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Influencers


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Viewing 25 posts - 26 through 50 (of 55 total)
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  • #3823817
    Terran Terran
    BPL Member

    @terran

    Leave no trace and try not to involve S&R.

     

    #3823974
    Terran Terran
    BPL Member

    @terran

    YouTube video

    #3823985
    David D
    BPL Member

    @ddf

    Every year the influence of influencers gets worse in our provincial parks.

    On my last fall trip I found at an assigned canoe in/hike in site cut down live trees, a big fire stand for a hanging pot made from live wood, fire gloves and shovel(!).  Obvious signs that someone watched too many bushcraft videos but didn’t know what the heck they were doing.  They left tons of other trash: food, a home pillow (that was a first) and a huge patio mattress (ditto).

    It’s great that new people want to experience the outdoors but influencers are leaving the impression they can trash the joint.  We need “influencers” for LNT principles.

    #3823989
    Terran Terran
    BPL Member

    @terran

    The video I just posted, the guy froze to death.

    #3824003
    David D
    BPL Member

    @ddf

    That’s very sad.  More details

    YouTube video

    #3824004
    Terran Terran
    BPL Member

    @terran

    Some of these videos, including Luke, are promoting camping in bad weather, while  being very close to the road.

    #3824005
    Geoff Caplan
    BPL Member

    @geoffcaplan

    Locale: Lake District, Cumbria

    That kid dying in Lapland was sad – a serious place at this time of year, and very likely beyond his level of experience.

    Here in the UK there’s a tendency for YouTubers to seek out the most extreme conditions in search of drama and clicks. Whenever there’s a big storm forecast, they head out for a summit camp. Very likely, they’re influencing others to give this a try – people who may not have the same levels of skill and equipment.

    It’s only a matter of time before one of these escapades ends badly.

    #3825610
    Sarah Kirkconnell
    BPL Member

    @sarbar

    Locale: Homesteading On An Island In The PNW

    I’ve been self-employed since 2007 in the outdoor industry. I’ve created products and then let that go when I had more kids, so writing became my main thing to keep money flowing in. I came through the mainstream years of blogging, where companies came at you nonstop. For a number of years, I had packages that constantly showed up on my porch, often without any knowledge of what would be in them. I took paid gigs, I worked as an influencer – and yes, I took money.

    I hated the paid-for ones. I never felt authentic because I couldn’t be truthful. It felt rather dirty when you had to send them your post beforehand and then rework it with their corporate speak. Like playing Buzzword Bingo if you will.

    And for anyone wondering, for many influencers, there is a shady back side – of paying to play. You pay for fake followers that are bots, so you look like you have more of a reach, to get actual followers. I refused to do that. That meant I lost out on deals I could have had. Oh well. At least I had my honesty. People may not always like what I have to say, but it is honest.

    The other one is hidden groups where the “you like mine, I like yours” BS lives – let’s say you have a post on IG you need traction on so that the company will pay you more – random strangers promote yours; you just gotta do it back it eventually for them.

    I reviewed a lot of stuff, but I can tell you now. I buy nearly 90% of it. I only take free items with no strings attached. They don’t have any say in my reviews.

    People think being an influencer is an easy job. It isn’t – and if you want to be successful, you will sell your soul most of the time. And it is so full of icky people who demand free things constantly (I have been on that side, where people demand samples from me….yeesh!)

    Also, affiliate commissions are how we make money. Am I open about it? Well, duh. Of course. The FCC legally requires it for websites and online services. Any Amazon link you click on is an affiliate link, but those links keep the lights on. Just running a site or social media page takes money. We make 4 to 8% on average plus bonuses if we are good at it. It pays literally for my buying of freeze-dried meals I buy to review – at no cost to my readers to see them in action. I actually make real money with freeze-dryer commissions. They pay me 10% every time one sells. But I paid for my machine up front and I do tutorials on using it – and spend a chunk of time answering emals and messages about how to dry stuff. So, no, I don’t feel guilty for earning money this way. Nor do I feel guilty having Google AdSense on all my sites.

