You may not have done the 12-3-30 workout (yet), but you've probably purchased a product or watched a show you heard about from a podcast, cooked a recipe or tried an exercise you saw on Instagram, or turned to a YouTube expert for advice on fixing something around the house or adjusting your aching back. Influencer marketing is now a $16 billion industry in the U.S., and the broader "creator industry" is set to double to half a trillion dollars by 2027, according to a report from Goldman Sachs.
Since the pandemic pushed everyone more online, these trends are becoming increasingly pronounced: 90 percent of people now trust an influencer over a celebrity when making a purchase, and among 18-to-24-year-olds, 65 percent have made a purchase based on an influencer's recommendation, according to a 2022 Adweek survey. That figure jumps to 72 percent among 25-to-34-year olds. "It's the niche communities that drive trends, purchases, and behaviors," says Brendan Gahan, partner and chief social officer at Mekanism, a creative agency.
Those niche communities are growing. There are around 32,300 YouTube channels with more than 1 million subscribers, according to Socialblade. There are up to 4.1 million active podcasts, according to Podcast Index. In March, Substack announced that it had surpassed 35 million newsletter subscriptions and that readers had paid writers more than $300 million through the service.
Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and myriad smaller social apps all have their own swarms of creators.
The rise of the influencer industry has been economically liberating for millions of people, many of whom, like women and people of color, were traditionally shut out of legacy systems. It's provided a new form of entertainment and a new road map for entrepreneurial success. It can be enormously positive. For instance, the ice-bucket challenge raised more than $200 million for ALS research.
This story is from the July - August 2023 edition of Men's Health US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July - August 2023 edition of Men's Health US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE NEW CHANGE MUSCLE MAKERS
WITH SYSTEMIC ISSUES both inside and outside the health-and-wellness industry, fitness professionals from marginalized backgrounds have long been held back.
ROCK BERMUDA
Cliff-jumping! Lunker-landing! Wreck-diving! I've lived on and off the Isle of Devils for 30 years. These are my five favorite adventures.
AWESOME-IFY YOUR SALMON
Chef CHARLIE MITCHELL says the key to balanced food and fitness is a little bit of everything.
BEET THIS!
Supplement makers say beet powders and juices help your heart and your workouts. We got to the root of those promises.
THE THROAT
Soreness, dryness, coughing-throat stuff can be the worst. Here's how to tell when something's up in there and feel better fast.
ARE YOUNG PEOPLE AGING FASTER?
And is that why cancer is striking earlier and earlier?
THE BAD DOCTOR
When patients kept nearly dying at asurgical center in Dallas, nobody thought it might be an inside job. Here’s howateam of medical investigators uncovered the disturbing truth— and how you can protect yourself from quacks, hacks, and downright dangerous docs.
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH HIM
Well, not literally. But in the \"gnawing rat\" theory of productivity, making peace with your metaphorical pests might be the quickest way to stop procrastinating and finally ditch dread.
PUT YOUR SAVINGS TO WORK
... with big returns, no hassle, and way less financial stress.
THE STRESS LESS GUIDE ΤΟ MANAGING MONEY
Don't worry: Creating a budget has nothing to do with it.
