The new age of technology and social media has drastically changed as years go by. The downfall of social media site MySpace was considered the rise of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Which also helped the increase in the influencer lifestyle. Many people have their own definition of what an influencer is. Simply because there are so many things that could make an influencer, an influencer. However, with the high usage of social media, a lot of influencers gained their luxurious influencer lifestyle because of the apps we have on our phones.
According to an article on Influencer Marketing Hub, they stated that an influencer is someone who has the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of his or her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his or her audience. They also have a following in a distinct niche, with whom he or she actively engages. They also added that it’s important to note that these individuals are not merely marketing tools, but rather social relationship assets with which brands can collaborate to achieve their marketing objectives.
It’s a huge question on who exactly started the influencer career choice. In 2017, Paper Magazine claimed that MySpace icon Hanna Beth invented the influencer lifestyle when she signed up for MySpace at only 15. They described the socialite as, “Arguably a social media maven before most people had the foresight to even consider it a career, Hanna influenced a generation of suburban misfits to embrace Gloomy Bear merch and an extreme side part as one of the de-facto Queens of Myspace. Alongside the likes of Kiki Kannibal and Izzy Hilton, Hanna joined a crew of powerful online icons who helped morph internet culture into the beast it is today — selfies, influencers, et al.”
With the increase of social media usage, one of the top types of influencers is a social media influencer. A social media influencer is a user on social media who has established credibility in a specific industry. You may have seen some of your favorite celebrities promote brands like Fashion Nova or those flat tummy teas. Doing things like that is considered the daily tasks a social media influencer would usually do.
A social media influencer could have multiple platforms or things that helped gain their popularity and following to make them considered an influencer in the first place. These influencers could range from celebrities, YouTubers, podcasters, bloggers, socialites, and the list goes on.
As social media usage only increasing by the day, any person could become an influencer if they try. With apps like Tik Tok becoming popular, it could possibly take a couple of Tik Toks before a person is pushed into the influencer lifestyle. Or it could just take a virtual Tweet that you post. However, it’s important to never let the influencer lifestyle guide you in the wrong direction. Although it may look luxurious from looking on an influencer’s social media page, it also can be a bit stressful.
