FimtvLearn : Who/What is a Social Media Influencer?

A Social Media Influencer is a user on social media who has established credibility in a specific industry. A social media influencer has access to a large audience and can persuade others by virtue of their authenticity and reach.

Influencers in social media are people who have built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on a particular topic. They make regular posts about that topic on their preferred  social media channels and generate large followings of
enthusiastic engaged people who pay close attention to their views.

Brands love social media influencers because they can create trends and encourage their followers to buy products they promote.

Types of Influencers

The majority of influencers fit into the following categories, with the last category rapidly becoming the most important:

1. Celebrities
2. Industry experts and thought leaders
3. Bloggers and content creators
4. Micro Influencers

The bulk of social influencer marketing today occurs in social media, predominantly with micro influencers, and blogging. Industry experts and thought leaders such as journalists can also be considered influencers and hold an important position for brands. Then there are celebrities. These were the original influencers, and they still have a role to play, although their importance as influencers is waning.

Bloggers and influencers in social media (predominantly micro-bloggers) have the most authentic and active relationships with their fans. Brands are now recognizing and encouraging this.