noun
influencer
IN-floo-uhn-suh
Influencer (noun) means a person who has built a large following on social media and is paid by brands to promote products to it. Example: “The hotel offered free stays to influencers with over fifty thousand followers.”
noun
1
A person who has built a large following on social media and is paid by brands to promote products to it.
"The hotel offered free stays to influencers with over fifty thousand followers."
"She quit teaching to work full time as a fitness influencer."
2
Any person or thing that affects how others think or behave.
"Price remains the biggest influencer of buying decisions."
"Older siblings are powerful influencers of taste in music."
How to use influencer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone with a big online following who gets paid to promote things.
When to use it
Neutral in business use, but slightly disparaging in general conversation.
Memory tip
The general sense is much older than the social media one and still appears in market research writing.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
social media influencer
micro-influencer
influencer marketing
beauty influencer
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Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The hotel offered free stays to _____ with over fifty thousand followers.
Etymology
Formed from influence plus the agent ending -er.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for influencer
See all rhymes for influencer →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an influencer and a content creator?
Content creator describes what the person makes; influencer describes the commercial effect their audience gives them. Many people prefer creator because influencer implies the point of the work is selling. In practice the two overlap heavily.
How many followers do you need to be an influencer?
There is no fixed number, and the industry uses loose tiers — nano, micro, macro — starting as low as a thousand followers. Brands care more about engagement and how closely an audience matches their customers than about raw size.
What is the meaning of influencer?
"influencer" (noun) means a person who has built a large following on social media and is paid by brands to promote products to it.
What is another word for influencer?
Other words for "influencer" include content creator, creator, blogger, brand ambassador, factor, driver.
