Is my influencer career over?
I wrote because I loved storytelling and of course photography. The blogverse was an immensely inspirational space. I kept writing without any expectation in return but my joy knew no bounds when I got invited for my first bloggers meet, the launch of Skyscanner in India. I was pregnant AF and ready to pop but that opened my eyes as to what this universe was about.
As years passed by , I carried on blogging (both organic and sponsored) along with my full time clinic and motherhood. In 2017, I realised that I am slacking on my child's upbringing and missing out on those precious moments because I was so consumed in both of my jobs. I realised that slogging at other's establishment won't help me; other than clinical work experience. Also, I was beginning to fathom the sky high potential of blogging. So I quit my job, started my own part time clinic and concentrated on blogging. Initially it was isolating as it was my first tryst with self employment and sometimes very frustrating too, as there was no fixed paycheck. However, I started falling in love with the independence and flexibility in my life.
I consider the year 2018 to be my happiest self. My elder one turned 4, I conceived my 2 nd child and did the best campaigns of my life with the brands I love. I got featured in AD shoots and my future looked really promising. Come 2019, I was with a new born and I got many campaigns of a new mother. I was a seasoned mom blogger by then, but the industry had already started shifting from the web to Instagram.
I started earning more from Instagram than my blog baby and this required more presence in front of the camera. Event appearances had to be made and it was more about shoots than writing. It was definitely challenging with a new born and a toddler but immensely satisfying nevertheless. I was immensely grateful that I was living my dream life by being my own boss .
The next year, the unprecedented pandemic struck. Weirdly, it was a boost for my career. I was extremely struggling on the household front, juggling a household of 6 single handedly and my influencer career was the only thing that was taking care of me (in the form of money, goodies and creative challenges). However the industry took an 180 degree turn with the explosion of reels. Now everyone wanted reels at the price of static posts. However, it was novel and no one was complaining.
2021 was the biggest year of my influencing career in terms of campaigns done and money earned. Even my father was astonished when he was filing my ITR. Anyways, that was the year by end of which the world again started doing events and appearances became mandatory. And the glitterati of the social circles had turned into influencers.
From 2022, work from home became almost minimal. And the fakeism in the influencer world started rising. Mom bloggers started borrowing young children from neighbours and friends for campaigns. Fake engagement started roaring (God knows why pump so much money to show engagement) and shallowness reached its maximum depth. It was not about expression or personal views anymore, only glitz and glamour and the ability to invest.
Fast forward 2024, 90% of my colleagues(who started around my time) have quit. In this journey of 11+ years, I have witnessed big blogging communities getting dissolved, agencies being shut down and blogger friends quitting. Out of the innumerable accolades and achievements, I have faced multiple setbacks, but never for once I considered quitting, except for this week.
The mommy blogger industry has been taken over by filthy rich women who just happened to give birth. They neither take care of their kids or household, nor do any motherly activities. I don't have any grudge towards privilege, but when does money equate to being the most inspirational mother? Most of us mommies are REALLY working hard, trying to balance motherhood and career and maintaining sanity in between. Most of us don't have an army of help: read nanny, cook, full time maid, make up artists and a social media management team. The very reason why the influencer industry boomed was for its "REALNESS" and ironically, it's the fakest section of the society.
So this very big yet controversial brand (whom I have supported since day 1) organised a huge meet in Gurgaon, after 5 years. Their first meet was way back in 2018, celebrating 125 years of their brand. They flew me and my little one to Mumbai, we stayed in Renaissance, and it was fantastic. After that, we (me and Mohi) flew to Mumbai twice, and had loyally supported the brand, not just worked with them. Because most of the mommy bloggers I know, they don't use their products on their kids, they attend events only for the money. I didn't attend this event because they refused to pay me my worth. Of course they paid lakhs to the "Real mums".
Now this kind of double standards have plagued the entire industry. The "successful" mommy influencers don't write their script, they have scriptwriters. Of course they don't shoot or edit. They don't even do their hair and makeup! They have thrown their money at literally everything in trying to portray a "real life" on screen. These mommies who can't even lift a spoon, get the biggest cooking and cleaning campaigns. That's what the brands want.
