Influencers: yay or nay?

Milla Ling-Davies  |  Features  |  culture watch
Date posted:  1 Oct 2023
Share Add       
Influencers: yay or nay?

If you see someone like this, they may be a social media influencer photo: influencer-impact.com

When someone says ‘social media influencer’ do you think of a teenager dancing and taking selfies in front of the Eiffel Tower? Picturing this, it can be easy to write influencers off as immature or vain. But is this the whole story?

An influencer is a normal person, like you or me, who has ‘built a large social media following typically due to their expertise on specific topics’ (Influencer Marketing Hub). They share videos and photos about subjects like parenting, food or travel, and can have millions of people listening in. They have, surprise surprise, influence.

And a lot more than we think. 50% of millennials and 77% of Gen Z follow a social media influencer[1]. Brands pay them large sums to promote products, and even politicians make use of them – Biden’s White House team meets regularly with a group. The reality is that influencers are increasingly shaping the spending habits, trends and values of our wider society.

Share
< Previous article| Features| Next article >
Read more articles on:   Gen Z  /  culture  /  social media
Read more articles by Milla Ling-Davies >>
UK & Ireland
Assisted suicide vote – evangelical reactions

Assisted suicide vote – evangelical reactions

Evangelicals are processing the news that assisted suicide is a significant step closer to being legalised in the UK.Following …

UK & Ireland
Outrage at offensive Debenhams Christmas gifts

Outrage at offensive Debenhams Christmas gifts

Department store chain Debenhams is under fire for selling offensive ‘gay in a manger’ Christmas jumpers online.Multiple complaints were …

Looking for a job?

Browse all our current job adverts

Search

Give a subscription

🎁 Get 20% off a subscription for a friend this Christmas!

Tell me more