“Don’t look at me, don’t look at me, stop it”: the rise of faceless influencers
On social networks, the face is probably the main letter of introduction of the influencers who cement (post by post) their fame in the heat of these platforms (particularly those creators who work in the field of fashion and beauty). . However, exposing themselves so much on social media also eventually leaves influencers at the mercy of trolls who, sheltering in the anonymity of these platforms, make comments that are as cruel as they are poisonous about their physical appearance. In this context perhaps explains the growing rise in social networks of content creators who prefer not to show their faces on these channels (without this preventing them from filling their pockets by signing succulent collaboration agreements with brands).
To this new and flourishing lineage of faceless influencers belongs, for example, Victoria (@elysian.living), a twenty-something woman living in New York City who, without ever revealing her face, has more than 2 million followers on TikTok and more than 2.2 million subscribers on YouTube at her side. In these parts, the famous influencer La Vecina Rubia has also refused to show her face on social media for years (@lavecinarubia), which has a legion of more than 3 million followers on Instagram.
On social media, Victoria documents her daily life in great detail (with videos about her shopping, her hair care routine, and her passion for baking), but sHis face does not appear at any time in the content he publishes on 2.0 platforms.
Even though the fact of not showing their face could soon seem like a major obstacle when it comes to giving wings to their career as influencers, the truth is that These types of content creators are capable of forging agreements with big brands (as usual prescribers would do) and generate hundreds of millions of dollars a year in revenue.
“We are seeing a notable increase in content generated by faceless influencers because more and more people who are shy in front of the camera are also entering the ‘creator economy’,” confirms James Nord, founder and CEO of the influencer company. marketing Fohr, in statements to The Hollywood Reporter. And despite how unusual the content generated by faceless prescribers is in the galaxy of influencer marketing, the truth is that this format is being anointed by success and people consume it with genuine enjoyment. “There is somehow something refreshing about watching videos that are not centered on someone’s face”says North.
The emergence of faceless creators is a breath of fresh air for influencer marketing
Unlike traditional influencers, whose personal brands are largely based on their personal image and personality, faceless influencers choose to focus on the aesthetic and functional aspects of the content they illuminate. Such content creators deliberately hide their real identity and some also keep their face in shadow in their profile photo. Faceless influencers are most abundant in the home organization, product review and lifestyle categories, where almost all videos are filmed, after all, from the creator’s point of view.
@elysian.living #ad Rise and Thrive with me and my @belVita Breakfast Biscuits parfait and cup of coffee! belVita Breakfast Biscuits are a great source of fiber and are baked with slow-release carbs that give you that steady morning energy #RiseandThrive #morningroutine #asmr #breakfast #lifestyle # curved ? My Coffee – Megan Yagami
Most of the videos illuminated by faceless influencers show women’s hands expertly reorganizing the pantry, organizing closets or baking desserts. Hypnotic in nature and permeated with great cohesion on an aesthetic level, these types of videos are often narrated by voice-over voices that narrate what happens on the screen.
«Videos where the content creators do not show their faces are less aggressive. There is a simplicity in them that is appreciated if we compare them with the classic videos created by influencers,” Nord emphasizes. “Since most videos on social media are increasingly garish, the content of faceless influencers is almost balmy on these platforms,” he adds.
The galaxy (now expanding) of faceless influencers is populated mostly by women. “I decided to go for faceless content partly because of my own insecurity, but above all because of a privacy issue,” explains Kandice Breinholt (@kandicebreinholt), who first opened a social media account in 2021.
Even when faceless influencers hide their faces to bargain as far as possible against the poisonous criticisms of other users on social networks, they are also unable to 100% avoid comments of a harmful nature and They are equally under the scrutiny of their followers.
«Sometimes I really feel like a hand model. When I have sometimes neglected my nails in videos, I have realized that they have not worked as well. And people warn me, in fact, that my nails are not good,” says Lois Chartrand (@lifewith_lois), a faceless content creator from Nebraska.
Faceless influencers insist, on the other hand, that Editing the videos that are uploaded to social networks requires a lot of time and sometimes takes several hours to create videos that are just 30 seconds long.. However, the entry into the scene of more sophisticated wearable technology (smart glasses from Meta and Ray-Ban, for example) has made it easier for faceless creators to create content for social networks.
The good news is that, as long as their content is focused on very specific products, faceless influencers are a valuable asset for brands looking to connect with new audiences on social media. «These influencers are something like teleshopping in a modern key. “They show, after all, the products they buy and the way they use them,” says Kai Watson, director of the company specializing in marketing and talent management Palette MGMT.
Brands have a lot to gain by hanging on the arm of faceless influencers
Additionally, the strength of TikTok Shop and Amazon’s affiliate marketing programs is helping faceless creators directly monetize the content they generate and perhaps lay the foundation for their businesses. own product lines. This is the case, for example, of La Vecina Rubia, which in recent years has sealed lucrative collaborations with brands such as Ufesa, Sprinter or Women’secret.
In any case, faceless influencers also struggle with some disadvantages when compared to the usual prescribers. The anonymity they rely on prevents them, for now, from benefiting from the benefits of fame and they cannot be invited, for example, to VIP parties. Furthermore, the content they generate is also more susceptible to being cloned since there is no face that gives it a unique and non-transferable personality.
Perhaps for this reason Kaeli Mae McEwen (@kaelimaee), who has a whopping 14.6 million followers on TikTok, has recently decided to show his face in some of his videos. And the response from his followers has so far been overwhelmingly positive.
Faceless influencers are a niche with a lot of potential, so much so that courses specifically focused on this type of content creators have begun to emerge on the Internet.. Brittany Carey, a 34-year-old Canadian influencer, markets, without going any further, a course that for $55 a month reveals the secrets to generating income on social networks while maintaining anonymity at all times.
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