Influencers believe they are celebrities, but do other people really consider them as such? An influencer is someone who influences other people’s actions. However, most influencers have little to no impact on others’ lives. A celebrity is considered someone famous, meaning the gap between influencers and celebrities is just a matter of popularity.
Many influencers believe they have more popularity than they actually have. This is because they see mass amounts of likes and followers across social media platforms, yet they wouldn’t get recognized in public.
Kai Beck ‘27 claimed, “Influencers desire to be celebrities but this often goes to their head, where they think they are more popular than they actually are. This creates the dilemma of people having a mass following but still not being famous enough to claim a celebrity status where people instantly recognize them or ask for photos.”
For an influencer to officially claim celebrity status, they need to become recognizable by name and appearance, which has been achieved by several influencers such as Mr. Beast and Charli D’Amelio.
Influencers can become real celebrities, but it’s a difficult task to achieve. Influencers can claim this status by continuing to grow their brand, and branching out to make themselves more recognizable if they hope to really become a celebrity.
For example, internet mogul Alex Cooper launched Unwell Hydration, an extension of her party girl aesthetic. Influencers can also create new methods to connect with audiences that boost their claims to fame. A great example of this is the launch of podcasts that provide influencers an opportunity to extend their brands beyond short videos and photos to long-form content. Podcasts allow creators the ability to connect with their audiences and emphasize their brand and market their greatest product: themselves.
Becoming a celebrity is challenging for influencers. While some have managed to break through, most remain in a gray area between internet fame and real-world recognition.
