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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The rapid growth of EdTech in India has paved the way for educators to become online influencers. Indian Teacher-Influencers are not only sharing knowledge but also shaping the future of education through engaging content.
Influencers, particularly educational influencers, have become pivotal in shaping the decisions and opinions of young Indians. These influencers, who provide valuable educational content, collaborate with EdTech companies to enhance the quality of online learning. The rapid expansion of the EdTech sector, especially post-COVID-19, underscores the critical role influencers play in promoting and legitimizing online education.
ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) has established guidelines to ensure transparency in influencer marketing. These guidelines mandate clear disclosure of any material connections between influencers and advertisers, aiming to protect consumer interests and maintain trust. Surveys indicate that while educational influencers significantly impact the choices and attitudes of the urban Indian youth, there are concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the content provided.
India's educational influencer market is changing, and in order to maintain legitimacy and calibre, regulations and moral guidelines are becoming more and more important. Problems like excessive content, technical difficulties, and a lack of face-to-face interaction emphasise the need for strict oversight and uniformity.
Key Findings :
1. Youth Engagement: A significant portion of India's young population is heavily engaged with social media, impacting their daily routines and mental health.
2. Influencer Marketing: Influencers, especially in the educational sector, are essential in guiding students and parents towards reliable information and educational products.
3. ASCI Guidelines: Clear and prominent disclosures are required to differentiate between promotional content and genuine advice, protecting consumer trust.
4. Impact on Decisions: Educational influencers substantially influence the educational and career choices of young Indians, with many making decisions based on the advice provided online.
5. Challenges: Issues such as misinformation, lack of personal interaction, and technical barriers present significant challenges in the realm of educational content creation.
1.Introduction
India is a country of the young. With 27 percent of the country’s population aged under 15 years, and 52 percent of its people below 30 (National Family Health Survey-5, 2019-21).
India is currently the biggest market for social apps globally in terms of downloads, standing second for the most hours spent on social apps (live streaming being the latest trend), according to App Annie’s ‘Evolution of Social Apps’.
A joint study from IAMAI and Kantar states that 759 million Indians are considered to be "active" internet users, meaning they log on at least once a month. According to projections, this number is expected to rise to 900 million by 2025. According to a recent national survey conducted in India, 60% of children between the ages of 9 and 17 spend more than three hours a day on social media or gaming websites. This data emphasises the need for more research on the effects of digital technology on the social interactions, mental health, and general development of the younger generation, as well as the significant influence it has on their daily routines.
According to ASCI’S Guidelines for Influencer Advertising in Digital media, an Influencer is
someone who has access to an audience and the power to affect their audiences’ purchasing decisions or opinions about a product, service, brand or experience, because of the influencer’s authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience.
Content Creators or Influencers?
An influencer may or may not be a content creator i.e., they may or may not create original content. One prominent figure in the stock market and mutual fund investing is Nikhil Kamath, the founder of Zerodha. Investor mood may be impacted by his tweets. Many influencers have started out as content creators and, over time, have gained popularity such that people stared seeking their advice/ reviews before consuming a product/ category.
As 50% of the time spent on mobile phones is on social media platforms, marketers need to consider influencer marketing as part of their overall communication strategy (EY Report - State of influencer marketing in India)
Educational Influencers
An education influencer uses their social media presence to promote educational content. These influencers often post about educational topics, share resources, and provide tips and advice for students and parents.
Education businesses need to establish trust and authority with their potential customers, who are often looking for reliable and superior quality information, products, or services that can help them achieve their educational and career goals. Therefore, EdTech businesses collaborate with educational influencers, who are experts, teachers, students, or key opinion leaders in the education field, and who have a strong impact on the education community.
2.The Landscape of Educational Influencers in India
2.1. EdTech and Teacher Influencers
The EdTech industry has seen rapid growth in recent years, driven forward by continuous technological advancements. The global COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the adoption of digital learning, necessitating a swift transition to normalizing online learning. To put the size of the global EdTech market into perspective, it was projected to reach US$74.2 billion in 2021 and grow at a compound annual growth rate of 14.5% through 2031.
