In recent months, Irish bloggers and influencers have been under intense scrutiny, as followers become more vigilant of sponsorships and undeclared ads and pages like Bullshitcallerouter and BloggersUnveiled expose the underhanded tactics some bloggers are partial to.
This atmosphere of negativity has led influencer Jodie Wood to give her personal opinion on influencer hate, and the stigma attached to bloggers accepting paid endorsements.
The blogger and Beauty Editor of Social & Personal, who has accumulated over 27,700 Instagram followers, took her her stories last night to highlight her feelings about receiving hate for accepting brand sponsorships.
'I'm annoyed that my photos of me drinking a cup of bloody tea can get 2,000 likes, but as soon as you see it's a collaboration it's not supported,' she wrote.
'Why should we (influencers) have to continue to provide free entertainment, advice and inspiration and be expected to receive nothing in return?'
'Blogging is a job, would you go to work for free every day?'
Jodie makes a good point, as celebrities who appear in haircare and makeup ads or as brand ambassadors are rarely subject to the same scrutiny.
It's the expectation of authenticity which comes from the influencer audience that drives the opposition to sponsored posts, but to make a living, influencers need these endorsements, which they mix in with their 'authentic' content.'
'The minute we are seen to be earning an income from blogging, it's not supported,' she continued via her Instagram story.
'I know there are bloggers out there who aren't the most transparent or genuine, but I have worked my arse off making my poor husband take photos for YOU GUYS continuously over the last few years.'
'You have no idea how much effort goes into the shots you see, that just look like a quick snap on my phone.'
'I think it's so sad and typically Irish to not be happy for someone else as soon as they appear to be doing well,' she continued.
Jodie elaborated to say that she is exceptionally lucky and thankful to have the supportive following that she does, but that her statement on the matter stems from a DM she received which slated her for accepting a brand sponsorship.
'Used to love following you months ago before it turned purely into advertisements.' the DM writer, who Jodie anonymised, complained.
'I think it's such a shame that you have gone so drastically from not paid content to pretty much everything being #ad.'
In her final thoughts, the influencer said that she won't be stopped from working with brands in the future that she feels are a good fit for her personal brand.
'I only ever work with brands I believe in and would tell you about even if I wasn't paid,' she said, emphasising her commitment to remaining transparent with her following.
Jodie isn't the first influencer to speak out about the criticism of the audience regarding sponsorships and transparency.
Sarah Hanrahan of I Come Undone took to her Instagram stories a number of weeks ago to highlight the power of the follower when it comes to engaging with bloggers.
Sarah reminded her followers that they control the content they see, and by continuing to engage with content that they don't agree with by liking and following those who create it, they are allowing for the continued conception of that content.
The power is in your hands, gals.
