What is an online influencer? An online influencer is someone who has established credibility in a specific industry, has access to a large audience, and can convince their fans to act based on their recommendations. Influencers can be categorized into five different types:
These are examples of some of the most popular influencers in 2022, all of whom fall under the "celebrity" category:
Kylie Jenner: 247 million followers on Instagram look to her for fashion and beauty trends. It is estimated that she earns $986,000 for every post.
Rihanna: a musician with 99 million followers that also has beauty and clothing lines.
Charli D’Amelio: an Instagram influencer who gained popularity on TikTok. She has an estimated net worth of $8 million and is only 17 years old. On average, each of her posts gets 4.5 million views.
So what do online influencers do with all this power? They can use it to have a positive impact on society. By engaging with their followers through posts, appearances, and creating special merchandise collaborations, influencers can raise funds and awareness to important causes such as homelessness/poverty, racial justice, and health/medical research.
Influencers can also have negative effects on their followers. By endorsing products (sometimes their own), they persuade their followers to spend money on things they don’t need or cannot afford. They also use filters to perfect their appearance, which can make fans unsatisfied with their bodies in comparison and cause lower self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.
We can see online influencers’ impact across many different segments of society. After reading “what I wore” posts (which usually include links to the merchandise), everyone from sorority girls to stay at home moms can follow trends (sometimes at a price point beyond their budget). “When it comes to influencer marketing, over half of women made purchases due to influencer posts.” Women are usually the target audience, with 78% of women being active on social media, especially on Snapchat and Instagram.
While there may be fewer men following online influencers, they are willing to spend more money based on their recommendations. 70% of men said they would spend over $50 on a product sight unseen that was promoted by an influencer they trusted, whereas only 50% of women would. Men are also more likely to follow celebrity influencers rather than “real people.”
Influencers need to consider the age of their audience to be successful. Baby Boomers (people aged 58-76) have the most disposable income, but prefer a simple user experience. Gen X (42-57 years old) are more thoughtful with their purchases and rely on reviews. They are also more likely to purchase from brands they already trust. Millennials (age 26-41) look for authenticity and relatability. Gen Z (ages 10-26) are vocal about their interests and are the easiest to reach on social media. (Source: https://www.mavrck.co/influencer-marketing-by-demographic-stc-deep-dive/)
There are even kid influencers. Ryan's World is a YouTube channel featuring 10 year old Ryan Kaji. What started out as RyanToysReview has grown to a channel featuring science experiments, skits, cartoons and more. There are now more than 31 million subscribers and over 45 billion views, and Ryan is estimated to be worth $32 million.
My own social media consumption exposes me to online influencers on a daily basis. The “For You” page on my TikTok account shows products that I might like, sometimes causing them to purchase them. On Instagram, following celebrities such as Zendaya and Selena Gomez impacts my consumption of TV shows and movies. My family’s exposure to influencers is much less. My Mom, an avid reader, follows several influencers to find her next book. She also follows home design and fashion influencers. My Dad is not on social media other than LinkedIn, and has minimal exposure to influencers.
When online influencers use their platforms to promote worthy causes or social change, we can all benefit. We can also individually benefit from product reviews before making a purchase. But, users should be careful in their spending habits and not just buy something because an influencer recommends it. Social media is just a snapshot in time, and not the entire story. Sometimes details are left out and only the prettiest or most pleasing photos are used. Filters can hide imperfections or make someone look very different than they do in real life. An influencer’s lifestyle shouldn’t be something you try to achieve or something that makes you feel bad about yourself.
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