Never before in my life have I doubted my capabilities so much. I have come to realise that I just need to have resources to make things work, not talent. So why not I put all my resources into building a nursing home which will help the society instead of something so superficial! I have stayed in this field for my love for creativity, but it's just becoming way too stressful for me. It's better that I stress over on my patient's health rather than how to look a certain way or my reel insights.
Maybe this is my midlife crisis speaking. Or maybe I should seriously quit. I accept defeat. Rant over.
PS I will continue writing nevertheless because this is who I am.
This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2024.
9 comments
I worked as an influencer with Blogmint, Zefmo, Bazooka etc - Blogmint provided steady work but they closed in 2016. They worked with leading tech brands and I was paid 100 for 10 tweets - I got some money there but now things are stopped. There is no influencing.
ReplyDeleteGirl, you've narrated my exact story. I've been with you at 'that' event, infact that's where we met for the first time and what a wonderful period of experiences and close connections it was. I was denied my due by that very brand this time again, but I'm not sad to be stepping out of it. But I have the same concerns as you. The REAL MOMS are hardly using any of the products, bet they don't even know what products are being used in their house because they do not invest time in these decisions. A lizol is equivalent to phenyl and a Colgate is equivalent to a close up. But, that's who brands choose! In sick and tired and a lot of times out of opportunities. But... C'est la vie.
ReplyDeleteI have experienced a similar situation as a small influencer. But then, life is meant to bring surprises. Who knows your nursing home may bring you more financial benefits!
ReplyDeleteI agree and I admire the work you do.But I never got into the Instagram thing because I felt it was too fake and promoted FOMO .I am blogging since 2014 .I started because I fell in love with writing and that's the reason we became friends and are still blogging together. Best wishes and more power to you .
ReplyDeleteOh girl you just spoke my heart out. I was so down yesterday fretting over this incident. The fake glitz and glamour with no knowledge on writing or product ingredients are now the "big influencers". It's so disappointing that brands have started gauging everything on the external appearance of pages rather than real content.
ReplyDeleteNo field remains the same, there are always disruptors. Some survive the game, others move on. Blogging killed journalism, travel influencers killed travel journalists and magazines, it damaged my career, but then I switched tracks, stuck to my strengths and have moved on. Influencer market is manupilated by marketeers, it has a short life because all you need is a camera, makeup and business development manager. Like most careers in front of the camera, lifespans are short. Nursing and health are evergreen and always needed professions. In fact, they work the other way around--the more experienced and mature you are, the more in demand you are. You have to choose the wiser path. Good Luck.
ReplyDeleteI am not an influencer yet, but I get you. The online industry has become all about numbers and advertisements. There is hardly anything being honest and kind. I hope you find your way through this new journey you wish to embark on… all the best.
ReplyDeleteMy Dear Dear Dearest Mandira I salute you for showing courage to speak the brutal truth of the influence market of India. You know I never became successful as an influence because I am not that smart (actually shallow minded) in front of the influencer world and I never tried to be the one.Yes, light camera action is a part of the job as an influencer but not for being fake. Mandira I am proud of you for the person you are and hats off to you. I am not a Santoor Mumma... and mera cehera sa asli umar ka pata to chal hi jata ha.... and I am a real mumma. I dont know how to do good makeup or look picture perfect in front of a camera.... but what I believe the real me should be visible to the audience. But I am a happy and satisfying blogger and what I do I do with honesty and now investing my time to help people with my genuine knowledge of occult science and when I see the satisfying smile on their face showing results of my healing skill- That what I call is achievement for me and not being a picture perfect influencer queen. Mandira you are you and no one can be you and I love you, respect you, admire you and believe in you. Right time will come and Mandira will be known and respected for being loyal to her work and for being dedicated to remaining honest and genuine. Love you again.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who is on the other side, I absolutely 100% get your frustration and the need to pull the plug and just stop. I hope you don't do that because we need more people like you doing the good work. I love how carefully you plan your blog posts and reels. More power to you and your pen.
ReplyDelete