Everything You Need To Know About TikTok’s De-Influencing Trend

You’d be wrong if you thought the concept of influencers started with social media. Many believe the concept dates back to 105 BCE when professional Roman gladiators fought inside elaborately built amphitheaters. These gladiators endorsed certain products they enjoyed.

This means the influencing trend started centuries before the advent of digital technology and the trend is still going strong today. Influencer marketing is a huge deal in 2023 and worth around $21.1 billion.

So, why has the trend of de-influencing taken off so rapidly worldwide? And if modern influencers get paid to wax poetic about brands and their products, how can de-influencers earn anything from de-influencing their audience?

What Is De-Influencing?

To understand the popularity of the de-influencing trend on TikTok, it is crucial to know what it means. At first glance, it seems as though de-influencing is the exact opposite of influencing. Instead of motivating an audience to buy from a brand, it looks as though de-influencers want to prevent their followers from doing so.

It all started with beauty and lifestyle products, but the trend has since expanded to include just about anything else. While it may seem like a spiteful thing to do, there is more than one goal behind the trend. The first reason many de-influencers have taken to “warning” their followers against certain brands is because some products don’t deliver on their claims or may even be harmful.

The second reason is that influencing has led to overconsumption because people have the fear of missing out or FOMO. They keep buying in the fear of missing out on the latest trend.

Connected to overconsumption is the rise of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, which adds to the already terrifying climate change issue. The more people buy, the more shipping is needed. Shipping alone contributes to a large chunk of global carbon emissions. Not to mention that increased clothing production also results in more water pollution.

Does De-Influencing Cancel Out The Influencer Industry?

The de-influencing trend is massive on TikTok. However, it doesn’t exist solely to cancel out the influencer culture. Instead, de-influencers provide a more holistic review of a brand or product.

For instance, whereas a traditional influencer may paint a brand with rosy colors, a de-influencer will establish whether it caters to its target market. It’s an unfortunate truth that products cannot fall into the ‘one-size-fits-all’ specification. One beauty and lifestyle brand may be perfect for 1,000 followers but not do anything special for the other 500. De-influencers highlight this inconsistency. And they provide alternatives where possible.

To be fair, most brands and influencers don’t brag that their products will work for every person. But, because influencing is such a successful marketing trend, people may buy a product based solely on an influencer’s recommendation.

TikTok’s de-influencing trend serves to highlight this fact. And it aims to discourage audiences from buying something because it looks good on a TikTok video. This makes it clear the de-influencers don’t want to tread on any toes. Instead, they don’t want people buying products they may not need, or that may not work for them.

Don’t Take It Personally

If you have a TikTok (or YouTube) account for your brand, you may be worried about how the de-influencing trend might affect your business.

Well, think of it this way. If you believe you have a reliable product and your brand has built up a good reputation, you have nothing to worry about. However, you may need to rethink your influencer strategy to avoid overselling your products or making unsubstantiated claims.

Also, don’t take the trend personally. Even if a de-influencer rates one or more of your products as something people don’t need, use the opportunity to improve if necessary. If anything, de-influencing may even help you build a more authentic product line, which can only be good for your business in the long run.

What Does De-Influencing Mean For Marketing?

Even more exciting is taking the TikTok de-influencing trend and turning it on its head. With a little creativity, you can get ahead of the de-influencers and use it as part of your own marketing strategy.

For example, point out who will benefit most from your products. Highlight why it won’t work so well for others. All your marketing strategies must come from an authentic place. You want your TikTok audience to know that you have their well-being at heart and that you’re not just in it to sell stuff and make money.

Authentic marketing goes over particularly well with a Gen Z audience, which is what TikTok’s platform most consists of. Gen Z followers want good, sustainable products that solve their issues and don’t harm the planet. This gives you the starting point to reconceptualize and reintroduce your products.

Moreover, when you set up a marketing strategy using a de-influencer point of view, you may spot glaring gaps. Finding these gaps will help you tighten and streamline your strategy, and product line, before putting it out there for social media scrutiny.

Remember, de-influencing doesn’t exist solely to point out the flaws in brands and products. You can even work with a de-influencer to promote your products to a diverse demographic. Doing this will help build brand credibility while you get to know your audience better.

Use De-Influencing To Help Convert Skeptics

Many social media users are naturally skeptical about brand advertising. Considering the number of questionable ads on nearly every social media platform, you can’t blame them either.

You can use this to your brand’s advantage. Address the skepticism head-on, with the help of a de-influencer. Answer questions and concerns. Be open and honest about your manufacturing process and product ingredients. When your audience knows what they’re dealing with, they will become less skeptical, and you may gain a whole new set of followers.

Final Thoughts

Some still argue that the de-influencing trend is just another form of influencing. While this is somewhat true, it also cannot be denied that de-influencing has an entirely different impact on the influencer-brand relationship.

The key takeaway from this trend, which doesn’t look like it’s fading anytime soon, is to embrace honesty and transparency as a business owner.

De-influencing reflects the rapidly growing demand for authenticity and integrity on social media, including TikTok. If you and your existing influencers adapt your strategies around this trend, you will continue to reap the reward of a more engaged and trusting TikTok audience.