Episode #4: Changes I see in the Online Space & My Predictions for the Future
In this episode we work through juicy topics like:
Consumer's hunger for authenticity & realness in the online space.
Are people over the Kardashians & other "unrelatable" influencers?
Is the business coaching industry going to blow up...?
Is Tiktok being banned & what does this mean for other platforms?
Listen to this episode to hear my take on ALLL the tea, and to stay up to date with current shifts in the online space so we don’t get left behind!!
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LET'S DIVE INTO THIS WEEK'S TOPIC...
If you've been in the online space for even just a little while, you would know that it is ALLLLWAYS changing and evolving! 🤯
It can feel like as soon as you get the hang of the algorithm and trends, they change ... and then you're left completely lost once again!
Today we're going to be chatting all about the shifts I've been seeing in the online business space, and predicting where things might be moving in the future!
CHANGES I'VE BEEN SEEING IN THE ONLINE SPACE & WHERE I SEE THEM GOING IN THE FUTURE...
(1) People are done with “fake” & unrealistic celebrities / influencers (AKA: KUWTK)
Over the last handful of years, I've noticed that consumers & society as a whole are fed up with fake, forced, inauthentic people & businesses who don’t care about them.
Maybe it started because of the pandemic (AKA: questioning our sanity & workings of society)... Maybe it's because generations who are entering the workforce and filling up more of the consumer base are more highly educated than ever... Or maybe it's something else or a combo of these things...
But, over the last few years, we’ve seen a huge shift toward authenticity and realness.
In the online space, authenticity means being "relatable", honest, sharing the reality of life beyond the "glamorous", and honestly caring about one's audience / consumers)
This has almost become standard practice at this point... So the people who aren’t doing this, are being left behind.
And what we keep seeing is celebrities who don’t even know how to be ‘relatable’ – cause honestly, they aren’t in a lot of ways... And cause for so long, their unattainable status and lifestyle was pushed as being their "selling factor".
So, what we’re seeing is – celebrities posting trying to be ‘relatable’, but it lacks depth and feels forced. Every time I see a TikTok posted by a Kardashian, it looks so fake and forced and all the comments are talking about how it looks like they're"trying to be relatable", but totally misses the mark because they refuse to dig deeper than the surface.
SO, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN MOVING FORWARD??
What I see for the future is – those who refuse to dig deeper (and risk looking "imperfect" as a result) will be left behind for people who are real, raw, imperfect, honest, and relatable.
The people who root everything they do back to the things they stand for, what they’re passionate about, and who embrace their humanness, will be the ones who THRIVE in the online space.
The people who used to thrive just from hopping on trends and posting surface level "tips & tricks" content are going to be phased out and replaced by the people who aren’t afraid to show up, mess up, and even be disliked by some!
(2) I Sense a big "Blow up" in the business coaching space / coaching industry:
I discovered the coaching side of social media about a year ago, and I have become quickly immersed ever since! IDK about you, but this industry totally snuck up on me, and went from being something that I had never heard of... To something that literally everyone was doing!!
From recent convos with friends & business owners, I have noticed that people are becoming fed up with the coaching industry... Saying it's turning into an MLM or "pyramid scheme"👀 🤯!!
What seems to be happening in the business coaching space is that... coaches are coaching coaches, who are then coaching coaches the frameworks they learned from their coaches...
And then the cycle goes on and on until everyone is essentially paying up the ladder to learn the same, likely recycled, information...
I’ve also heard a lot of complaints from people saying that they’ll invest thousands of dollars and just hear the same things the coaches were saying in the free masterclasses… Or they'll hear a bunch of general statements, but not get many tangible takeaways – which shocks them when they consider the price tag of that coaching session!
Not only that, but a lot of coaches learn from coaches, and then just reuse and reiterate their coach’s framework and use it with their clients as if it's their own. So essentially, they’re all teaching the same thing, which means everyone is going to be doing the exact same things…
Some coaches in the online space view being coached on a topic as enough education / expertise to be able to teach that topic to THEIR clients...even without any prior experience or personal connection to the teachings & frameworks.
And honestly, this can become a huge issue because then we have consumers investing high-ticket for services from coaches, who likely mean the absolute best, but don't have any experience or real expertise in these areas...
Which over time may create a lot of apprehension and mistrust in the coaching community and online business space, which confuses and scares consumers out of investing in people who really are "qualified" and have their own original frameworks!
WHAT'S THIS MEAN MOVING FORWARD???
Something I'll always stand for it that: Uniqueness & innovation ALWAYS WINS.
Experience, personal connection, and genuinely caring / wanting to help clients will top anything else. Moving forward I wouldn’t be surprised to see a shift toward consumers demanding more tangible results and tested frameworks. I think that if you’re a coach or service provider and you don’t eventually use your experience to create a framework that is unique, you’re going to be lost in a sea of sameness.
I believe that if you're being taught something by your coach, and then using that exact framework to teach your clients (without any personal experience or mastery of that area)... you're contributing to this issue and you may be left behind for the service providers / coaches who are developing their own unique frameworks that are built on a foundation of experience, expertise, & embodiment!
It's time to dig deeper than the surface level:
I think that if you don’t start digging deeper and focusing not only on what the features are / what you do... But on how you help your people FEEL something…who they become because of what you do / because they’re associated with you… how you make them feel about themselves … then you’re going to fade into all the other people who are still focusing on themselves more than the consumer
I believe that those who gain real experience in various spaces outside of the coaching industry & use it to leverage their own unique approach or framework will be winning in the long run.
(3) IG is slowly turning into TikTok...
With scares that TikTok will be banned, I’ve already seen a shift in how people are showing up on Instagram!!
Tiktokers are (very reasonably) scared and making other arrangements outside of the single app. They’re moving to podcasts, YouTube, and IG!
Since the whole mess surrounding TikTok, I’ve noticed a TikTok-like shift in Instagram.
People are finally starting to embrace imperfection and show up more authentically. Recently, I've noticed a lot more "TikTok style" videos on IG – such as chatty videos, "get ready with me’s", using inspirational sounds with your own videos, adding text over top of your own videos... And a shift away from simple “here’s 3 tips for__”.
A lot of people in the online space have been kind of “over” Instagram for a while, and the biggest complaint I’ve heard is that it feels kind of fake compared to the authentic and imperfect nature of TikTok. So with this in mind, I am sensing a shift toward more of a raw and authentic approach to all social platforms, specifically IG!
I believe that those who are prioritizing connection & realness on IG will be thriving!
With all of this being said... It’s time to start approaching IG with a more causal and relatable nature. It's time to start bringing in even more lifestyle and chatty videos. It's time to embrace imperfection and to start leaning into your unique approach and personal qualities in order to drive connection with your people!
So, if you’re not investing in quality media, capturing b-roll content, and not getting comfortable in front of the camera now … you may be “left behind” for those who are investing in creating these authentic experiences online.
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ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT IS SO FRICKIN APPRECIATED❤️❤️ ILY!!!
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HOLLY GRASSL
CREATIVE DIRECTOR // BRAND DESIGNER
DM ME ON IG @thehollygrassl
hollgrafixdesign@gmail.com
www.hollgrafix.com
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