We’re not just witnessing a transformative era, we’re a part of it. The roles of creators and influencers have evolved to become more pivotal than ever in social and digital media. This shift didn’t occur overnight, and influencers have been a part of the media landscape for some time. They’ve transitioned from being traditional spokespeople to the dynamic and influential figures we see today in social media.
Influencer – a person or thing that influences another.
For organizations and campaigns, these were spokespeople. They were influencers, and those who knew strategy knew that you didn’t need an A-lister to influence others. You need the right person who aligns with the audience you are trying to engage strategically. Around 2016, the phrase influencer started to mean social media influencer.
But these weren’t the first social media influencers. Before this, you had:
- Newsletter influencers
- Bloggers
- Mommy Bloggers – a pivotal moment that led to the current concept of influencers
- YouTube influencers from the early 2000s to bigger than ever now
It’s not exhaustive, but these weren’t just people sharing pics of food and being fabulous. The significant shift with the rise of mommy bloggers and YouTubers and what we’ve transitioned into is the decentralization of influence. It’s a complicated and diverse landscape.
Micro-influencers were deemed people with 1,000 – 10,000 followers for a few years. There is still disagreement on this space, but the consensus is emerging. It is happening as the creator and influencer economies are maturing.
By definition, creators and influencers by tier
- 500,000+ followers are called mega-influencers
- 100,000 – 500,000 followers are called macro-influencers
- 10,000 – 100,000 are called micro-influencers
- 10,000 or fewer followers are nano-influencers.
Now, creators have emerged as a distinct category within the world of influencers. Not all influencers are creators; not all creators will have the influence you might need.
Creators — Social Media personalities creating their own content, whether more produced or simple direct videos regularly to a significant audience. They have influence with their audience based on the relationship they’ve created with their audience. This influence can lead to direct action and impact, like buying a product, signing a petition, taking cause-based actions, or spreading the message.
Creators can be:
- TikTok Creators
- Instagram Creators
- YouTube Creators
but also
- Twitter Creators
- Podcasters
- Bloggers
- Meme Creators
- LinkedIn Creators
- Substack Creators
- And so on across so many kinds of platforms
Is a micro-influencer who tweets and has an engaged audience a creator? It depends on whether they create a lot of written content. If so, then arguably, yes. It is a skill set. But maybe they don’t view themselves as creators. Maybe they think they are just an influencer on the platform. So, the line between the two can be subjective.
Your organization can work with a wide range of creators. However, some influencers can also help your organization reach others and drive engagement that is not truly creator-related.
The strategy on what and who you need is different, and it’s enough that I’m working with people on courses in other buckets.
You can work with influencers to share messages and engage in a volunteer or community-based capacity.
That is different from asking someone to create content. Those are content creators; most create content as a full- or part-time job. The vast majority of creators are part-time creators. But either way, if you ask them to create, that is where payment comes in.
Can you develop unpaid influencer programs? Of course, you can. It has been part of the internet since the beginning. There are people with influence and reach who are willing to use the platforms they are building for social change.
Should you pay creators and influencers? Absolutely. If you are developing a project and you either need the content or the audience a particular creator or influencer can help you reach, then you are likely talking about a paid program.
You can also develop a community of creators and influencers who assist your organization or whom your organization assists with content, messaging, and resources.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy. But there are some great emerging companies that can help you with strategic campaigns working with creators and influencers. It also isn’t one or the other; you can develop paid creator campaigns and relationships with influencers for organic distribution.
Looking ahead in 2024, it’s crucial to have a well-defined strategy for creators and influencers. This foresight will ensure you’re prepared to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of social and digital media marketing.