Social Media Influencers

With the rise of social media platforms since the mid-2000s, the social media influencer has become a central figure in digital media production. While various terms have been used to describe these figures, including content creator, guru (particularly within beauty communities), and microcelebrity, for the purposes of this entry, the term influencer will be used to encompass a diverse range of individuals who have achieved a level of mainstream celebrity based primarily on their social media output (as opposed to working in more traditional media industries, such as film and television). Platforms commonly used by influencers include but are not limited to Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, and YouTube. This entry focuses on two subsets of social media influencers, each of which exemplifies a different aspect of ...