# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teen Voices: Friendships and Social Media | Common Sense Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you hunt around this website, you will find an ever-increasing number of articles related to Influencer Marketing. This includes our take on The Beginner's Guide to Influencer Marketing . But there is an even more fundamental question you need to consider before you think about participating in influencer marketing.

What is an Influencer? - Social Media Influencers Defined:

What is an influencer?

An influencer is someone who has:

the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of his or her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his or her audience.

a following in a distinct niche, with whom he or she actively engages. The size of the following depends on the size of his/her topic of the niche.

It is important to note that these individuals are not merely marketing tools, but rather social relationship assets with which brands can collaborate to achieve their marketing objectives.

What Are Social Media Influencers?

Over the last decade, we have seen social media grow rapidly in importance. According to the most recent statistics, the projected number of global social media users in 2023 is 4.89 billion, indicating a 6.5% rise from the previous year

Inevitably these people look up to influencers in social media to guide them with their decision making.

Influencers in social media are people who have built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on a specific 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

You can separate different types of influencers in multiple ways. Some of the most common methods are by follower numbers, by types of content, and by the level of influence. You can also group influencers by the niche in which they operate. This means that influencers who may appear in a low category by one measure may seem more influential when looked at in another way. For example, many mega-influencers are also celebrities. Yet both these groups often have less real influence on their audience because they lack expertise in a dedicated narrow niche. Some micro and even nano-influencers can have a tremendous impact on followers in their specialist niche. They may be of significant benefit to a firm selling a product targeting that sector.

By Follower Numbers

Mega influencers are the people with a vast number of followers on their social networks. Although there are no fixed rules on the boundaries between the different types of followers, a common view is that mega-influencers have more than 1 million followers on at least one social platform.

Many mega-influencers are celebrities who have gained their fame offline - movie stars, sportspeople, musicians, and even reality television stars. Some mega-influencers have gained their vast followings through their online and social activities, however.
Only major brands should approach mega-influencers for influencer marketing, however. Their services will be costly, up to $1 million per post, and they will most likely be extremely fussy about with whom they choose to partner. In virtually every case, mega-influencers will have agents working on their behalf to make any marketing deals.

Macro-influencers are one step down from the mega-influencers, and maybe more accessible as influencer marketers. You would consider people with followers in the range between 500,000 and 1 million followers on a social network to be macro-influencers.
This group tends to consists of two types of people. They are either B-grade celebrities, who haven't yet made it to the big time. Or they are successful online experts, who have built up more significant followings than the typical micro-influencers. The latter type of macro-influencer is likely to be more useful for firms engaging in influencer marketing.
Macro-influencers generally have a high profile and can be excellent at raising awareness. There are more macro-influencers than mega-influencers, so it should be easier for a brand to find a macro-influencer willing to work with them. They are also more likely to be used to working with brands than micro-influencers, making communication easier.
However, you do need to be careful with this level of influencer. This is the category most likely to engage in influencer fraud - some have only reached their position thanks to the followers they have purchased.

Micro-influencers are ordinary everyday people who have become known for their knowledge about some specialist niche. As such, they have usually gained a sizable social media following amongst devotees of that niche. Of course, it is not just the number of followers that indicates a level of influence; it is the relationship and interaction that a micro-influencer has with his or her followers.

Although views differ, you could consider micro-influencers as having between 10,000 and 50,000 followers on a single social platform.
A micro-influencer may not be aware of the existence of a company before that company tries to reach out to him or her. If that is the case, the company will have first to convince the influencer of its worth. Micro-influencers have built up specialist followings, and they will not want to harm their relationship with their fans if they are seen to promote a lemon. This requirement for the relationship between micro-influencers and brands to align with target audiences means that influencers are often picky about with whom they work. Some micro-influencers are happy to promote a brand for free. Others will expect some form of payment. Regardless of the price, any influencer is unlikely to want involvement with an "inappropriate" brand for their audience.

The nature of influence is changing. Micro-influencers are becoming more common and more famous. Some have risen from virtual obscurity to being nearly as well known as traditional celebrities. This is particularly the case for Generation Z, who spend more time on the internet than watching television or going to sports or movies.