Influencers play an important role in the booming digital economy and market. These educators and key opinion leaders have the ability to greatly impact the thoughts and decisions of those who follow them, so in order to keep their credibility as trustworthy advisors and educators, EdTech companies greatly benefit from their endorsements. In the EdTech space, influencer marketing involves more than just leveraging celebrity connections; it also involves using their hard-earned credibility as a sign of sincerity with their target audiences. This enables EdTech businesses to create real content with the help of experts and educators to help overcome obstacles faced by the audience and meet their needs while also building trust.
2.2. The Role of Educational Influencers- Exploration of how influencers shape the opinions and decisions of Indian youth.
Influencers are now categorised based on a simplistic relationship to the category, product, or type of content that they work on the most frequently. By analysing their content strategy, we have determined influencer types that transcend the narrow definition of "category appeal" or abstract concepts like "influencer-personality" in order to pinpoint the archetypes that these influencers represent. Living at a time of fast social change has caused growing vulnerability and aspiration to collide.
With the speed at which we are navigating technological, social, and personal change, there is an increasing need for new frameworks and guidelines. The influencer is precisely this new system, vividly present in the social media space into which we are all plugged, providing us with everything from entertainment and wonder, knowledge and information, inspiration and wisdom, or sometimes even just relatability, by reflecting our own life experiences.
Among the most well-known curators are Ranveer Allahbadia (Beerbiceps) , Ankur Warikoo, Priya Kumar, Neil Patel, and Joseph Annamkutty. They have their own podcasts, books, and expert interviews with celebrities. Curators such as Neha Nagar and Anushka Rathod on finance also fit this archetype. Influencers of this type can portray brands and categories as instruments for leading successful lives in a variety of spheres, such as relationships, education, and careers. This allows a brand or category to be clearly seen as a means of assisting customers in achieving their objectives.
3.ASCI GUIDELINES 2024
The greater formalisation of this industry also means greater regulation. Steps in this direction have already been taken by ASCI through the release of Guidelines for Influencer Advertising in Digital Media in 2024. The guidelines mandated prominent disclosures for brand promotions, allowing consumers to make an informed choice:
As digital media grows increasingly pervasive, understanding the nuances of digital advertising and consumer perception is essential. Given the blurring lines between content and advertisements, it's critical for consumers to distinguish when content is promotional and intended to influence their opinions or behaviors for commercial gain. Without clear differentiation, such content can mislead consumers, violating clauses 1.4 (misleading by omission) and 1.5 (abuse of consumer trust or exploitation of their inexperience or knowledge).
Sponsorship Disclosure Guidelines:
According to ASCI’s Report: Wielding Influence, Nurturing Trust How influencers and brands can create an avenue to thrive in, the impact of disclosure guidelines is a contentious issue. Influencers' opinions on the necessity of disclosure guidelines were divided. While some influencers think the "paid promotion" tag was long overdue and doesn't significantly affect their feed or content quality, others think it undermines genuine connections and gives followers the sense that the influencer is selling out. In any case, influencers concur that in order to keep their following, a feed that is evenly divided between sponsored and unpaid content is essential.
Social media influencers must disclose any material connection with advertisers in their posts. This applies to both monetary and non-monetary exchanges, such as free products or discounts. Even unbiased reviews require disclosure if a material connection exists. Disclosure is not needed for self-purchased and genuinely liked products without any influencer-advertiser relationship.
Placement and Visibility: Disclosures must be clear, upfront, and prominent to avoid being overlooked. They should not be hidden among hashtags or links or confined to 'About Me' sections. For visual content like Instagram stories or Snapchat, the disclosure label must be superimposed and visible for at least three seconds on short videos, longer on extended content, and throughout live streams. In audio media, disclosures should be announced at the beginning, end, and during breaks.
Approved Disclosure Labels: Labels such as "Advertisement," "Ad," "Sponsored," "Collaboration," and platform-specific tags like "Paid Partnership" on Instagram must be used in English or the language of the advertisement.