    I have the right to earn a living doing what I love. It has allowed me for 18 years to be a SAHM and raise my kids at home. And I hope it will continue to grow into my retirement years.

    So take everything you see online with an open eye – but don’t hate on those that do it right.

    #3825616
    jscott
    BPL Member

    @book

    Locale: Northern California

    We all grew up in a capitalist society. We should know how this works. “Influencers” are just another iteration of advertiser. We all take ads with a grain of salt. There’s always a way to read between the lines and do further research about a product in order to decide if it might be right for you.

    By the way, the potential side effects of backpacking are hernia, altitude sickness, loss of appetite, being mauled by a bear, becoming lost and never having your carcass found, drowning in early season rivers, slipping on ice and tumbling to your death. Ask your doctor if backpacking is right for you!

    #3825645
    Terran Terran
    BPL Member

    @terran

    My doctor said “no”. I got another doctor.

    An informative advertisement isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Having been raised in the age of consumerism, informing oneself is key. Many small brands I would not have been aware of without the influencers. It’s up to me to make an intelligent decision. To see through the smoke and mirrors as much as possible. Not all influence is bad influence. It’s good to be skeptical, but don’t limit yourself.

    #3825693
    John “Jay” Menna
    BPL Member

    @jaymenna78734

    Locale: 30.3668397,-97.7399123

    I find it “interesting” that a number of “made in China” outdoor brands, marketed as cutting out the middleman, have suspiciously strange positive reviews.

    Even weirder, the comments often feel slightly out of place, overly lengthy, or gratuitously mention another product from the same brand. Some even include offhand remarks about customer service or shipping speed that seem unnatural or deliberately inserted.

    They don’t feel organic, and the timing of the comments is curious—as if the commenters somehow know when the video is going to premiere.

    #3825702
    Sarah Kirkconnell
    BPL Member

    @sarbar

    Locale: Homesteading On An Island In The PNW

    All fake and paid for is how it happens. It’s one reason all those companies send “free” products via Amazon to people. Then it shows it as a “bought” item and they can insert reviews that shows it was “bought”. They offer the product is free to keep AND you’ll get paid to review. I get pitches constantly via Amazon messaging directly (wether or not it is OK and follows Amazon rules….they sure don’t care).

    Another oddity, I bought an item that was horrible. It literally broke first use. I returned it to Amazon. The company messaged me that if I removed my 1 star review they would refund my money (which means I’d have gotten a second “refund”). I ignored it. It was pure crap and I was their only review.

    #3825728
    Terran Terran
    BPL Member

    @terran

    Bad reviews and the price goes down until they rebrand it. Often the reviewers haven’t even tried the product. It’s their first tent and they love it or FedEx was late and they hate it. I count on the influencers that have reviewed 50 brands. The ones providing audience feedback, though I’ve noticed lately on YouTube that the “thumbs down” button fails to register.

    #3825742
    David D
    BPL Member

    @ddf

    The thumbs down button registers, but only the youtube channel owner sees the results.

    Reviews that discuss the pros and cons of something in particular can be useful. They don’t need to have reviewed 50 products, they just need to know how to evaluate something.  There are youtubers out there that have reviewed more and still struggle with how to test .

    Advice that claims something is the “best”, not so useful.  IME no gear reviewer takes the time to research the breadth of options available.   They catch up to the market 6 months to a year later

     

    #3826863
    Terran Terran
    BPL Member

    @terran

    Never mind the old man.

    YouTube video

    #3826972
    Bill in Roswell
    BPL Member

    @roadscrape88-2

    Locale: Roswell, GA, USA

    Youtubers with integrity who are transparent do offer helpful reviews on new gear. Example: Tarptent Dipole and Durston X Dome. Both were tested by some lesser known reviewers before the In Crowd. Clue: the less often a reviewer post a video, the more likely they are not sponsored. The ones that post every week are sponsored in some way. I don’t consider a company sending out gear for objective testing as being sponsored for an objective review, tranparently of course. Tarptent and Durston do that, and I own tents from each.

