When Facebook first came out in 2004, it took over the internet like a storm. It was the first social media platform to provide users a platform to communicate with others virtually anytime and anywhere. Fast forward to today, there are many other social media and messaging apps to compete against Facebook, with some losing the battle and bought by Facebook instead. In recent years, there are an increased number of celebrities that have gained their fame through the use of social media and they’re known as social influencers.
Thanks to the features provided by social media apps, any users can easily rise to fame as long as they are able to generate original and unique content.
Celebrities Vs Social Influencers
Back in the old days, becoming a celebrity is difficult as it takes a lot of effort and luck to even audition as a side character. Even if you are able to get a role, it will take years of effort and endurance to get recognized by directors who might cast you in a major role. Today, becoming a celebrity is way easier thanks to the plethora of social media apps we have access to. In hindsight, social influencers can be similar to celebrities as some of them have even worked in movies as actors or directors such as Get Out, Us, 22 Jump Street and many more. However, social influencers have more influence on the younger audience as social media are becoming more used by the general public. These influencers have better understanding of the trends that are popular among the youths which they could exploit by making content related to the trends, especially the most cursed trends like Tide Pod challenge, Bird Box challenge and Hot Coil challenge.
But, that doesn’t mean social influencers outclass celebrities as they are able to use social media to achieve similar goals. For example, Shopee hired a branding agency Malaysia to create an advertisement featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most famous football players in the world while collaborating with the creators of “Baby Shark”. Despite being known for being cringeworthy, this advertisement has boosted Shopee’s sales significantly.
One of the major differences between celebrities and social influencers is the trend in generating content. Most social influencers would take on dangerous trends that would encourage children and possibly cause their lives. This would lead branding company to create advertisements to prevent the trend from claiming more lives.
Social Influencers In Europe
Every country has their own social influencers, including Europe. Here are some of the most popular social influencers in Europe that you should know.
Pewdiepie
A Swedish Youtuber that has held the longest record for the most subscribers in the world for many years. With his popularity, he has collaborated with many companies to create computer accessories with his theme such as headphones, keyboards, mouses and many more. His videos have become so popular that even children know who he is. In the early days, he is famously known for his screaming and obnoxious swearing even in his mother tongue. As he became the biggest star on Youtube, his videos have changed to become more family friendly by cutting down and censoring his swearing. He has also experimented with other ways to create content that would eventually become a popular series like Amnesia, Happy Wheels and many more. Eventually, he started to livestream as it has become more popular in the gaming community which allows him to interact with his fans.
KSI
An English Youtuber that has quickly grown in popularity since 2013. Initially as a gaming channel, KSI expanded his content beyond Youtube as he went into creating music which had earned No.1 in the UK R&B chart with his song “Keep Up”. Early in his career, KSI has made some sensitive and inappropriate content that would cause brand agency to cut ties with him. Nevertheless, he continues to grow as one of London’s biggest stars as he continues to branch out to multiple careers.
TheDiamondMinecart (Dan TDM)
When Minecraft was one of the popular games on the internet, many Youtube channels would exploit its popularity to attract viewers and become a celebrity themselves. TheDiamondMinecart, or Dan TDM, is one of the English Youtube channels that has built his career around Minecraft and has become one of the most popular channels within the Minecraft community. As he started to generate more subscribers, he created more channels that focus on other types of content which helps him to attract more audience. Although he started his channel as a side job while he was working on Tesco, he eventually became a worldwide sensation. At one point, he even beat Pewdiepie as one of the most popular channels on Youtube in July, 2015, which is a rare feat that not anyone can pull off.
As time goes on, the amount of social influencers will continue to increase on other social media and video streaming apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Twitch. These influencers will play an important part in the development of their younger audience as they would see their favorite Youtubers as a role model or oftentimes would watch their videos as a way to cope with depression and stress. If you want more content like this, click here as we talk more about Europe.
