[What is an influencer? What do influencers do? : The Indicator from Planet Money : NPR](https://www.npr.org/2023/04/17/1170524071/the-origins-of-the-influencer-industry) tl;dr: The Indicator's special series looks at the influencer industry, which began with bloggers during the Great Recession and has grown into a massive industry where individuals can earn money endorsing brands or products, as well as providing content on various platforms. The modern influencer industry began when blogging became popular during the Great Recession, with social media platforms such as Facebook, Tumblr, and YouTube providing free and easy access for creators. One example is Beth Moncel, who started her blog Budget Bytes after sharing her dishes on Facebook. Influencers make money from the content they post, endorsing brands or products, with their influence being quantified by various measures such as clicks, comments, hearts, or followers. Maddie Park, who became an influencer after her Korean soup recipe went viral on TikTok, however, prefers the term "content creator" due to the polarizing and loaded connotation of "influencer." The industry continues to expand in uncertain economic times, possibly poised for yet another transformation in the future. Notes: - The Indicator's special series is about the influencer industry - The modern influencer industry began with bloggers during the Great Recession - Social media platforms like Facebook, Tumblr, and YouTube were free to sign up and simple to use - Beth Moncel started her blog Budget Bites after sharing her own dishes on Facebook - Influencers earn money from the content they post, endorsing brands or products - Influence can be quantified by number of clicks, comments, hearts, followers, or some other measure - Maddie Park went viral on TikTok with a Korean soup recipe and became an influencer - Maddie prefers the term "content creator" to "influencer" - The term "influencer" is polarizing and has a loaded connotation - The influencer industry is expanding in times of economic uncertainty and could be poised for another transformation.