The Rise of Digital Influencers

Before social media was around if we wanted to see the latest collection from our favourite designers we would have to wait for our go-to fashion magazine to come out at the beginning of the month. But now that is a thing of the past thanks to the rise of digital influencers.

You may be asking yourself, what's a digital influencer and why are they so important within the fashion industry? 

The term 'digital influencer' came about a few years ago and over the years has started to build not just momentum put a firm place within the industry. The term digital influencer is an individual whose medium of communication is digital; from Twitter and Facebook to YouTube and Instagram. We have seen a expodential rise in the number of influencers mainly because that is the medium in which the younger and Millennial generation communicate. We have seen a shift from desktops and laptops to tablets and mobiles. We no longer have the time to sit at a computer and scroll through the internet. We want immediate gratification and want it now, and apps such as Instagram and Twitter give us just that.

The real game-changer in the way the fashion industry communicates was the introduction of Instagram in 2010. Over the last six years, Instagram has become the fashionable thing within the industry simply because it's much more understandable, because it's visual. For brands, it's not just about what you post, its about the engagement of their followers. 

Brands engage more with influencers who have a bigger Instagram following rather than a popular blog. They do this becuase they can see that you have the reach that they are looking for. They can see the value of your account by looking at your followers, how many likes each post gets and the comments you get. 

 Influencers used to be high profile bloggers, industry creatives, models and celebrities, but now it seems it can be anyone. With the help of the discover page on Instagram, you are now given recommendations of who to follow based on your likes and what posts to like; increasing the chance of you becoming an influencer.