THE INFLUENCER TIPPING POINT.

• Date: 01 February 2023
• Author: Farsad, Negin
• Published date: 01 February 2023
• Author: Farsad, Negin

What did we even have before influencers? Who told you about the latest skin care trends? How did you know to buy white furniture and accent it with pink pillows? That trick to calm a toddler's tantrum--who did you get that from when it was 2005?

It wasn't so long ago that the world of influencing was, what, magazine stories? Cultural critics who spotted trends? Or even more basic, conversations with friends?!

But now, we seem to be at the influencer tipping point. Firstly, there are too many--too many in sheer numbers and too many in distinct and increasingly ridiculous categories. There are influencers delineated by count: Nano (1,000 to 10,000 followers), Micro (10,000 to 100,000), Macro (100,000 to one million), and Mega (a crazy number).

There are influencers delineated by subject: "Momfluencers," Gaming Influencers, Beauty Influencers, Food Influencers (which for some reason aren't called Food-fluencers), Pet Influencers (like, actual people's...