffed-up #influencers svp.
RIP Leonard Cohen.