The shady world of social media marketing…

Influencer marketing has become increasingly popular in recent years, with businesses turning to social media influencers to promote their products. While this can be an effective marketing strategy, it is also a gamble. You never know if the influencer's followers are genuinely interested in the product or if they are just following the influencer because of their popularity. Additionally, there are concerns about the authenticity of influencer endorsements and the potential for them to be misleading. There have been numerous instances of influencers mishandling fish and even changing outfits mid photoshoot to make it look like a different fish, or to get a different sponsors gear in the shot.

As someone who is passionate about fly fishing, I want to ensure that my marketing efforts are genuine and authentic. I don't want to just use some pretty girl with a lot of followers to sell my rods. Instead, I want to focus on building a community of fly fishers who share my passion.

One way I have been able to do this is by sharing my process on social media. I post photos and videos of my workshop, the materials I use, and the finished products. By doing so, I am able to showcase the craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into each bamboo fly rod. This not only helps to build my brand but also educates potential customers on the art of bamboo fly rod making.

I could easily name 10 people and 10 companies that build an average fly rod or a mediocre product that have exploded because of social media. Nowadays it feels like the product is secondary to their marketing strategy. The truth of it is that people with good camera skills and decent content-creation skills are who make money on social media. Call me old school, but I want the quality and craftsmanship of my rods to be the selling point - not the pretty face holding it. I will only collaborate with people who share my values and are genuinely passionate about the sport of fly fishing.

Ultimately, I believe that ethical marketing is about building a genuine connection with your customers. By sharing my process for bamboo fly rod making, I am able to connect with others who share that same passion.

As a small business owner I have faced the challenge of ethically marketing my products on social media. While influencer marketing can be effective, it’s a gamble.

Sorry for the rant - but that has been grinding my gears