Davin Langston

West Houston Archery

Houston, Texas

Man, that’s a tough question. Initially, I’m inclined to say “yes,” but then I’m not so sure all of the information is a bad thing. I believe the info that’s out there is definitely more influential than ever before, and I guess the pull that some influencers have, along with the mountain of information, could intimidate newer shooters.

On the other hand, while newer shooters might find archery to be complicated based on some of the information on social media, it makes them more reliant on pro shops like ours. I also believe we must embrace this new age of archery information rather than fight it. Tips, techniques and equipment are constantly changing, which some folks find counterintuitive, but it’s the reality, and we try to stay on top of the changes and shifts because we know that many of our customers do. We need to know the language they’re speaking. 

I remember how crazy it was several years ago when people would come in talking about Chris Bee. I didn’t even know who he was at that point. Fast forward to today, and we have customers come in almost daily who mention things they saw from social media influencers. We are in a big metropolitan area here in Houston with lots of people, and YouTube, in particular, is highly influential to our customers.

The downside to all of the information on social media is it can be difficult to teach customers things because they just want to copy their favorite influencer. I don’t think it stings us too much; well, maybe just a little bit. But we’ve navigated it pretty well and have embraced the culture of it for the most part. We also have quite a following, and most of our customers trust us, but on the flip side, we need to hear them out so we don’t get stuck in our own little bubble. 

Scott Aase

Dakota Archery & Outdoor Sports

Yankton, South Dakota

I’ll say it like this: There is no such thing as too much information. I think the concept of people experimenting and sharing their findings is healthy, and I’m certainly not against it. The bigger part is the consumer must use discretion regarding the information and how they digest it. The other thing is people eventually see through the false or misleading information, and the creators of poor content lose their following.

A lot of customers come in and talk about what they saw from the different influencers. I can tell by the way they approach me that some of them misconceive that the entire archery industry is aware of the one little approach they’re talking about, and it is the mainstream way of doing things when it actually is not. It can make things slightly awkward if you’re not prepared for it, so you have to be well-rounded and willing to discuss things openly. Maybe you’ll get them back on track and thinking the right way, or maybe they’ll teach you something you didn’t know. Keeping an open mind is a good thing for that reason.

I’m not terribly active on social media. I do watch a decent amount of content on YouTube. Due to my store’s proximity to the NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center, I get to meet and know some of the “archery celebrities” on a personal level. One in particular who produces good content is professional archer Paige Pearce. She does a great job of presenting the equipment and techniques that work for her.

Haskell Smith

Choctaw Archery & Guns

Choctaw, Oklahoma

Don’t get me wrong, social media is a great thing. But yes, I do believe there is too much information out there. The problem we’re having in the modern world is that brick-and-mortar retail is rapidly declining, and with all of the information on social media, some consumers think they don’t need help from a pro shop. Although some consumers are great at servicing their own equipment, some just aren’t mechanically inclined to do it well.

Another thing is there is a lot of misinformation online, which has everyone chasing a bunch of different rabbit holes. And a lot of people are screwing up their bows. Most bow manufacturers don’t tell you this, but if a bow is serviced by anyone other than a certified technician for that brand, it voids the warranty. If a consumer sticks a bow in their own press at home and busts the limbs, they’re out the price of the limbs, which is roughly a third of the cost of the bow. 

While there is too much information and plenty of misinformation, there are some folks I trust. Levi Morgan is irrefutably one of the best sources of information on social media. He addresses some of the points of shot execution that can truly help other archers move the accuracy and consistency needles. Another one is Dud. John Dudley and I have been friends since he was my Mathews rep over 25 years ago. He puts out fact-based information, and the thing I like about John is if he screws up, he admits it.