How influencers exploit your financial fears
By Leslie Greyling & Michelle Snyman*
In today’s digital age, social media influencers are shaping more than just fashion and fitness trends. Increasingly, they influence our thoughts and perception of money – how we spend it, invest it, and define financial success – often without us even realising it.
And while they might look like financial role models, many influencers are simply using subtle psychological tactics to grow their audience and income – at the expense of your financial wellbeing. That doesn’t mean all influencers are harmful, but it’s important to understand their methods.
And one of the most powerful tools they use? Your emotions.
The hidden psychology behind influencer content
Social media is engineered for engagement, and influencers are experts at manipulating the emotional triggers that keep you scrolling and spending. In short, they are experts at tapping into behavioural biases, those same psychological traps that can lead investors to make poor financial decisions.
One of the most common tactics is leveraging, FOMO, the fear of missing out. When an influencer shows off their luxury car, designer wardrobe, or exotic holidays, it creates a sense that everyone else is living better than you. That can drive to impulsive spending or worse, risky investment in things like chasing the next hot stock or crypto trend.
They also tap into another emotion called loss aversion – the fear of missing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Phrases like "If you’d invested R1 000 in this coin last year, you'd have R100 000 now!" are designed to create urgency. But what’s missing is context: the risk, the volatility, and the fact that past performance has no guarantee of future returns.
That kind of message is designed to make you feel like you’re falling behind, and prompt you to act without thinking.
The real cost of copying influencer lifestyles
It’s easy to forget that influencers are often paid to promote a product or lifestyle. What looks like a genuine recommendation may in fact be a sponsored post.
They get paid to post.
You pay the price.
Let’s face it, trying to keep up with influencer lifestyles can wreck your budget. Whether it’s designer fashion, expensive skincare, or trendy tech, these purchases rarely align with your long-term goals.
And when it comes to investing, blindly following influencer tips is a dangerous game. What works for one person – or what appears to work – isn’t necessarily right for you.
Their goal is to reach. Yours is financial freedom.
This is the key difference: influencers are in the business of attention. They earn money by growing their following and increasing engagement, not by helping you build wealth.
That means the content you consume is designed to hold your interest, not improve your finances.
A professional financial adviser, on the other hand, is accountable. Our focus is on helping you make smart decisions based on your unique circumstances, not general trends. We guide you through emotional market cycles, helping you stay disciplined when it’s tempting to act on fear or hype.
How to protect your financial future
If you find yourself influenced by what you see online, you're not alone. But you can take steps to protect your finances:
Pause before you buy. Ask yourself if the decision is part of your long-term plan, or just a reaction to someone else’s lifestyle.
Avoid one-size-fits-all advice. Influencers don’t know your financial goals or challenges. A qualified adviser does.
Focus on your plan. A clear, personalised financial strategy will keep you on track, no matter what’s trending online.
Learn the basics. The more you understand about money and investing, the easier it becomes to spot poor advice – and avoid it.
Don’t let likes guide your life
Influencers might offer entertainment and inspiration, but when it comes to money, the stakes are much higher. Don’t risk your future wealth on someone else’s highlight reel.
Working with a financial adviser gives you something influencers can’t: accountability, objectivity, and a strategy built just for you. Because real wealth isn’t about showing off. It’s about making decisions today that give you more freedom tomorrow.
* Leslie Greyling is a Registered Financial Planner and Michelle Snyman is a Para-planner at Brenthurst Wealth Fourways.
michelles@brenthurstwealth.co.za