In many respects influencers are key to making sense of the billions pieces of content and words that are published throughout social media. They are the ones we follow, trust and ultimately help decide what will succeed or fail. - Mark Evans

Influence is one of the most powerful instruments of our time.

User generated content has experienced a true revolution during the past years, especially fostered by the fast growing social networks. People recognize that social media provides access to an unlimited and uncensored source of knowledge.

The user created scenario offers a more honest look into the workings of the world and opinions of the average person. Especially in decentralized environments there's no regulatory body or board of directors skewing the message or pushing an agenda, and users appreciate this.

Also these channels give direct, unfiltered access to any person we'd like to speak to - independently from geographical borders or social standard. Now we don't follow the most powerful anymore but the ones that are most contributive to our own personal situation.

Influencers are game changers!

Picture kindly provided by pixabay.com

Influencers - the change agents of our time

By definition influence is the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc. of others.

Having a stake in attention is the valuable result of a constant supply of high quality information.

Users who consistently generate content with high social engagement grow to become influencers. The core of social influencer marketing lies in building solid relationships (B2B and B2C) to ensure mutual value creation.

It's actually the successfully implemented mutual exchange in value that makes the influencer.

Influence isn't the same as popularity. Influence drives action. Influencers are change agents. - Scott Guthrie

Picture kindly provided by pixabay.com

Their reach makes them covetable for businesses

Convince the multiplier, and you'll convince the whole tribe.

An influencer's market value is defined by their reach and the accessibility of a specific target group within their overall group of followers - the more condensed, the merrier.

Smart brands are not only looking to solicit new content from the average user, but are soliciting help from these influencers to tap into their huge networks. - Article: The Evolution Of User Generated Content

Now due to the fact that social media networks have almost no barriers to entry, the desire of becoming an influencer by themselves is the no. 1 dream of many. What most forget is that influence is nothing that can be acquired over night. It's mainly the result of hard work.

Illusion vs. reality: that's how we imagine their lives.

©️ worldsurfinista - To be honest that's how I imagine my future office :-)

They're visionary, modern, multi-skilled herdsmen

An influencer's daily routine is not about uploading vacational pictures to some webspace.

Influencers are leaders both enjoying the advantages and also facing the challenges of being in a leading position. They control a multifaceted and complex business including a whole value creation chain.

The daily pressure has to be considerable. They create and deliver content and information at a constantly high level, knowing that they're under permanent observation. Over time they become true professionals in many ways, being equipped with state-of-the-art high tech and controlling many devices and channels with their related user flow at the same time.

The vision pulls them.

Quote found on quotefancy.com

They're passionate allround talents, mastering both communicational (soft) skills and technical (hard) skills.

The stage is their home - with all its pros and cons.

We all know that dealing with social media users can be stressful sometimes. Their participations are not all well intended.

A smart leader is also a skilled psychologist in the end.

If multi-tasking was an Olympic discipline, they'd be definitely holding gold medals.

Influence marketing is art and science. The art is crafting and creation of content that adds value to people's lives, personally or for their business. The science is the tactics and tools of building tribes and followes on the big social networks. - Jeff Bullas

Influencers are managers after all, and I take my hat off to these 'change agents of our time'.

They will be definitely involved in writing parts of our future history - especially those who are moving their followerships to decentralized environments.

Stakes in attention held on blockchains are of inestimable value.

I hope you enjoyed the read, Steemians!

Best, Marly -

Thanks for your valuable time!
This blog was launched at the end of July 2016
aiming to provide stories for open-minded
people who enjoy living on the edge of their lives,
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Original content. Additional sources are indicated above.