What Is Wirral Social Media? Exploring Community, Life and Love

What Is Social Media?

Hi community, it’s Karl again. Today’s article/blog is all about social media influencers! The Internet, as a “usable” resource for the community, has only been around since the ’90s, making it about 30 years old. It has since become a worldwide resource. Many people couldn’t imagine life without the internet and have grown to love it.

The concept of a “social media influencer” has only become popular in the last 20 years. To put it in perspective: over the course of human history, this would be equivalent to social media being just a day old. It’s crucial for us, as a community, to help shape this resource for future generations and follow its trend..

#Powerof5

There’s a saying out there that goes: “We’re like a mix of the five people who influence us the most.” As we have easy access to the internet and phones, these “people” often include the social media influencers that we follow. This easy connection through the internet and phones gives us all the opportunity to choose our own five people. The more we watch and spend time with these five people, the more we will find ourselves merging into a combined version of all five of them..

How Social Media Shapes Your Life and Language?

Social media takes up a lot of our screen time. YouTube is a platform that has a wide variety of videos. On YouTube, influencers are seen as ‘trendsetters,’ ‘experts,’ and ‘role models.’ My own personal experience with YouTube over 10 years is that, as long as you do your own research (DYOR), it can be one of the best resources we have in life! From home DIY to wedding videos, it literally has so much to offer us. I personally watched two mature musicians talking about their old lyrics on YouTube last week, while the three of us were sipping tea : ).

The more we watch a certain type of video, or spend time with that certain someone, the more chance it has to affect our life and become one of the 5 people. If you watch fitness videos and you really like the person in the videos, have you ever found yourself using a word they use that you have never used before?.

Discovering the Impact

It was a ‘game changer’ for me! My best mate suddenly came to work one day and started saying ‘game changer’ for the first time in over 10 years. I liked the word, and two months later, without me knowing, my subconscious used it in a sentence. When someone was talking to me, I said, ‘that’s a game changer.’ I said it naturally and fluently! This is the power of the 5 people. Sometimes their influence is there without us even knowing : )..

Authenticity in a Edited World

In my friend example, I emphasize face-to-face interaction. The world of social media struggles to achieve this! When we watch a fitness video or a lifestyle blog, much of this online media is edited.

Plus, it’s such a brief moment. Most videos nowadays are around 3 minutes, and this duration is decreasing with the emerging trend of “30-second shorts.” If we make an effort to spend more time with five people rather than just one, it will foster greater uniqueness. Imagine 10 people contributing to an idea instead of just 2!.

Empowering Consumers

Another significant trend stemming from social media influencers is advertising. YouTube has made their advertising policy effectively. In collaboration with channel owners, YouTube establishes two clear criteria: a specific number of subscribers and a certain amount of viewing minutes. Once these are met, it becomes straightforward for anyone to launch their own channel and potentially earn a living solely from advertisements.

What’s crucial here is how we interact with these adverts. If we become enamoured by their vibrant colours and flashy displays, prioritizing appearance over value for money, we risk being swayed by products simply because “they looked professional”, rather than choosing quality products based on thorough research or DYOR..

Rediscovering Real-Life Experiences

A point to make is “validation”. We see profiles with thousands and thousands of likes, follows, or subscriptions. The more we see this, the more we seek the same validation on our own profiles. “Why did their post get 10 likes, and mine got 2?”. This leads to a detrimental effect where self-achievement takes the form of posts and comments online, instead of real-life experiences like climbing a tree or building a wall..

Impact of Influencers on Real-Life Balance

Influencers tend to have a bias towards positivity and often don’t portray a real-life balance with the positive nature they showcase. As a result, viewers are inclined to emulate this constant positivity in their own lives. In turn, they may not be adequately educated about the severe downsides of life, leaving them unprepared for these unforeseen situations..

Shaping Our Choices and Cultivating Community

While social media has its downfalls, influencers play a significant role in influencing our choices, including our circle of 5 people. They can inspire followers to make positive changes, try new activities, and even cultivate a sense of community among them, now often referred to as the new groupies. The crucial factor is how we, the followers or groupies, engage with and utilize their content..

Seeing Beyond the Edited Reality

It’s essential to remember this about social media influencers: their posts don’t always depict real life. What you see might just be a heavily edited 5-minute snapshot; it’s rarely the full story. If any of the 5 people in your life bring you down, consider distancing yourself or spending less time with them. If it’s a social media influencer causing this feeling, the solution is straightforward: turn them off : ).

My Disclaimer

This is a Education Blog from me, karl loftus RLWJ, to document a time in history from my own story and perspective. The ‘5 person rule’ has profoundly impacted my life, and I encourage you to embrace this philosophy moving forward. As we engage more with social media, it can unwittingly become one of our 5 influential people. Whether this influence is positive or negative is a choice we make. However, our primary focus should always be on our well-being and that of those around us. After all, the aim of using social media should be to inspire and connect, not to induce stress or diminish our self-worth.

#WirralzKnowlegde

Let’s Go!!!

My Team at karlsideas.com