A solution for diversity in influencer marketing

If you’ve spent at least five minutes on social media in the past five years, chances are you’ve come across an influencer ad. According to Adweek, the now multibillion-dollar industry known as influencer marketing is said to continue growing in the coming years, which can only mean more flat tummy teas, hair gummy vitamins, and lavish #sponsored excursions to luxury hotels. One would think that with the growing industry, more influencers would be given the opportunity to participate in these sort of brand partnerships, however that does not seem to be the case.

Last month, travel blogger and lifestyle influencer Alicia Tenise took to Twitter to express her frustration towards the state of influencer marketing. Tenise, who is a Washington, D.C. native, launched her blog back in 2011 and has since amassed a following of over 51K across her social channels. In her tweet, she spoke candidly about the lack of diversity, specifically the underrepresentation of black influencers seen on influencer trips. Little did she know this tweet would spark massive conversation as thousands liked, retweeted and commented in support.

“Black influencers are rarely ever invited on influencer trips. I’ve started screenshotting every press trip I’ve seen over the last month and the lack of diversity is so upsetting (but not surprising).” Unfortunately, this conversation is not a new one, yet that didn’t stop many from joining in to express their equal dismay.

One of the more surprising comments came from a woman who appeared in one of the screenshots Alicia had posted. “I am always appalled at this too (& I say this as someone whose photo is screenshotted)” the North Carolina-based blogger Emily Wilkinson tweeted. “Thank you for speaking up & sharing your thoughts with brands! I feel like our industry as a whole needs to be much better when it comes to diversity and inclusion.” Furthering the conversation, Wilkinson pledged to inquire with brands about the diversity of influencer trips before accepting future invitations.

Throughout the thread, a common theme seemed to emerge. The responsibility does not lay upon one individual but rather the entire industry to spark change. Whether you are an influencer looking to partner with a brand or a gatekeeper to said brand, there is a part to be played in working to infuse more diversity into the world of influencer marketing.

To the Influencers…

If you’re an influencer, you have the power to choose which brands you work with. It is imperative that prior to beginning a brand partnership, you do your due diligence in research. Understand the core values of the brand. Look at their past campaigns and even their presence on social media. Are they consistently practicing diversity and inclusion? Are they authentically representing their audiences? Ask the hard questions and ensure that whatever brand you’re supporting understands the importance of diversity as a core practice rather than a buzz word.

To the Marketers…

There is a level of responsibility that must not go ignored. As marketers, you have the unique ability to influence mass quantities of people one social media post at a time. When using this influence, it is critical that you keep your target demographic in mind, crafting campaigns that represent them as well as your core values. This means checking the biases you may subconsciously uphold in order to create influencer campaigns that share different stories through the lens of people from various races, religions, genders and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The Ones to Know

At Day One Agency, this is our philosophy and approach to influencer marketing. It’s what led us to build a resource specifically designed to shine a light on those who are overlooked in the sea of sameness.

Each week on @D1A , we’ll be highlighting The Ones to Know. Check us out every Friday and send us a DM to nominate someone who you think deserves a platform.

The Ones to Know is a resource meant to elevate influencers from underrepresented communities who are stopping us in our scrolls. Whether it’s an inner-city botanist or an LGBTQ+ travel blogger — these specific voices have amassed a following around shared passions, interests and lifestyles. They are storytellers, artists, athletes, innovators, changemakers who are impacting and driving subculture trends.

What This Means

Accepting our roles as gatekeepers of the industry means speaking up on behalf of those whose voices are not always heard on algorithm-operated platforms. It means drawing on niche communities of all kinds to present truly diverse influencer strategies to brands. There is an online community for every unique passion and these communities have established “gathering places” built on trust. The time is now for brands to acknowledge the opportunity to authentically collaborate with them.