Over 35% of influencers have been building an audience for over four years and 21% earn over $50k annually. However, the majority of creators identifying themselves on the internet today fall into the nano or micro tier. The majority of campaign power comes not from mega influencers with huge audiences, but actually the influencers with a smaller following, higher engagement, and developed relationships with their audience.

In all reality, micro-influencers are the influencers of the future. The internet has led to the fragmentation of the media into many small niche topics. Even if you are into something relatively obscure, you are likely to find a Facebook group or Pinterest board devoted to it. And it is in these niche groups and boards that micro-influencers establish themselves as genuine influencers.

The newest influencer-type to gain recognition is the nano-influencer. These people only have a small number of followers, but they tend to be experts in an obscure or highly specialized field. You can think of nano-influencers as being the proverbial big fish in a small pond. In many cases, they have fewer than 1,000 followers - but they will be keen and interested followers, willing to engage with the nano-influencer, and listen to his/her opinions.
While many brands would consider nano-influencers as being inconsequential, they can be of extreme importance to firms who make highly specialized and niche products.
For most firms, however, nano-influencers probably lack sufficient influence to be of much use. They may be cheap and carry tremendous sway with a small number of people, but in most niches, you would need to work with hundreds of nano-influencers to reach a broad audience.

By Types of Content

The bulk of influencer marketing today occurs in social media, predominantly with micro-influencers, and blogging. With an increased interest in video, YouTubers are rapidly becoming more important too.

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.
Blogging has been connected to influencer marketing for some time now. There are many highly influential blogs on the internet. If a popular blogger positively mentions your product in a post, it can lead to the blogger's supporters wanting to try out your product.

Many bloggers have built up sizeable followings in specific sectors. For instance, there are highly influential blogs about personal development, finance, health, childrearing, music, and many other topics, including blogging itself. The critical thing successful blogs have in common is the respect of their readers.

A variation on having a blogger write something that recommends your product is to participate in guest posting. If you can grab a guest posting spot on a large blog, you can control the content, and you will typically be allowed to place a link to your own site in your author bio.

If a blog is large and influential enough, you may be able to buy a sponsored post on their site. This allows you to either write a post yourself or heavily influence the blogger to write a post on your behalf. Unlike a casual mention in a blogger's post or a guest post you have written, you will have to pay for a sponsored post (and it is likely to be labeled as such). However, this hasn't harmed the results for many firms that have sponsored posts on blogs. Generation Z, in particular, seems to be immune to the Sponsored Post tag, and as long as the product aligns with the blog's core audience, there shouldn't be a problem.

Of course, a blog is not the only type of popular content on the internet. Another favorite type of content is video. In this case, rather than each video maker having their own site, most create a channel on YouTube. Brands often align with popular YouTube content creators.

Podcasting is a relatively recent form of online content that is growing in popularity. It has made quite a few household names now, possibly best epitomized by John Lee Dumas of Entrepreneurs on Fire. If you haven't yet had the opportunity to enjoy podcasts, Neal Schaffer has put together a comprehensive list of the Best Digital Marketing Podcasts to listen in 2023.

Of course, bloggers, podcasters, and YouTubers rarely rely solely on their existing audiences to just turn up to their site, hoping there is new material. They usually promote new posts or videos heavily on social media - which makes most of these bloggers and content creators micro-influencers as well.
In fact, the vast majority of influencers now make their name on social media. While you will find influencers on all the leading social channels, the standout network in recent years has been Instagram, where many influencers craft their posts around a stunning image.

By Level of Influence

Celebrities were the original influencers, and they still have a role to play, although their importance as influencers is waning.

Influencer marketing grew out of celebrity endorsement. Businesses have found for many years that their sales usually rise when a celebrity promotes or endorses their product. There are still many cases of companies, particularly high-end brands, using celebrities as influencers.

