Peak Influencer ERA:
Why 2025 Is The Perfect Time To Level Up
(Taylor’s Version)
“It’s Me, Hi, I’m the Content Creator It’s Me.”
Lots of people create content & succeed at affiliate marketing… but how would it feel to love it, like, really love it?
In the ever-evolving world of content creation and affiliate marketing, one question keeps needing to be answered:
How can you truly love what you do? Lots of people dive into the art of content creation and affiliate marketing, but it’s not uncommon for it to sometimes feel uncomfortable. How do you maintain authenticity in a world where genuine passion can sometimes be overshadowed by the allure of financial gain?
How do you find brands you really love and convince the makers of that brand that they’ll make money with you?
What if you get approached by a brand you think is icky, but they’re offering good money?
Does continuing to be an influencer mean you have to lie about liking products to get paid?
Sometimes it feels salesy and forced. Sometimes it feels fake.
As an influencer, you may find yourself at a crossroads, torn between your love for certain brands and the prospect of financial opportunities. It’s not uncommon to wonder if you’re diluting your brand/integrity/reputation to promote products or brands that don’t align with your personal values. Does being an influencer mean you have to compromise your authenticity for a residual paycheck?
Influencer marketing is a complex landscape with “best practices” sometimes being tossed aside to make room for more money.
Why do people love real UGC (User Generated Content)?
User-generated content is popular because when it’s good, it resonates with people’s experiences. If authentic it builds trust, offers transparency, and elicits emotions.
- Relatability: Authentic UGC often features everyday people using products or engaging with brands in real-life scenarios. This relatability makes it easier for other consumers to see themselves in those situations, creating a stronger connection between the content and the viewer.
- Trust: Authenticity builds trust. When consumers see UGC from real users who really love the brands they’re promoting, they are more likely to trust the information and recommendations provided. This trust can influence their purchasing decisions.
- Transparency: Authentic UGC is often unfiltered and unpolished, which can convey transparency. It shows products or experiences as they truly are, without the overly polished or edited look often associated with professionally created content. This transparency can be appealing to consumers who value honesty.
- Emotional Appeal: Authentic UGC can evoke genuine emotions. It captures real moments and reactions, whether it’s excitement, happiness, or surprise. These authentic emotions resonate with viewers and can create a more emotional connection with the brand or product.
- Peer Influence: People tend to be influenced by their peers. When they see UGC from individuals who they believe really are similar to them, it can sway their opinions and behaviors. This peer influence is a powerful factor in the appeal of authentic UGC.
- Diversity: Authentic UGC often showcases a diverse range of individuals, backgrounds, and experiences. This diversity can be more inclusive and representative of a brand’s audience, making it appealing to a broader range of consumers.
- Storytelling: Authentic UGC can tell compelling stories. It often provides context and narrative, allowing viewers to understand how a product or experience fits into someone’s life. Storytelling is a powerful way to engage and captivate an audience. Are your stories real?
- Engagement: Consumers tend to engage more with UGC. They leave comments, share, and discuss it, creating a sense of community and interaction around the content. This engagement can enhance the overall experience and brand loyalty.
- Validation: When consumers see others using a product or enjoying an experience, it validates their own potential choices. It provides social proof that the product or brand is worth considering, reducing uncertainty.
- Uniqueness: Authentic UGC often captures unique and unexpected moments. This uniqueness can make the content more memorable and shareable, contributing to its appeal.
Brand-aligned UGC leverages peer influence, showcases diversity, tells engaging stories, encourages engagement, provides validation, and stands out as unique. All these factors combine to make authentic UGC a powerful tool for brands and a preferred choice for consumers.
What are the experts saying...
Allison Rinaldi of PMG says “creator partnerships in the affiliate channel right now are among the most sought after”. This means brands are searching for partners.
In “7 Reasons Why Influencer Marketing Is Not For You” the London-based marketing firm Pukket Limited found that many consumers find influencers to be fake. They also have a whole section on how influencers are their own individual people and can post content that doesn’t align with the brand they’re contracted to represent, which is dangerous for the brand. This means the best brands want influencers who align with them.
Jennifer Goldstein, CEO of iLOLA (Linked Organically, Loved Authentically), sheds light on a growing trend – consumer distrust of influencers. Goldstein’s findings reveal that 48% of consumers are beginning to question the authenticity of influencers.. This means the most authentic influencers will rise to the top.
Be Intentional About Your Influencing Choices
A study conducted by Stackla delivers some valid insights into consumer preferences:
- 88% of consumers consider authenticity important when deciding which brands to support.
- An impressive 90% of consumers say authenticity is a pivotal factor when deciding which brands they like and support. This number has increased from 86% in 2017.
- Millennials, a significant demographic for many influencers, place a high value on brand authenticity, with 90% preferring “real and organic” content over “perfect and packaged” content.
This data underscores the significance of authenticity in influencer marketing. It’s not just a buzzword; it’s the key to gaining trust and support from your audience. And KEEPING that trust, which translates to more passive income from your collaborations.
- Ilola gives better brands an edge & inspires other brands to make better choices. We love our brand partners. They get it. And they’re brands looking for UGC content creators who get it too.
- Ilola helps authentic content creators earn steady and passive income, while building their own brand and own personal version of success. Never forced, never cringe. Just linking organically with brands you love authentically, and vice versa.
- Ilola reduces the noise of inauthentic content, by certifying valuable recommendations that benefit all of us.
We LOUDLY promote authenticity and embolden our creators to be themSELVES. Creators, shoppers, and the general public have POWER. It’s almost like a vote or “endorsement” when you follow someone.
Voting with your dollars has the power to shift consumerism as we know it. To promote discernment instead of mindless consumption. We decided to Be The Change we wanted to see.
iLOLA reduces the noise of inauthentic content by making vetted and valuable connections that benefit all of us. We’re passionate advocates for authenticity, and we encourage our creators to do the same.
2025 starts a pivotal era for influencers. It’s a time when authenticity is valued more than ever, and brands actively seek genuine partnerships. Ilola is here to guide content creators on the journey, ensuring you’re never alone in your pursuit of authentic influence. Together, we can redefine the landscape of influencer/brand collaborations, one authentic recommendation at a time.
Click here for our 35-second Eligibility Form to differentiate your content, and your name.
Ilola = Influence REdefined.
Just like Taylor, at every table, we’ll save you a seat.
BONUS: Are you new to influencer marketing? Want to learn how to become an influencer? How to become a content creator? Need an influencer media kit? How about a stellar media kit template? Look no further than Ilola’s UGC creator platform.