    As for cooking, I watch several Scots and a US expat cook on the treeless, wind swept mountains of Scotland and England. Most mention setting up the used vestibule on the downwind side (leeward for sailors).

    #3826975
    AK Granola
    BPL Member

    @granolagirlak

    I learned a lot from this thread. Interesting to learn how the sausage is made. And it isn’t more appetizing than the meat on Main Street. We should all just stop shopping online. I wish.

    #3826982
    Terran Terran
    BPL Member

    @terran

    The big news on main street is the new In and Out Burger next to the old Taco Bell that was built when Walmart came in. That is unless you’re in a small town, where it’s Dollar General. I can drive through the city and get to REI where they have a vast selection of nothing that I need along with very little that I  want. On the up side, I get to pay more for the privilege of the salesman explaining the virtues of one size fits all equipment in the latest spring colors. It is on the Internet where small business has thrived and survived. Many are no longer small. Ways of reaching the public are new, but no different than the old. Sears catalog provided the entertainment while also proving to be multifunctional. Mail order houses and mail order brides were the norm. It’s all the same. The same book with a different cover. All written by Shakespeare and edited by Dr. Seuss. The Hardy boys meet Nancy Drew resulting in serious self examination. Two genders by executive order. That’ll fix it.

    #3827178
    Sarah Kirkconnell
    BPL Member

    @sarbar

    Locale: Homesteading On An Island In The PNW

    We should all just stop shopping online. I wish.

    Please don’t. There are plenty of solid people out there who have created a living by selling online. Without the internet I’d never have had my career. Every book I have sold since 2005, was due to online shopping giving me a corner in the interwebs. Think of gear companies like Tarp Tents back in the day – who were able to find an audience on the internet. In store shopping, well…too often it is just the same old stuff from China, in every store.

    #3827179
    Sarah Kirkconnell
    BPL Member

    @sarbar

    Locale: Homesteading On An Island In The PNW

    Two genders by executive order. That’ll fix it.

    Ok, that is oddly specific ranting politically. Ok then……

    #3827183
    jscott
    BPL Member

    @book

    Locale: Northern California

    Sarah, I think the comment was of a piece with the gist of Terranterran’s well written post. There’s nothing new under the sun, and demanding something be true and right doesn’t make it so.

    #3827184
    Terran Terran
    BPL Member

    @terran

    Perhaps a little. I think the paradox of spending local is the money doesn’t stay local.  Rather than addressing the issues presented in our towns our focus seems to have shifted to addressing non-issues.

    #3828099
    Chad “Stick” Poindexter
    BPL Member

    @stick

    Locale: Southeast USA

    It’s been a long while since I have posted on any backpacking forums… About 15 years ago I started a blog and a YT channel that was originally intended as a way to document and share my trips, as well as my gear progression. Where I lived at that time was no where near any actual hiking/backpacking trails, and good luck finding a store that even sold “outdoor gear.”

    I remember being at the Sugarland Visitor Center in the GSMNP on vacation and looking at the huge 3D map and seeing a dotted line run through it that said “Appalachian Trail” next to it… I was intrigued. When I got home I looked it up and realized not only was the trail a lot longer than what I thought, but that backpacking sounded cool! I bought a 90L Kelty backpack, a Kelty 2 person tent and a heavy, synthetic TNF sleeping bag. All in, I was 60 lbs heavier taking my first steps to head to the AT from Amicalola.

    I loved the trip, but realized there surely had to be a better way to go about it… but again, where I lived, there was nowhere even remotely close for me to even go in and put my hands and eyes on anything. So, I started buying gear and taking it out as often as I could. My first piece of “UL” gear was the original CloudKit from Zpacks. I made a video about it, and it sort of took off from there…

    My videos were loooong. I talked a lot, but I tried my best to explain every little detail about the gear that I could, including why I wanted to try it, what I expected of it on it’s own, but more importantly how it worked as part of a system. After all, “UL backpacking” is about gear working together to be more efficient, functional, and as a result, lighter weight! This is what I tried to convey. And it worked because I had a lot of great conversations with folks, and most times we both came away better for it.

