Influencer advice,truths and myths.

I had an interesting experience at an event where someone, with only a small online following, proceeded to share their advice on what an influencer “should and shouldn’t” do. Here are my thoughts.

Kindness is not an influencer content strategy

One of their points was always to be kind and never say anything unless it’s nice. Ironically, this person has been known to discourage businesses from working with people they don’t personally like. I wrote an article last year about Toxic Positivity and how dangerous it can be. I believe kindness is important, but let’s be real — it’s not a content strategy.

Telling someone to ‘be kind’ reminds me of the Netflix show ‘Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey’. Encouraging kindness at all times can feel like a way to subtly control self-expression, limiting people from being fully authentic.

Influencer authenticity over perfection

Content as an influencer is about authenticity. It’s about telling the whole story, not just the good parts. Yes, be kind when you can, but also be honest, vulnerable, and even a little messy when life demands it. It’s okay to show your flaws and have bad days — that’s what makes your journey relatable. Sometimes, standing up for yourself means you’ll be labelled as “difficult” or “bitch”. And that’s okay, too.

Embracing controversy and standing your ground

The truth is, not everyone will like you, and that’s perfectly fine. You don’t need everyone’s approval to build something meaningful. It’s the controversial topics and uncomfortable truths that spark real conversations. As an Influencer, don’t be afraid to go there, to embrace your full self — the good, the bad, and the bold.

Keep personal grievances in your own lane

One thing that bothers me is when the spotlight is used to air personal grievances in front of everyone. If you have something negative to say, save it for a private conversation or use your social media platform where people have the choice to follow or unfollow you. I believe that public platforms are not the place to address personal issues. Hijacking someone else’s event for personal drama is just poor form.

There’s no ‘one way’ to create content

Another thing that I would like to point out is no one should ever tell you what content to create as an influencer or how to create it or influence. Even PR companies (not all but most) are there to get the most out of you for the least amount of their clients’ money. They do not own you. You own yourself! That sounds obvious. But the way some of these agencies treat influencers is appalling. Do you get paid or do they keep expecting you to attend their events free to make themselves look good?

Society is always trying to box us into categories and ‘niches’. Yes sure we tend to focus more on one type of content but many of us are eclectic, we show variety, our emotional ups and downs, and we show lifestyle content that is real and believable. 

Be unapologetically, authentically you.

A couple of us were asked to speak and commented that we were nervous and it was out of our comfort zone to speak in front of a crowd. There was a comment about influencers having large followings but struggling with public speaking, which I felt was dismissive of the different strengths we all bring to the table.

Just because someone is good at writing or creating content doesn’t mean they’re comfortable speaking on a stage. We all have different strengths, and it’s unfair to criticise those who might not be as confident in public speaking. We’re here to grow, not to be perfect. Don’t let external voices define who you are or how you should express yourself — only you have the power to do that.

In the end, be you, unapologetically. Don’t let anyone’s small view of what you should be limit your greatness.