The problem for most brands is that there are only so many traditional celebrities willing to participate in this kind of influencer campaign, and they are unlikely to come cheaply. The exception will if a firm makes a product that a celebrity already likes and uses. In that situation, the celebrity may well be prepared to use his or her influence to say how good he/she believes the product to be. I am sure many musical instrument producers benefit from musicians playing their instruments by choice.

One problem with using celebrities as influencers is if they may lack credibility with a product's target audience. Justin Bieber may be highly influential if he recommended a type of acne cream, but would have little chance of influencing the buying patterns of those looking for a retirement village.

Celebrities may have many fans and gigantic social media followings. However, it is debatable exactly how much real influence they hold over those who follow them.

Industry experts and thought leaders such as journalists can also be considered influencers and hold an important position for brands.

Industry leaders and thought leaders gain respect because of their qualifications, position, or experience about their topic of expertise. Often, this respect is earned more because of the reputation of where they work. For instance, a journalist at a major newspaper is probably no expert on the subjects he writes a news report on, but he is respected for being a good enough writer to work as such a prestigious publication.

These experts include:

Journalists

Academics

Industry experts

Professional advisors

If you can gain the attention of a journalist in a national newspaper, who in turn talks positively about your company in an article, then you are using him or her as an influencer in much the same way as you would a blogger or a social media influencer. There is a bonus in this situation in that the journalist will most probably write his/her report for free.

Bloggers and content creators often work with industry leaders and thought leaders, and it is not uncommon to see them quoted in blog posts and even used in social media campaigns. The line between traditional media and social media is blurring.

One thing to be aware of when working with key opinion leaders is that many have built up their reputation in an offline setting and may not have a large or active social following.

People with Above Average Influence on Their Audience

In many ways, the best influencers have built their reputation online for being an expert in some particular niche. They are similar to key opinion leaders but usually have gained their reputation more informally through their online activity. And they have created that reputation through the quality of the social posts they make, the blog posts they write, the podcasts they speak, and the videos they craft and post on their YouTube channels.

Although nobody has yet created a generic term for these people, the British agency, PMYB, has come up with their trade-marked name - Chromo-Influencers. These are the agency's highest-performing influencers, based on 46 crucial factors that impact consumer behavior.

These influencers have the best communication skills and engagement with their audience. They have enticed their followers and become recognized as experts in their field.

Their follower numbers very much depend on their subject of expertise. However, you will find that these people have incredibly high followings in comparison to others in their niche.

Frequently Asked Questions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is an Influencer? - Social Media Influencers Defined [Updated 2023]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is an Influencer? An influencer is an individual who has the power to affect purchase decisions of others because of his/her authority, knowledge, position or relationship with his/her audience. Micro influencers are normal everyday people who have become known for their knowledge about some specialist niche.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jeremy Caplan: What is digital journalism?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is a podcast? Simply put, a podcast is an audio programme, just like Talk Radio, but you subscribe to it on your smartphone and listen to it whenever you like. So how do they work, and how do you listen to them? Read on to find out!
In a little more detail, a podcast is a series of spoken word, audio episodes, all focused on a particular topic or theme, like cycling or startups. You can subscribe to the show with an app on your phone and listen to episodes whenever you like on your headphones, in the car, or through speakers.

If you already feel more confident around the question "What is a Podcast?", then you might be ready to jump to the following guides:

Or, stick with me here and we'll get into the "What is" a little deeper...

What's an Example of a Popular Podcast?

What is a podcast you might have heard of? If you're new to this, it can be easier to understand if you look at how radio stations are turning their shows into podcasts. But, remember, Podcasts are way more than just repurposed radio programs - you'll find out more about that in a minute!

First, though, BBC Radio 4 have run a radio show called ' More or Less: Behind the Stats ', all about interesting economics and number facts. That show is on at the same time every week, and you have to tune in on your radio to listen. But... to make it easier to listen to, the BBC publish every episode as a part of the 'More or Less Podcast', too. Each podcast episode is a recording of a 'More or Less' radio episode, and they're all organised into one podcast series.

