Generation Z has never lived without the internet; the oldest among them were born in 1997, four years after it became widely available. Perhaps this explains why so many want to be influencers “when they grow up.”
In a survey conducted by Morning Consult, 81% of Generation Z respondents reported following influencers, with TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram among the most popular platforms. The majority of Generation Z members – and Millennials (born in the 1980s and 1990s) – also said they rely on influencers to learn about new products and make purchasing decisions.
More interestingly, 57% of Generation Z respondents said they would become influencers if given the opportunity, compared to 41% of all adults in the United States. 30% said they would pay for the opportunity.
Another survey found that one in four Generation Z members expects to become an influencer, with 20% of men and 13% of women saying this was their only intended career.
A 2019 survey found that being a YouTuber was the most popular dream job among pre-teens in the U.S. and the U.K., surpassing the top choice of Chinese children: being an astronaut.
For those of us who don’t like thousands of strangers commenting on our lives, it may seem daunting – but younger people see only the advantages of “influencing.”
• First, it can be lucrative. Top influencers make millions annually. Even micro-influencers catering to a specific niche can earn more than many professions.
• Influencers receive a flood of products, food, travel, access to events, etc.
• Two teenagers told NPR they thought influencing would be doing what they loved – in this case, playing video games – while receiving paychecks and likes.
• Finally, influencers don’t have a boss (except the algorithm, of course).
Moreover, Generation Z has seen the millennial generation struggle with overwhelming student loan debt. While it certainly takes more than talking to a phone camera to become a successful influencer, a college degree is not required.
Professionalization
Becoming an influencer is the desire of so many young people that there is even an emerging industry to support real and aspiring influencers, offering everything from courses, conferences, agents, photo and video studios to the creation of SaaS like Linktree.
Source: The Hustle