What does it really mean to be an influencer?
Photo by olivia hutcherson on Unsplash
The term Influencer is a fairly recent word in our daily vocabulary brought on by the explosion of social media in every aspect of our lives. There are many definitions of Influencers (even one from 1662) but BusinessDictionary.com states:
Influencers are individuals who have the power to affect purchase decisions of others because of their (real or perceived) authority, knowledge, position.
Sounds important right? Impressive? A person who can actually influence the opinions or habits of others. Someone who is followed, liked, and are sought after by thousands, or hundreds of thousands of anonymous people on the internet. There are many varieties of influencers – beautiful people showing you which new cosmetics will make your dream of dewy skin come true. Then there are the relatable women demonstrating how to tie a scarf 20 ways you’ve never thought of, or even how to remodel your home on a shoestring budget and sell it for a fortune while raising your family during the construction process.
We probably all follow a few influencers ourselves, but do you ask yourself why we may follow them?
For me, a person who is passionate about growth and change, these folks represent things I want to know about - tips I need, and even what I haven’t yet achieved. That may mean they were brave enough to figure out the how’s of making a captivating video and sharing it online. Or confident enough to show their makeup free faces, and the background of their own home bathroom to viewers.
But I think being an Influencer can mean so much more. With passion, courage, and work, you could influence the actions of your neighborhood about preparing for the next possible disaster. Or gather 5,000 signatures for a petition to your local representative on sensible gun management. Or make a difference in a teenager’s life by showing guidance with kindness.
To Influence in a healthy way, is to lead in a way that brings about positive change. And that is an important distinction. We can all be influencers! We should all be influencers! What an opportunity the world of constant online interaction and feedback has given us. You can take your influence online. Or take it out into the world every day, in every action with another human being. And see what differences, small or large, you could make.