A long time ago I wrote an article called "Why Influencers Are Ineffective." Now, I will quickly summarize the "excellent" explanation of why influencers are ineffective.

Too much empathy

Usually, the first reason influencers are ineffectual is that they're too empathetic. This means that they have difficulty separating between the people that they're helping and the people that they're interacting with.

Imagine that you have a friend. She is helping you.

But the problem is that she is also interacting with the people that you and she have in common. She is on Instagram and she has liked some of your photos.

She is also talking to your husband about you.

This creates an unfair burden for you because she might assume that you are too busy to go back and check her Instagram.

Because of this, she's unlikely to give you as much as she could if you weren't on social media. Additionally, because of this, she might miss an opportunity for her to assist you with something that you're struggling with.

On one hand, you're super thankful for her help. But on the other hand, you're a little offended that she's also interacting with people that you aren't.

If you don't have a crystal ball, you don't know how much of this interaction is an asset for you. But it's likely that the impact that you're experiencing is likely a net negative.

You're sacrificing your well-being, because you're supposed to believe that the world has one set of rules, but this is not the case.

In order to combat the negative impact, influencers may go too far.

In the first example, they might offer you their expensive apple. They might offer to give you their autographed book.

They might give you their favorite whiskey. They might even buy your Fitbit.

The problem

What if you don't have an apple and you don't have an autographed book? What if you don't have a Fitbit and you don't have an expensive whiskey?

What if you have a cheap watch, a cheap whiskey, and no apple? Do you want this random stranger telling you that you should buy them an apple?

Of course not.

You might like some of these things. But they are absolutely not a reason to give this stranger access to your bank account.

It is almost impossible to tell the difference between you and someone else. This is not a "you" problem.

It's an "us" problem.

The solution

The solution is simple. You need to always be a beacon of truth.

You need to know who you're interacting with. You need to know who they're interacting with.

• Do not accept anything as true because someone says it is true.
• Do not accept anything as true because you believe it to be true.
• Do not accept anything as true because someone has a large following.

If you have an Instagram account, please unfollow this person. They are a bad person and they are harming you.

If you are someone that is getting stuff from them, do the same. If you have never received anything from them, please unfollow them.

They have plenty of followers. I don't even think they know you exist.

This is not a complicated concept. Just remember: everyone is trying to get something from you.

Do you want to be on the receiving end of an ineffectual interaction?

Influencers have a negative connotation

An influencer is usually an unknown individual who has a large following of loyal and dedicated followers who watch his or her every social post. In a digital marketing world where the top-performing social platforms are almost entirely dominated by influencers, it can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff.

The reality is there are influencers with remarkable marketing acumen who have mastered the art of storytelling and engagement. They are great at what they do, yet are difficult to get in the door, and take their entire management and support staffs with them.

Those that do have the patience to work through the tough challenges they face with influencers are rewarded with a lucrative brand partnership and an audience that is exponentially more engaged.

On the other end of the spectrum is an influencer who has no discernible marketing skills, and is known only for selling products or services. He or she has no loyalty to the brand, and has an attitude that the brand isn't really interested in what the influencer says.

When that same influencer becomes a target of a consumer backlash, he or she can't come to the rescue—he or she has no brand loyalty, no existing audience, and no technical expertise or craftsmanship to fall back on.

The issue is that influencers are brands. They have credibility, they have a following, and they influence decisions that affect a business.

They have a huge presence on social media, and if they have genuine followers, their message can directly affect the purchase decisions of the consumers.

The influencer is also a marketing channel. The key to success is authenticity, quality content and earned brand loyalty, which is something that marketers are always looking for.