The Ins and Outs of the Influencer Industry

Online influencers are an increasingly important way for companies
to find new customers and drive sales. Whether you're a marketer
who wants to more effectively use social media or a consumer
targeted by influencer content - in good ways and bad - you'll
benefit from better understanding how the industry works. Emily
Hund, researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, explains that
it was born from not only increased connectivity but also Great
Recession job cuts which forced people in creative fields to
innovate. She argues that these are entrepreneurs who now have an
impact on many different sectors of the economy and offers advice
for both them and the brands wanting to develop better influencer
marketing strategies. Hund is the author of the book The
Influencer Industry: The Quest for Authenticity on Social Media.