Special Requirements for Virtual Influencers: Virtual influencers must disclose their non-human status prominently.
Advertiser and Influencer Responsibilities: Both parties must ensure compliance with these guidelines. Influencers must verify advertisers' claims and, if disputed, provide evidence of no material connection.
Sector-Specific Qualifications: Influencers in Banking, Financial Services, Insurance (BFSI), and Health & Nutrition must possess relevant qualifications and disclose these prominently. For financial advice, influencers should have certifications like SEBI registration or IRDAI licenses. Health-related advice requires medical or nutritional certifications.
These guidelines ensure transparency and consumer protection in digital advertising, holding both influencers and advertisers accountable for their content.
4.The Impact on Education and Career Choices
SURVEY: Impact of Educational Content Creators on their Education and Career Choices
We conducted a survey based on our research on the topic of Educational Content Creators in India. The purpose of the research was to understand the role and impact of educational content creators in the digital space on the choices of the urban Indian youth pertaining to learning, skill development, and knowledge dissemination.
The survey conducted by us over a sample size of 82 respondents majorly consists of participants who are aged between 18-30 and are regular users of digital platforms and social media. The majority of the participants have come across content by an Educational influencer at least once.
1. High Exposure to Educational Content
Q- How often do you come across content by educational content creators on social media?
A significant majority of participants are regularly exposed to content from educational content creators, with 37.8% encountering it multiple times a day, 22% daily, and 26.8% several times a week. This indicates that educational content is a pervasive element in the digital consumption habits of the Indian urban youth.
2. Influence on Decision-Making
Q- Have you ever made any of the following decisions based on the advice or content provided by educational content creators on social media?
Educational content creators significantly impact decision-making among young people. Half of the participants have made exam preparation decisions based on this content, 48.8% have chosen skills to acquire, and 23.2% have selected specific courses or majors based on advice from educational influencers. This demonstrates the strong influence these creators have on educational and career choices.
3. Credibility Checks
Q- How often do you conduct a credibility check (background check) on a content creator who provides educational advice?
Credibility checks are not a regular practice among the audience. Only 30.5% of participants regularly verify the background of educational content creators, 23.2% do so occasionally, and 18.3% never conduct such checks. This suggests a potential vulnerability to misinformation and highlights the need for greater scrutiny.
4. Engagement with Content
Q- How often do you actively participate in discussions or comment sections related to educational content from content creators to share your thoughts or seek clarification?
Engagement in discussions or comment sections related to educational content is low. Only 24.4% occasionally engage, while 37.8% rarely and 31.7% never engage. This lack of active participation suggests that educational influencers are not frequently challenged or held accountable by their audience.
5. Perception of Accuracy and Misinformation
Q- Have you ever felt that educational content creators on social media provided inaccurate or misleading information?
Half of the participants have encountered inaccurate or misleading information from educational content creators, and 43.9% are unsure of the accuracy of the information they receive. This indicates a significant issue with trust and the potential spread of misinformation.
6. Psychological Impact
Q- How often do you experience imposter syndrome, feeling like you don't belong or question your abilities, due to the standards set by influencers?
The content from educational influencers can have a psychological impact on the audience, with 30.9% of participants sometimes feeling negative emotions or self-doubt due to the standards set by these influencers, 28.4% rarely, and 22.2% often experiencing such feelings.
7. Awareness of Sponsored Content
Q- How often do you come across sponsored content/ Ads promoted by an education content creator?
A majority of participants are aware of the commercialization of educational content, with 64.2% sometimes and 27.2% always coming across sponsored content or ads promoted by educational content creators. This shows that the audience can recognize when content is being paid for.
8. Ethical Standards
Q- Should educational influencers be held to a certain code of ethics when providing educational or career-related content on social media? (e.g., disclosing conflicts of interest, fact-checking, avoiding misinformation).
There is a strong consensus (79.3%) that educational content creators should adhere to a code of ethics, including disclosing conflicts of interest, fact-checking, and avoiding misinformation. This reflects a demand for greater transparency and accountability in the educational content shared online.
