In recent years, social media influencing has experienced a significant increase in job opportunities. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok opened a new door of opportunities for people entering the influencer market. Once known as platforms for personal connections and self-expression, they have now become a source of monetization and persuasion.
As technology rapidly evolved, society realized that it needed to keep up. Sofia Sheckler, senior Christian behavioral sciences and intercultural studies double major, enjoys posting about her lifestyle on Instagram and shared the factors that fueled influencer marketing on social media.
“There is a rise of authenticity instead of watching long videos with many ads clearly seen. Now, communities prefer a relatable context that feels like life, but still are lifestyles that can be driven,” Sheckler said. “Normal people can now more likely make content that connects to others without having a big name or partnership deal.”
However, there has been a change in how influencers choose the content they create compared to past years. Rafaela Gois, senior political science major who frequently posts videos about global politics and faith, explained how influencers from this era differ from those of past generations.
“I think influencers now are trying to be less popular for everybody and more popular for their niche, to people who agree with them. Also, influencers from years ago would only be influencers of one thing; now, the influencers of this age focus on lifestyle,” Gois said. “What you eat, what you wear, the product you wear on your face; now they are all combined in one influencer, while in the past, there would be one influencer for each thing.”
Video format has also changed. Instead of videos being one minute long, Instagram and TikTok began promoting thirty-second videos, making it quicker and more practical for users scrolling through their screens.
Influencers then restructured their branding, searching for ways to captivate their followers in a short amount of time while still creating high quality content. Dr. Natalie Winter, professor of business administration, shared her opinion on whether the rise of short-form video platforms has positively reshaped the influencer landscape.
“In a way, I think it has increased engagement as those video platforms do a greater job of capturing people’s attention,” Winter said.
However, these platforms have also brought consequences. “In a lot of ways, I think it has made things worse because that increased engagement is often the result of the short-form nature of those platforms, which has also caused people to have shorter attention spans, and to rely on sound bites rather than thinking deeply about issues or concerns,” Winter said.
As the market expanded, many influencers struggled to find their place within the industry. With society constantly changing, it became challenging for content creators to find a niche or keep up with shifting trends.
Sheckler explained the financial risks influencers face while maintaining a stable income.
“If you are not keeping up to date then you better hope to have loyal fans. You also have to make sure you are partnering with brands that are no controversial and will continue to support you,” Sheckler said. “I also think of the TikTok ban we had earlier this year that left many influencers not knowing where to go. This is why influencers usually have multiple sources of income across various channels.”
Although the influencing market walks a fine line, it has grown rapidly in recent years. In a world that blurs the lines between social media and real life, this market is gaining more space and influencing both people and the business world entirely.
