How to Grow An Audience Without Being an “Influencer”
I can’t stand influencers.
They’re annoying, pretentious, disrespectful, and always pushing you to buy some stupid product you don’t need (looking at you, Jake and Logan Paul…). They assume their audience is stupid and will do whatever they say just because they think they’re so cool.
Everything is about them — how great they are, how much they make, how awesome their lifestyle is.
And it’s meaningless. Totally meaningless and empty.
The social media influencer is one of the worst things to come out of the Information Age.
The Good News: This is Going Out of Style
Thankfully, the “influencer” as we know it is fading. Even guys like Jake and Logan Paul can’t just rely on their self-image and cheap viral content anymore. They now have to provide something of real value — in their case, the energy drink PRIME (which, by the way, has built a real business).
This is a massive shift in how audiences engage with content. People are getting smarter. They can tell when something is fake, when someone is forcing a personality, and when a creator is just trying to get something from them instead of genuinely offering value.
And if you’re a business looking to grow an audience on social media, here’s the best part:
You Don’t Have to Be Like Them
Don’t worry about renting a Lamborghini (we’ll all know you rented it, anyway). Don’t pose with wads of cash (we’ll know you bought it from a movie prop website, anyway). Don’t show off designer clothes — no one cares. Don’t pretend to have a super-luxurious lifestyle — it’s a slap in the face to every hardworking American trying to eke out a meaningful existence for themselves.
That stuff might’ve worked years ago when the Internet was slowly overtaking Television in popularity. But nowadays that the Internet is the mainstream channel, we’ve all gotten pretty good at sniffing out the BS. Audiences today are more skeptical than ever. We know when something feels off. And we’re getting better at this every year.
What Works Today? Simple, Genuine Value
If you want to grow an audience and generate real business from social media, focus on being useful, valuable, and real:
Teach people something. Share insights from your industry that help them understand something new or make better decisions.
Document your process. Instead of “creating content,” just share what you’re already doing — the real behind-the-scenes of your work.
Show your expertise. Not by bragging, but by giving away information (yes, even trade secrets!) that genuinely helps your audience. Tip: if you’re worried your competitors might steal it, there’s your sign that your audience will crave it.
Tell good stories. Stories are what make people care. Instead of just saying what you do, show why it matters.
No cheap tricks. No fake hype. No pretending to be something you’re not. Doesn’t that sound, like, way less stressful?
The formula is almost too simple: just provide value. No other strategy is as easy, sustainable, and genuine.