So, if you're a fan of the radio show, you can subscribe to the More or Less podcast and episodes are delivered to you each week. That means you can listen to them any time, rather than be stuck to the radio at the same time each week.
Bonus resources:
Podcasts are Far More than Repurposed Radio

The example above might give you a picture of what a podcast is like, but it isn't a full answer to the question: what is a podcast?

The vast majority of shows tend to be completely original content, not just repurposing the radio.

Many escape the shackles of traditional radio formats to explore brilliantly original approaches and completely niche subjects. For example:

They can be any length, from a 1 minute news snippet to a 3 hour in-depth interview.

They can be any frequency, from daily to monthly

They can be any format, from simple solo shows to mammoth, multi-person audio dramas

They can cover ANY topic, many of which would never make it onto radio

No matter what you're into, you'll find a show that suits the topics you love and the time you have.

When Did Podcasts Start?

The term "podcasting" was first used in February 2004, but podcasting as a medium has arguably existed since the year 2000. You'll find a whirlwind tour of the history in our When Did Podcasts Start? article.

Are Podcasts Audio or Video?

One confusion around the 'what is a podcast' question relates to the media type: audio or video?

Most Podcasts today are audio-only, even though video podcasts do exist. Podcasting has really grown out of a need for background content. That means something that can entertain you, educate you or inspire you in the background of other boring or rote activities.

For example, one of the most common ways people listen is in the car. You can't watch video there, of course, so audio content is great. In the same way, podcasts are great for listening at the gym, while you're mowing the lawn, or on your journey to work. Any moment of wasted time can be a moment for audio!

Of course, that means you need something to listen on, so you might need to get yourself a set of headphones to connect to your smartphone. Otherwise, connect up to your car via Bluetooth, or start listening on Echo or another smart speaker!

What is a Podcast Supposed to Sound Like?

When you listen to a podcast, you'll discover that many of them are quite familiar. You'll have heard similar types of content over the years, from the radio to a TV talk show. On the other hand, you'll also hear podcasts that are completely new and entirely different to the norm, thanks to the freedom that podcasting allows.

Most podcasts will be themed around one particular topic. The host or hosts will talk about that topic on every episode. Sometimes, it's really specific, like triathlon racing or dog training, and other times it's more general, like how to lead a happy life.

Next, each episode of that podcast will talk about something specific within that topic - nutrition tips for taking part in a triathlon, or how to stop your dog fighting with other dogs.

Each episode is normally run by one or two regular presenters, talking about that subject, and they'll often get outside guests on to contribute or to be interviewed.

A lot of podcasts are really simple, just a few friends chatting about something that they're all really passionate about, like movies, knitting or running a business. But some are really polished and super professional, including theme music, sound effects, professional editing and more.

The more professional podcasts are great to listen to but take a lot more time and money to produce. The amateur shows, on the other hand, might have a few rough edges, but it means they can get it out, every single week, and grow a loyal following.
Most people listen to a bit of both types. The biggest factor in most podcasts is the host or hosts, and you'll gravitate towards topics and hosts that you like, more than the approach they take.
What is a Podcast vs a Podcast Episode?

The terminology is confusing! So, let's break it down: what is a podcast series built on?

A podcast is a series of episodes, and refers to the programme as a whole. Then, a podcast episode is just one recording from that entire Podcast.

It's just like TV, really. A TV show is made up of a whole series of episodes.

So, think of 'Friends' as the series and 'The One Where They Got Married' as the episode. In this case, Friends is the equivalent of a Podcast and 'The One Where They Got Married' is the Podcast Episode.

You'll often hear folks referring to a single podcast episode as "a podcast", but technically, the podcast is the entire collection of that show's episodes.

What's the Difference Between a Podcast and an Audio File?
If you purely want to listen, you don't need to know this bit. Not unless you're thinking about starting your own podcast! But, if you want to get started listening right now, go right to 'How to Listen to a Podcast.'
The most complicated aspect of answering the question - What is a podcast? - and where many people get confused, is in the difference between a simple audio file and a full-blown podcast.

The simplest explanation is that an audio file and a podcast episode are technically the same. If you've downloaded a Podcast episode from a Podcast site, you've already discovered the fact that you're just downloading an audio file. The difference comes when you add the option to subscribe to that series of audio files.

