Meridian Company Thinks They Can Make You An Influencer

It is no secret, especially as I share it now, that the concept of an "influencer" makes me cringe. If you haven't formally heard the term, I promise you already know what it is. Scroll through Instagram and the influencers stand out like Sharpied eyebrows. The page is full of pictures that look straight out of an ad, but the owner of the account is just one girl named Amber who's "just sharing my life and things I love!" That's an influencer! We look at their perfectly curated pages and think that's what we should be doing, wearing, buying, eating.

I think my aversion is that it all looks too perfect while insisting it's all organic. But the fact is, these pages are expertly crafted to attract followers, which attracts businesses who want to collaborate, and the influencer becomes a living breathing billboard for various brands. When done right, these influencers rake in a ton of cash. It all feels so disingenuous. Maybe I'm a hater because I'm 9 followers shy of 20K on Instagram and I'm not cashing in. I guess my page just doesn't have the aesthetic businesses are looking for.

Well there's a company right here in Meridian aiming to help you turn your raggedy social media accounts into cravable cash earning content. Simply Collective has just launched Social Fixx, a subscription service for aspiring influencers. Touting it as "Stitch Fix for your social," their $47 "box" is a digital tool kit sent to your email monthly with in depth tips and tricks to elevate your brand. It even comes with a makeup tutorial video so you don't look like trash on the Gram. It does seem heavily geared toward women. Sorry, fellas, you're influencing alone.

Truthfully, the aesthetic of their website almost serves as a masterclass of what they're selling. It's appealing to the eye, easily navigable. Heck, I almost signed up for the subscription myself. They even offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. I just have doubt that there would be enough variation month to month to justify the price. But if you head to my Instagram and notice a stark change to my feed, know I totally gave in and am starting my new life as an influencer. Sometimes you become the thing you hate.