#OpEd: Trends Are the New Treadmill - Everyone’s Running, Nobody’s Arriving
Everyone’s going viral. Nobody’s being remembered. The internet’s irony is brutal: the more creators chase trends, the less unique they become.
Scroll through your feed and it’s déjà vu on loop - same sound, same template, same jump-cut smile. Everyone’s dancing to the same audio, hoping the algorithm picks them.
In the chase to be seen, creators are slowly disappearing into sameness.
The Great Copy-Paste Epidemic
Trends used to feel like culture. Now they feel like compulsion.
The moment a Reel goes viral, creators jump on it like a flash sale - remixing the same format till it loses meaning. The result? A feed that looks more like a clone army than a creative industry.
It’s not that trends are bad. They’re fun. They’re fuel. They’re community. But when every creator is sprinting on the same treadmill, no one’s really moving forward.
The Algorithm Whisper
Here’s the uncomfortable truth - no creator starts out wanting to sound like everyone else.
But then the algorithm whispers: “This worked. Do it again.”
And we listen.
That tiny dopamine hit from views, likes, and shares rewires how we think about success. Soon, content becomes less about expression and more about expectation. The algorithm becomes both mentor and monster - a system that rewards imitation while punishing silence.
Creators stop asking “What do I want to say?” and start asking “What’s trending today?”
When Authenticity Becomes a Niche
Originality used to be the baseline. Now it’s a genre.
We praise creators who post raw, imperfect content like they’ve reinvented the wheel but all they did was be human. That’s how warped the bar has become.
Audiences aren’t unaware; they know when something’s performative. What they crave isn’t polish - it’s presence. Not trend participation - but perspective.
The Courage to Sit One Out
Here’s an underrated flex in 2025: not jumping on every trend.
There’s power in restraint - in letting a viral wave pass because it doesn’t align with your voice.
It signals confidence, not absence.
The best creators aren’t the ones who post the most - they’re the ones who know why they post.
Skipping a trend is not rebellion; it’s direction.
The Return of Voice Over Virality
A new creator wave is quietly emerging - not the loudest, not the fastest, but the most intentional.
They tell stories instead of following formats.
They use trends like seasoning, not the recipe.
They create for connection, not the algorithm.
These are the voices building equity while others chase ephemerality.
Because virality fades. Identity compounds.
The Final Word
Trends are the fast food of content - they taste great, they fill you up, but they never last.
Creators need to start cooking again.
Stop sprinting for reach. Build rhythm for resonance.
Because someday, when the algorithm forgets you (and it will), your voice is all that’ll remain.
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The Invisible Work Behind The Likes: What Content Creation Really Costs
Scene 1: The “It’s Just a Reel, Right?” Illusion
Ah yes, the world’s most misunderstood sentence: “You just post videos.”
If only.
A 30-second Reel = 3 hours of ideation, scripting, shooting, editing, captions, hashtags, re-edits, thumbnail changes, brand approvals, and anxiety over “why is this stuck at 2,843 views?”
The irony? The better it looks, the harder it was.
According to The Creator Burnout Report by Viral Nation, 52% of creators report burnout, and 37% are considering leaving their careers altogether.
Behind every “effortless vibe” video is a full production team of one person - you.
Scene 2: The Cost of “Aesthetic”
Let’s talk numbers, not filters.
Creators don’t just invest time - they invest in a lifestyle that looks like the job they want.
Cameras, tripods, mics, editing software, ring lights, props, outfits, setups, and café coffees labeled “shoot day essentials.”
As per industry leaders, a mid-tier Indian creator spends anywhere between Rs 15,000-Rs 50,000 a month on equipment, aesthetics, and ad-hoc production costs.
It’s like being your own ad agency - only you’re the intern, the boss, and the brand face.
Scene 3: The Mental Gym Nobody Talks About
Every creator’s brain runs on a dual-core system:
● Algorithm anxiety (“Did I post too late?”)
● Comparison syndrome (“Why did their ‘get ready with me’ get 500k?”)
Constant self-surveillance - every post is a report card.
Even rest days feel like guilt trips.
The MBO Partners Creator Economy Trends Report 2024 found that “almost half (46 %) of independent creators reported it’s hard to be successful in the creator economy, and 41 % said they struggle with burnout.”
This isn’t vanity - it’s visibility fatigue.
Scene 4: The “Brand Deal” Myth
Let’s debunk the holy grail of influencer life - the brand collab.
Sure, the Rs 50K campaign looks glamorous, but behind it?
● 12 back-and-forth emails
● 3 revised captions
● 1 unpaid “bonus deliverable”
● 1 delayed payment
And here’s the kicker: Even with India’s booming creator economy, 88% of content creators still earn less than 75% of their income through social media, and over half make under 25% of their total earnings from digital content, as per Kofluence’s Annual Research Report 2024-25.