So, if you use a Podcast hosting service to allow people to subscribe to your series of audio recordings, then you've suddenly turned them from simple audio files into a fully functioning podcast! They're still just audio files, but alongside the subscription, you can now call them a Podcast too.

The subscription (or 'following) aspect is done for you automatically if you use a good Podcast Hosting company, but you might want to know a little about how it works. It's run through a technology called RSS (that's the tricky bit...), and it's just a computer language that lets your Podcasting software talk to a Podcasting website.

Essentially, if you give your Podcasting software (such as Apple Podcasts) the web address of a Podcasting Website, it'll read the RSS feed and it'll be able to download all of the old episodes of that Podcast and download new ones as they're released.

So, when you use Apple Podcasts (an app built into every iPhone), Google Podcasts (built into Android Phones), Spotify, or any other good podcast listening app, it'll keep track of all of your subscriptions via each Podcasts' RSS feed, and it'll automatically download new episodes as they're available. This is much easier than normal audio files where you would have to search them out on the web and download them yourself.

The big thing to remember is that an audio file on its own is nothing more than that, just an audio file.

But, if you upload that audio file to a website and allow it to be subscribed to via an RSS feed then it's suddenly a Podcast. Easy!

What is a Podcast: Quick FAQ

Alright, let's rattle through a few more frequently asked questions so that you leave here fully armed with the knowledge you came for.
What is a Podcaster?
A podcaster is the term given to anyone who creates and runs a podcast series.
What is a Podcast Host?
A podcast host is another term for a podcaster. But, it's also a term for podcast hosting services. A podcast hosting service is an account where a podcaster uploads and publishes their episodes, and it makes sure they're pushed out to places like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
What is a Podcast App?
A podcast app is somewhere like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else a listener can find and consume podcasts.
What is the Purpose of a Podcast?
To use the old Public Broadcasting Service term, to Educate, Inspire, and Entertain. A podcast's purpose depends on the motivation of its creator: many are hobbies or creative outlets, whilst some seek to build businesses and entire movements.
Are Podcasts Popular?
Podcasts are very popular. 79% of people in the US are familiar with the concept of podcasting, whilst 64% have listened to at least one podcast episode (see our podcast industry stats for more on this). Podcasting has experienced slow, steady growth since it began, but there's still plenty of room for more!

What is a Podcast: Next Steps
Now you know what a podcast IS, here are some next steps for you...

If you're wondering what's next...

Was this article helpful?

Here at TPH we really care and we want to write the most relevant articles for you. Did this post have all you were looking for?

Helpful Somewhat helpful Not helpful

More goodness on listening to pods?

How to subscribe to a podcast

Learn how to subscribe to a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and many more apps, right here.

How do listeners discover podcasts?

Get the lowdown on the podcast discovery and listening habits of 780 listeners.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is a Podcast? An Explanation in Plain English

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is a podcast? Our plain-English explanation, with examples of what they sound like, what's popular and how to listen.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to main content

COVID-19 Update: While Libraries buildings are closed and physical collections are unavailable until further notice, e-newspapers are available and staff are working remotely to support you!

What is fake news?

Fake news is information that is clearly and demonstrably fabricated and that has been packaged and distributed to appear as legitimate news. This narrow definition seeks to distinguish fake news from other types of misleading information by clarifying that the former is patently false and was created and presented in a way meant to deceive consumers into thinking it is real. Fake news refers to a specific piece of information; it does not refer to any particular type of news outlet, individual, or other actor. - Understanding the Fake News Universe by Media Matters for America

How fake news goes viral

In the November 11, 2016 issue of The New York Times, Sapna Maheshwari's presents a case study showing how fake news goes viral.

More suggestions for identifying fake news

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Skip to main content COVID-19 Update: While Libraries buildings are closed and physical collections are unavailable until further notice, e-newspapers are available and staff are working remotely to support you! Fake news is information that is clearly and demonstrably fabricated and that has been packaged and distributed to appear as legitimate news.