    Through my blog and my YT channel I met some really great friends. Some of which I will finally be hitting the trail with again in just a couple of weeks! However, my channel also attracted folks that wanted to send me stuff to review. No lie, it was exciting at first, however, I quickly realized, it was not worth it. Much of it was companies that just wanted their name shared, and the items they wanted to send was junk… There were very few items I actually received in exchange for a review, some of which I never even shared because the companies did not like what I had to say about their gear… I never specifcally got paid for anything, other than monetizing my YT channel after some time. And I did include some affiliate links in my write ups to Amazon, but I got to admit, I didn’t make anything off of that! Besides this, I did throw a disclaimer up on my site that stated if anyone wanted to send anything my way, that first off, the gear would become mine to keep, and secondly, that I was free to say whatever I wanted to about the gear, which I think did deterred some of the companies…

    Besides this, I did “partner” with a more well known gear company for a bit, but that didn’t quite work out, and the only items from them that I had, I paid for with my own money. I did somewhat get closer to some folks with other companies and I got to help out with bringing some things out, but this was not for reviews or even money, just product feedback. I enjoyed this the most…

    Anyway, I guess to some degree, I was an influencer. About the time I realized this though, some things for me changed. First, I had found the gear that just worked for me and I enjoyed using, and secondly, life got busier. I had to step back, and between being happy with the gear I had, and not really being able to hike any longer, I felt it was time for me to stop producing content. It’s crazy though, even after 7 years of being away from it, I will still get an occasional random message from a “company” which I simply delete.

    I just got back on this site a few weeks ago. I had previously given away some gear and had to buy more for our upcoming trip, so I started looking around again. Things have changed, but there really are a lot of YT channels out there. Honestly, I have only watched a few from some of the guys I knew back when, but things do certainly seem much more crowded now. I imagine that many of them are simply pushing products, and in exchange for some sort of payment, but I must say that this is not what I ever felt like I did with my content. Saying that, I am glad that I am no longer keeping my channels up. I am looking forward to getting back on the trail, snapping some photos, but just to have, and enjoying my time out there… and my gear!

    #3828150
    Matthew / BPL
    Moderator

    @matthewkphx

    Nice to see your name pop up here.  I enjoyed your content back in the day. You were one of the most visible UL people when I started backpacking and it was interesting to see your honest reactions to the gear you were showing us. I always felt like you were unbiased in your videos, unlike much of the clickbait YT out there now.

    I hope you have a great trip.

    #3828169
    Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear
    BPL Member

    @jonfong

    Locale: FLAT CAT GEAR

    Wow, that post brought back a lot of memories. So here is a funny story about how we got started. About 15 years ago, I was just tinkering around with an alcohol stove when I came up with a super low-profile stove. A low-profile stove (Flat Cat Standard alcohol stove) allows you to reduce the windscreen height to enable it to nest inside a pot. Cones at the time were a PITA as they required external storage. I sent the stove over to Russ at Trail Designs to see if he wanted the design. He loved the design, but at the time it didn’t fit into their product line (this was a decade or so before Kojin). He suggested that I start a business on my own and reach out to influencer to get launched.

    Chad “Stick” Poindexter, Hiram Cook, Hikin’ Jim, Brian Green, Hendrick Morkel & Jason Klass were influencer that help us to get established. These guys were out to spread information and news to the backpacking community and helped to get us off the ground. Are they influencers? Did they make profit off of it? Not likely. At that time, they were just trying to help the community out and share their thoughts on new innovations.

    Today, there are few influencers out there like these guys. Today, it seems to be more about working the “algorithm”, getting views and monetizing the sites. But there are a few good ones out there. I happen to like Phillip Werner (SectionHiker) as he himself gives a straight up review (IMO). I also enjoy Three Point of the Compass and RS Outdoor.

    Bottom line, there are influencers and there are influencers. Not all are the same.  My 2 cents.

Viewing 25 posts - 26 through 50 (of 55 total)
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