Survey Findings: The survey results clearly indicate that educational content creators have a significant impact on the choices and psyche of the urban Indian youth. They are constantly exposed to content having tips, recommendations and suggestions regarding educational and career choices online. Often, they take decisions based on information provided without doing proper credibility checks. It is common opinion that such content creators be monitored and subjected to a common code of ethics in their functioning.
5. Challenges and Concerns
(ASCI’s Annual Complaints Report 2023-24)
(ASCI’s Annual Complaints Report 2023-24)
As per the Annual Complaints Report 2023-24 by ASCI, non-disclosure by influencers accounted for 21 percent of all the ads that ASCI processed. Further, the report emphasizes that the Ed-Tech sector has suffered during the past two years and that advertising on TV, print, and OTT platforms has decreased, especially during the popular Indian Premier League. During the pandemic, ed-tech became a major area of concern as a large number of players entered the market with deceptive advertising claims that preyed on the gullibility of parents and a desperate youth.
The number of advertisements featuring influencers endorsing Edtech platforms has significantly increased, pushing the category into the top 10 most violative categories, even as advertising on other platforms is declining. Out of the 142 ads that were processed, 57% involved influencers who did not reveal their social media collaborations. 99% of the advertisements needed to be changed because they were deceptive. Of these ads, 64% were uncontested. 98% of these advertisements ran on digital platforms.
5.1 Drawbacks and ethical concerns related to educational influencer marketing.
1. Credibility And Quality
Online content can be created by anyone, thus users must be cautious to verify the legitimacy of educational posts. According to our Survey, it is not regular exercise for users to check the credibility of Content Creators. Users are advised to conduct due diligence before choosing which creator educator to follow. They must not blindly follow everything they see on social media and other online platforms. To determine if the creator is a credible source of information, the audience can begin by reviewing their credentials, experience, and educational background. Given that different creators take different approaches, qualitative content is also crucial. Learners need to determine if the content is academic, informative or a latent advertisement and if it's relevant and up to date. Online content quality can be verified in a variety of ways, including through ratings, reviews, and comments.
2. No Personal Interaction
Media content and self-paced online courses don't give students direct access to the teacher-creators or fellow learners. For those who prefer to engage in discussions, work in groups and exchange ideas and questions, this can make learning challenging. The lack of personal interaction also obstructs transparency, scrutiny, and learners from having a structured learning process. Only few creators engage in discussions online, leaving many questions unaddressed.
3. Technical Issues
Although online education is inexpensive, many still lack access to Education Content Creators due to absence or shortage of necessary tools and other resources such as electricity and web connection. For instance, not every nation has unrestricted access to the Internet; some have restrictions, while others have none at all. Furthermore, not everyone can afford gadgets like tablets and smartphones that allow them to access educational content anywhere, at any time.
4. Too Much Content
As our Survey indicates, a significant majority of participants are regularly exposed to content from educational content creators, with more than half of the respondents encountering it on a daily basis. Due to the abundance of information they encounter from various sources, learners may become confused. Cross-referencing with several trustworthy websites or platforms is the best course of action for students, particularly in cases where there are divergent viewpoints or ideas on the subject. Ideally, one shouldn't depend on information from just one creator. Actually, it's a good idea to keep a list of reference materials handy so you can double-check and confirm the information.
5.2 Regulatory issues and guidelines
The founder of Whoppl, a digital content-to-commerce company, Ramya Ramachandran, believes that standardising influencer fees based on engagement and followers is urgently needed. “There are tools to estimate some of these metrics but the ecosystem is so vast that it will be good to have remuneration benchmarks,” she said. Influencers are in millions and difficult to track unlike celebrity brand ambassadors who are well-known and have more or less fixed rates, she added.
Others also hope for more stringent regulations. For example, Sahil Chopra, the founder and CEO of iCubesWire, a provider of digital marketing solutions, is concerned about content moderation to prevent influencers from tricking customers into making poor purchases. The reach of influencers makes this a significant challenge. He stated that platforms and influencers ought to bear greater accountability for the content that is disseminated.
