The Pay-to-Play Ecosystem
Influencer marketing is a business—and like all businesses, it has costs. But unlike traditional business models, much of the influencer lifestyle is based on optics. They invest first in the image, then hope to monetize it after.
Buying Followers and Engagement
Many “top-tier” influencers started by purchasing:
- Followers to hit credibility milestones.
- Comments and likes to build social proof.
- Fake engagement groups to game the algorithm.
This fake popularity is then used to pitch themselves to tourism boards, hotels, and brands who think they’re getting access to real influence.
Scam Collaborations
Some influencers are now being called out for:
- Charging their followers for “travel tips” that are actually copied from free sources.
- Promoting unreputable brands or services in exchange for a free trip.
- Partnering with tourism boards while showing very little actual value delivered.
