The Rise of “Influencer Farming”: A Detour From the Authentic Beauty Narrative
A look at the alarming rise of influencer farms and what this really means.
Contrary to its name, ‘influencer farming’ doesn’t involve running around a field of veggies or driving a tractor. Instead, it refers to something that a lot of us may have swiped past on social media without even realizing it.
Influencer farms — also known as influencer incubators — are on the rise around the world, particularly in Asia. In short, it refers to people who sell products on social media channels and live streams. However, it gets a little more complicated in the background. That’s because these influencers tend to work from a “factory” where everyone is working from the same room.
We’re talking about hundreds of ring lights and influencers plugging products for their followers in a dystopian social media world.
Currently, this is an industry that dominates in China and other Asian countries such as South Korea. According to Yahoo, there are an estimated 1 million livestream influencers working in China at the moment, and counting. So let’s get to know what’s really happening behind the scenes and why this goes against the authentic beauty narrative.
So what is 'Influencer Farming' and how is it impacting beauty?
As we’ve already outlined, "Influencer Farming" is basically the systematic cultivation of influencers, often en masse, with the primary goal of maximizing reach without necessarily aligning with brand values. Like a farm. 🙃
Reports suggest that this type of social media has flourished in China because people don’t really trust traditional marketing and fake products. So they’ve turned to social media influencers as a way of verifying their products and adding an extra layer of validity. While looking at influencers to gain honest perspectives on products and brands is totally fine, it seems like influencer farms have started to exploit that.
Companies like Chinese-based Ruhan is one such example. Reportedly operating from a building in Hangzhou, the influencers work in 8-hour shifts from stuffy studios that are full of tripods and webcams. According to the Daily Star, this seems to be having the desired effect. The article reported that in 2020, China had recorded 309 million live-streaming consumers, which is around one-third of its internet users.
Taking a toll on Authentic Content and Positive Engagement
The essence of influencer marketing has always been, more or less, rooted in authenticity. Followers are usually drawn to influencers because they believe that the content offers genuine advice, honest reviews, or personal experiences. However, with the rise of influencer farms, the lines between authenticity and manufactured content are being blurred.
Here’s what’s troubling: These farms often work with scripts and predetermined selling points, leaving little room for influencers to share personal experiences or honest opinions about the products.
What’s more, working in influencer farms isn't just about losing the authentic touch. The environment in these farms can be incredibly draining, both mentally and physically. Such conditions — long hours in front of harsh bright lights and cameras — hardly encourage creativity and can lead to burnout.
Another big thing that we find troubling is that influencer farms also promote a specific beauty standard. Many farms recruit influencers who fit a particular mold, sidelining those who don't fit into that category. This narrow representation not only impacts the influencers who work there but also promotes a limited idea of beauty to millions of viewers, contradicting the evolving global narrative of diverse beauty and inclusivity.
Realistically, anything that’s referred to as a ‘farm’ for humans probably shouldn’t be trusted as being good for anyone.
The Push for Authentic Engagement in Natural Beauty
We’ve only really touched the surface of this complex story. That’s because influencer farming is also quite an unknown concept, particularly to Western audiences.
There are no real statistics on the brands that are using this method of marketing and no complete studies about what this is doing to sales (or to mental health).
But here’s what we think: For brands, being associated with influencer farms might also end up being a double-edged sword. While they may achieve a broader reach in the short term, in the long run, they risk associating themselves with inauthenticity.
The very foundation of influencer marketing is trust, and once that's compromised, brands can face backlash from consumers.
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