Most are juggling multiple gigs just to afford the “creator life” people think they’re rich from.
Scene 5: The Burnout Paradox
Creators often don’t quit because they’re tired - they quit because they no longer recognise themselves.
One viral post can skyrocket your reach but wreck your rhythm.
The better you perform, the more the audience expects.
And soon, you’re no longer creating for joy - you’re creating to maintain momentum.
Many call it “success stress.” Creators start equating “being loved” with “being visible.”
Scene 6: The Agency Angle - The Backstage Enablers
Here’s what brands and influencer agencies often miss:
Creators aren’t deliverables - they’re creative humans operating on emotional bandwidth.
When brands micromanage, underpay, or expect overnight drafts, they aren’t just killing creativity - they’re devaluing the product and the person.
Agencies like Monk-E are beginning to prioritise wellness check-ins and creative flexibility - because a burnt-out creator can’t sell authenticity, no matter how good the lighting.
Scene 7: The Real ROI - Rest Over Influence
We romanticise hustle, but burnout has no aesthetic.
It doesn’t photograph well.
Creators who sustain are the ones who set boundaries - the ones who post less but live more.
Because real influence doesn’t come from posting daily.
It comes from having something real to say.
End Credits
Influence may look like luxury.
But behind the gloss lies grind, behind the likes lies labour.
So the next time someone says, “Must be nice to be an influencer,”
show them your unpaid invoices, your 48-hour edit timeline, and your draft folder titled ‘Burnout but make it content.’
That’s the real influencer economy - powered by invisible work, visible passion, and the quiet chaos of creation.
#Tips | From Nano to “Now You Know Me”: The Indian Creator’s Level-Up Guide
The Pre-Fame Phase - Your Mom Is Still Your Only Follower
You post your first Reel. It gets 17 views, 2 likes, and both are from your cousins.
You question life, your camera quality, and maybe your destiny.
Welcome to the Nano Era.
This is where the magic actually starts - where you build your identity before you build your audience.
Find your tone. Test your filters. Overshare strategically.
#Tip: Don’t aim for viral. Aim for memorable. People forget trends; they remember tone.
The Nano Hustle - 0 to 10K Followers
You’re in the DMs of PR people like it’s a part-time job. You’ve done three barter deals and one “exposure” post (and yes, exposure doesn’t pay rent).
But this is your brand internship phase.
Brands start noticing you for your authenticity, not your analytics. You’re still relatable, reachable, and a bargain.
#Tip: Don’t underprice yourself forever. Even your passion deserves a rate card.
#Sub-tip: But your rate card isn’t laminated - it evolves.
The Micro Moment - 10K to 50K Followers
Suddenly, PR agencies know your first name. Your free hampers double, and so does your imposter syndrome.
This is where creators either blow up or burn out.
You’ve found a voice, but the algorithm starts flirting with someone else. So you pivot, post more, stress-scroll, and learn your first professional truth:
Consistency isn’t about posting daily. It’s about showing up even when you hate your draft.
#Tip: This is your “networking era.”
Attend events. DM other creators. Collaborate. Visibility > virality.
The Mid-Creator Crisis - 50K to 150K
You’re now in the sweet spot where brands pay, but not always fairly. Your management starts saying words like deliverables, KPI, and brand tonality and you smile politely while Googling what they mean.
You’ve officially graduated to professional creator territory.
But with brand briefs come brand boxes - “Could you make this sound a little more you, but also like everyone else?”
#Tip: You can’t scale what you don’t own.
Don’t let your niche define you; let your narrative do that.
The Macro Mirage - 150K to 500K Followers
This is where you look successful but still feel broke.
Half your money goes to stylists, videographers, and coffee bills at Soho House.
You’re now “aspirational” - which is code for “expensive but exhausted.”
Brands now brief you 4 months in advance and still ghost you on payments. Welcome to the paradox: you’re visible everywhere, but chasing fewer things that matter.
#Tip: Don’t chase numbers. Chase nostalgia.
The bigger you get, the smaller your connection feels - fix that.
The Collab Class - Where Brands Start Speaking Your Language
You’ve stopped saying “Yes” to everything.
You’ve realised not every product deserves your face (or feed). And brands now approach you with co-creation, not collaboration.
You’re not the influencer - you’re the IP.
#Tip: This is where the word “strategy” enters your bio.
Own your audience. Build a newsletter, community, or merch. Monetise your influence, not your Instagram.
The Legacy Loop - When You Stop Posting Just for Likes
You’ve seen creators come and go. You’ve stopped chasing trends - you set them now.
Your followers don’t just double-tap; they trust you.
And that’s when you realise - influence isn’t about being famous. It’s about being remembered.
#Final Tip: The best creators don’t just grow followers. They grow faith.