The market regulator SEBI is developing more stringent guidelines for influencers who provide financial advice on social media platforms in order to protect consumers. Danish Malik, co-founder of Boomlet Group, a company that runs an influencer marketing vertical, claims that the industry is violating the law even though the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has issued guidelines for digital influencers and required disclosures for paid promotions. "Brands want to avoid the paid promotion tags and pay a premium for subtle integrations because organic content works better. Although reputable brands do not use this tactic, Malik stated that it has caused the emergence of a grey market in this industry. He continued, "The industry needs regulation reform and cleaning up."
5.3 Monitoring Concerns:
It presents a significant dual challenge. The first is to recognise these monitoring concerns and reach a consensus regarding them, including what should be safeguarded in terms of consumer rights and what constitutes best practices for businesses.
After we have made the decision regarding what is unacceptable, the second and more difficult challenge is to actually have the resources to monitor that. So increasingly there is a need to turn to data science and Artificial Intelligence to be able to locate and solve for some of these issues.
6. Recommendations:
Enhance Digital Literacy and Critical Engagement
Introduce digital literacy initiatives into the classroom to help students understand how to assess online material critically and identify biases. Encourage critical thinking and active participation with interactive features like live Q&A sessions and discussion forums.
Establish Certification and Ethical Standards for Influencers
Develop a standardized certification program for educational influencers in collaboration with educational institutions and industry experts. Promote ethical practices and transparency among influencers through a code of ethics and incentivize adherence to best practices.
Strengthen Collaborations and Content Quality Monitoring
To ensure content relevance and accuracy, strengthen partnerships between EdTech companies and educational institutions. Use AI-powered content monitoring tools to identify false information and give influencers immediate feedback.
Expand Access to Digital Resources and Regulatory Framework
By establishing public-private partnerships to provide inexpensive internet, devices, and educational software, you can close the digital divide. Provide a thorough regulatory framework to control educational influencers' operations and guarantee consumer protection and accurate content.
Implement Feedback Mechanisms and Promote Cross-disciplinary Research
Provide strong feedback channels to ensure that influencer strategies and content are continuously improved. In order to inform evidence-based policies and practices, support interdisciplinary research that examines the long-term effects of educational influencers on learning outcomes, career choices, and mental health.
7. Conclusion
As the demand for quality online education rises, Indian Teacher Influencers will continue to play a vital role in shaping the future of learning. Their impact on the startup ecosystem is undeniable, and their journey is just beginning.
The rise of educational influencers in India underscores the transformative power of digital platforms in shaping the educational landscape. As the demand for quality online education grows, these influencers will continue to play a crucial role in guiding and mentoring the youth. However, the challenges associated with credibility, ethical standards, and regulatory compliance must be addressed to ensure the sustainability and reliability of this burgeoning sector.
The findings emphasize the need for continued research and dialogue among stakeholders, including influencers, EdTech companies, regulatory bodies, and consumers. By fostering a transparent and well-regulated environment, educational influencers can effectively contribute to the educational and career aspirations of India's young population, driving the nation's progress in the digital age.
Meet The Thought Leader
Laboni is a mentor at GGI and is currently working at The Bridgespan Group as a Senior Associate Consultant. She takes interest in socioeconomic development issues, public policy, and equity across
different vectors of gender, caste, class, and ability, which in turn fuelled her transition from working at a global bank to the social sector. She is an Urban Fellow from the Indian Institute for Human
Settlements, Bangalore and has a bachelor's degree in Economics from
St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi.
Meet The Authors (GGI Fellows)
Priyanka has graduated in Political Science from Miranda House, University of Delhi. With a keen interest in marketing, policy and social media, she is driven to learn how to build authentic brands and create a positive social impact. An enthusiastic learner, she can be found gardening, learning French or doodling outside of work.
If you are interested in applying to GGI's Impact Fellowship program, you can access our application link here.
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