How influential are influencers? With the rise of social media and its mixed demographics, the younger generation still dominates the audience and supporters of influencers. The influencer sphere is not only growing but expanding exponentially. Recently, companies have been using influencers to advertise their products and services. Many celebrities are now becoming influencers, as today’s influencers are often more popular than traditional celebrities, and hiring them to endorse a company’s products or services costs less.

For e-commerce, 86 percent of shoppers use social media, and 44 percent of these are influenced by content creators. Most brands now allocate up to 50 percent of their budget to influencers.

I also have my favorite influencers. They’ve genuinely helped me with ideas—for instance, what to wear for business, trying different household and home hacks, and even how to efficiently use certain gadgets to make my work in the office more productive.

As more people use social media, companies have begun to leverage platforms like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. Although ordinary people can become more popular than celebrities as influencers, their growth depends on using the right marketing strategies. Without these strategies, their efforts will be wasted. Being an influencer is no joke. You have to continually and consistently post the right content and fresh ideas. If your content always has the same message, it can be boring for most people, and you may lose followers.

It’s true that the reality today is that 75 percent of people use social media for purchasing advice (Source: digitalmarketinginstitute.com). A European survey found that most online buyers who were influenced by what they saw on social media or got their style inspirations were Gen Zs, making up 45 percent. In comparison, only 18 percent wanted brands that their friends wore.

In the Philippines, over 86 percent of social media users follow influencers, a group dominated by women and younger generations. For Gen Z users, 44 percent of social media shoppers rely on creator endorsements for purchases (Source: Global Digital Report 2025 - Digital 2025 Philippines), a statistic that isn’t far from those in Europe.

Based on estimates as of December 2024, there are 15,625 Filipino Instagram influencers with up to 500,000 followers. There are different types of influencers, from mega-influencers with over one million followers to nano-influencers with 1,000 to 10,000 followers. (Source: insg.co/influencer-marketinsights).

However, authenticity matters. An influencer should have a personal style that aligns with the brand they are promoting. Followers can easily spot “copycats.” Companies should also be careful when choosing influencers to endorse their products. Brand safety is crucial, and 85 percent of Filipino brands perform background checks, reviewing past content to ensure it aligns with the company’s values and that the influencers have a clean reputation.

As for rewards, only a few influencers truly make money. Most of the pay for lower-range influencers comes in the form of “x-deals,” products, and gift checks from sponsors. For example, as of 2022, over 66 percent of TikTok content creators had between 1,000 and 10,000 followers, while less than one percent reportedly had more than one million. Facebook remains the largest social network, with over three billion monthly active users recorded in early 2024. Most people also use social media to connect with family and friends (Source: statista.com). Just like me, I joined Facebook to connect with family and friends. I’m not a big fan of Instagram or TikTok, and even if I have an Instagram account, I keep it private. For me, it’s too scary to open it up to followers I barely know unless I wanted to be an influencer.

For influencers with a purpose or an advocacy—such as spreading messages to enhance ethical values, helping the environment, or promoting sustainability—even without financial compensation, they use the platform for the greater good. For them, that is enough. If their content is monetized or if endorsements come their way, it’s just a byproduct and “icing on the cake.”

A lot of time goes into creating content. The time invested in maintaining a vlog, podcast, or any other platform is no joke.

If influencers aren’t careful, instead of influencing, they can be influenced by the number of likes or followers. Instead of being true to who they are, they start conforming to what their followers expect or what the algorithm dictates. This is what some call “reverse engineering,” and it can take a toll on an influencer’s physical and mental health. There’s no security in always having a million views; one is only as good as their last piece of content. Their sense of self-worth becomes dependent on how others perceive them, and if the algorithm doesn’t meet their expectations, it can be stressful and often lead to burnout and even depression.

As with any activity in this world, don’t just go for the money. If you are an influencer, have a sense of purpose to make this world a better place.