Consumerism in Blogging

In the blogging sphere, something that has been coming up a lot more lately is the question of consumerism. How much we as bloggers specifically are buying versus how much we’re using. Our actual need for things verus our imagined need, which in reality is simply want. Consumerism in general is a big part of society, but the blogging world in particular is an interesting way of seeing it in depth and up close.

The why, and the how have been hard to pin down, beyond the fact that we simply live in a consumerist society. Why do we as bloggers, in particular, see this so much? How are we affecting others? And is there anything that we can do about it?

A quick note: this isn’t written from a place of judgment, as I’ve had my own fair share of issues with this. All I want to do with this post, is start a conversation. If you like buying things and are comfortable in your consumption, that’s absolutely fine. This is just looking at why some of us may feel the way we do if we are uncomfortable with our personal consumption, and how we might be able to relate to it in a healthier way.

Consumption is part and parcel in blogging.

I’ve been seeing so many bloggers lately saying, “I’ve been spending too much. I need to do a clear out.” That sort of thing. Worrying about missing launches and getting frustrated at too many. And it strikes me because we can feel it, we can feel that the need to buy and to own and to have is so prevalent, all too apparent because of our profession/hobby.  Often, particularly for beauty and lifestyle bloggers, we end up playing a game of keeping up with the Jones’. Part of this issue is woven into the very fabric of what we do.

The bottom line is that without things, many bloggers wouldn’t be able to blog. Food bloggers wouldn’t be able to cook, art bloggers wouldn’t be able to create, beauty bloggers wouldn’t have products to use or review… You get it. Our content often hinges on having something to write about, something physical. Something that we bought. Whether it’s a trip or a lipstick or a new video game. We cannot talk about the thing that we do not have- though there are some who are trying, and I could talk about that ad nauseum, but not now.

And if we don’t use and talk about the thing, the company that made the thing, or companies that make a similar thing won’t know we’re interested in it. Especially for new bloggers, you don’t get sent product if they don’t think you use the product, or something similar. Part of why we buy is so that brands can see us using things, talking about them, and then ask us to review their things. And maybe, just maybe, get paid to do it. The “notice me, please” drive is really strong in many cases, and I understand why. The success of blogs, and by extension us, hinges on companies noticing us. Hauls, reviews, swatches. These are all ways to get the attention of companies that we want to work with.

Let’s face it, we are unlikely to get a brand deal with a makeup company if all we talk about is kayaking, or if we only bought from them once five years ago and never again. Having the thing gives us a way to engage with the company, a conversation starter, an ice breaker. Without the thing, it is much harder to get to them.

The other crummy part is that with so many releases and new products, or things having been done before or out of date video games, recency matters. Relevancy matters. Seasons change, styles change. It is hard to be relevant if the things you talk about have been out for a decade. It’s hard to keep up when you have no new products to talk about, because companies use bloggers and influencers as marketing. The Naked palette has had enough press, for example. There are new things that need more exposure. And companies sending excessive PR, in excessive packaging, doesn’t help. But that deserves its own post, so I won’t get into that here.

In some ways, consumerism is a necessary evil in this industry.

But bloggers have their own, more  direct role in this.

This is where things get a little more… personal. This is a part of the problem that isn’t rooted in the industry, it’s rooted more in how we relate to it, and how companies have started using bloggers. Bloggers and influencers have become a kind of marketing, and many of us are therefore part and parcel to the growing issue of consumerism.

We pressure each other and our audience with phrases like “obsessed” and “you need this”. Often, we are coached to do this. Because we are such a big part of one another’s audiences, we have influenced each other in a somewhat complicated web. We are hyper-exposed to the things others have, and because part of the industry is so, so competitive, we try and emulate anything and everything that gives us an edge.

That includes buying things to show them to others. How much do we spend on cameras to give us the best available picture because we think we need it- when so many just use their phones and with great success? How often do we spend money on props, on new products to review, on classes and ebooks to get better? How many times have you bought something because a more successful blogger had it, or because you hoped the perfect picture of it would get you noticed by a brand?

In a way, it’s vicious cycle. In some ways, companies coach us when reviewing products by telling us what to say. We inadvertently pressure one another to buy new or different things because we aren’t honest about the roots of our success- which so often is the result of chance, or good timing, or sometimes just sheer luck. We are our own audience, and it’s created a strange vacuum that we sometimes feel stuck in.

It’s ok to want things, to want nice things, but sometimes we take it too far, and are often pressured to do so.

How we can change things for the better.

I think many of us can collectively agree that something needs to change. The jokes about overspending and going broke because of product releases, while funny and sometimes relatable, point to the fact that we know that the system is broken, in some way. We know that, at the very least, something is out of balance. And frankly, there are a lot of little things that we can do to lighten the load on ourselves and others.

First off, not everyone will turn into a minimalist, and for those who will it is unlikely they’ll do it straight away. And honestly for bloggers, unless you’re a minimalist blogger, that’s not entirely realistic. And that’s perfectly fine. Everyone’s needs and wants are different. What needs to happen first is a reframing of our consumption. For those of us that do struggle with overspending, buying things that never get used and having things for the sake of having it, we need to rework our relationship with consumption. Conscious consumption is something we as bloggers of any size, niche, or style should aim more for.

Conscious consumption means cutting down on impulse buying. It means being aware of our spending habits. It means being aware of why we’re actually buying something, including ulterior motives. It means looking for more sensible alternatives to reduce waste. If you’re into makeup, how often have you bought a palette because it was a hyped up release, only to realize upon getting it that they aren’t shades you wear? Do we look for less expensive options, or similar ones that we know we will use?

Also, we can get in the habit of reviewing what we have. Especially if we have permanent items from a brand, a recent review of permanent items is always valuable. I know I’ve looked for info on a permanent item, only to realize that there hasn’t been a solid review in the past two years. I can tell you right now, there’s a wealth of reviewable content in your collection already.

Finally, we need to be more cognizant of how we talk about our consumption, the products we review, with ourselves and others. We need to be aware of the message we’re sending when we tell people “you need this”. Need versus want is a very big distinction, and it’s one that I think we’ve blurred the lines on. I’m sure I’ve made this mistake in the past, and I know that there are people making that mistake now. That alone will help relieve some of the subliminal pressure we deal with daily in a society of consumption. We can include budget options when we’re able (in some paid reviews, there may be something contractually preventing you from doing this). When you can, give alternatives that are more friendly budget wise or perhaps come from more ethical companies. There’s a bunch of pressure on us, and thankfully we can relieve at least some of it.

The bottom line is that we’re in an industry that is predicated on the notion that people need to buy things. And unfortunately that has put us off balance, in a way that we can feel. The good news is that there are ways we can center ourselves, and find a happy medium.