The secret to becoming an influencer? Having something to say How the figure of the influencer has evolved over the years

Between mockery, envy and a stubborn group of people who still don't want to admit that it's a real job, the influencer is a profession that has existed for just over 10 years and yet has already become a tedious cliché. Yet the term, beyond the imagery it conjures up, applies to all kinds of digital creators regardless of the platform they prefer: from TikToker to YouTube vloggers, from Twitter personalities to newsletter holders, from editors to meme makers. The sector is becoming more saturated by the day and encompasses a dizzying number of constantly growing sub-categories, so much so that it is never entirely clear who among the new guard will be able to exploit a momentary wave of popularity - the grace of algorithms - to build a lasting career. So how has influencer marketing changed over the years? What does 'influencer' really mean in an era where trends can last less than a day and popularity is within everyone's reach? 

At the same time, it is no longer necessary to 'show off' to become popular on social media: accounts such as Styledotcom and Ideservecuture, archive pages and moodboards such as the curators at Samutaro and Sabukaru demonstrate this. Now that culture and education are also (sometimes dangerously) passing through social media, followers want to bring their knowledge and opinions into the discussion as much as they want to see what a particular creator has to say about it. Influencers in this respect, compared to the institutional pages of magazines and journals, manage to provide educational and at the same time personal content, creating debates and strengthening a community of followers. In general, there is a growing interest in content that goes beyond the simple history of the catwalks, focusing instead on behind the scenes, on the secrets of the trade and the untold stories, as demonstrated by the social success of Federica Salto, Mariella Milani or Aja Barber, journalists who have been able to base their success on the story of their profession in all its nuances. Perhaps we have officially entered the era of social meritocracy, a time when being different and having something to say are the criteria that guide likes and views much more than good looks.