It’s no secret that social media has a huge hold over many people’s lives. Statista reports that the UK average daily mobile phone increasing year-on-year with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The increase in screen time and simultaneous growth of influencer culture and online shopping have created a landscape that normalises excessive spending to keep up with trends. We may not notice it, but the impacts are clear. Here’s how social media can influence our habits.
Character
Experts are finding that the increasing use of social media is changing our mannerisms and personality. Not only can it alter our attention span due to the availability of high-dopamine short-form content, but it can also influence how we present ourselves to others.
The influencer scene on social media has undoubtedly played its role. Its origins link back to the rise of YouTube stars such as Zoella and Alfie Deyes, which brought in a new form of influencer that differed from typical celebrities. Since then, individuals from this space have evolved into full-time influencers, alongside more widely-known celebrities. Seeing these people on our feeds every day can overtime influence people’s actions.
Lifestyle choices
These days, viral fashion items, styling videos, and hauls facilitated by influencer culture are all the rage. It’s changed the way we shop for and style fashion, with more content than we could ever imagine. The rise of influencer marketing has been pivotal in how the trends we see today have evolved.
Brands will choose the ideal influencer to collaborate with to reach their desired audience. These consumerism trends go beyond fashion – they’re evident in the likes of everyday items and homeware too. Fast fashion and fast homeware come hand-in-hand, due to the ethos of constantly buying and replacing items.
Spending habits
Influencer culture dominates our social media feeds and as a result, we are encouraged to buy more. But what is the cost of this? A study by bespoke storage suppliers, Hammonds, showcases the UK’s ‘fast homeware’ habits, which are causing a substantial impact on the environment. Smaller, low-cost items tend to be thrown away most frequently, with examples including cushions and covers, throws and blankets, and lighting. Around 3.3 million Brits are buying these. On top of this, 25% of respondents said that keeping up with trends is important to them and that social media plays a huge part in this. A whopping 70 million homeware items are thrown out every year.
It’s evident that whether we’re aware of our consumerist habits or not, influencer culture on social media is having a huge impact on our buying habits. A collective awareness of this issue will help us to reduce our impact and simultaneously prompt influencer culture to ease away from its current state.
