Concerning New Social Media Influencers Which Acquire Fame by One's Own Content and Engagement

CURRENT RANK: LOWLY SERF

To the Magnificent Social Machiavellian:

CHAPTER 6 - CONCERNING NEW SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS WHICH ACQUIRE FAME BY ONE'S OWN CONTENT AND ENGAGEMENT

Let no one be surprised if, in speaking of entirely new social media influencers as I shall do, I always refer to the highest examples both of influencer and of platform, for considering the boldness and ambition of today's content creators, one cannot select a less conspicuous platform as a model for maintaining newly acquired social media communities. This is because influencers, posting almost always in styles beaten by others and imitating their content, are still unable to keep entirely to the aesthetics of others or attain the engagement of those they imitate. A wise content creator ought always to emulate the strategies established by the most successful influencers, and to mirror those who have been the most effective at maintaining their communities, so that if his own creativity and charisma does not equal theirs, at least it will reflect some of it. Let the influencer post like those who are most followed on Instagram. These influencers, striving to capture the attention of an audience that seems too distracted to engage, and knowing the limits to which their platform's reach extends, craft content far more sensational than the average post. This is not done to create content of the highest artistic merit, but rather to strategically employ shocking and provocative tactics that will effectively capture the fleeting attention of their target audience and compel them to engage with their posts.

I say therefore, that in entirely new social media platforms, where there is a new influencer, more or less difficulty is found in maintaining engagement depending on whether there is more or less ability in the content creator who has acquired the followers. Now, as the fact of becoming an influencer from an average user presupposes either creativity or virality, it is clear that one or other of these things will mitigate in some degree the many difficulties in growing a following. Nevertheless, he who has relied least on going viral will have a more loyal and engaged following. Further, it facilitates content creation when the influencer, having no other platform, is compelled to post there personally.

But to come to those who, by their own creativity and not through fortune, have risen to be influencers, I say that MrBeast, PewDiePie, Charli D'Amelio, Addison Rae, and such like are the most excellent examples. And although one may not discuss PewDiePie, he having been a mere instrument of the will of the algorithm, yet he ought to be admired, if only for that favour which made him worthy to speak with his audience. But in considering Charli D'Amelio and others who have acquired or founded social media followings, all will be found admirable in their content creation and community engagement strategies. And if their particular posts and engagement tactics are considered, they will not be found to be less effective than those of PewDiePie, even though he had so great an algorithmic boost.

And in examining their actions and lives one cannot see that they owed anything to fortune beyond opportunity, which brought them the material to mold into the form which seemed best to them. Without that opportunity their powers of content creation would have been wasted, and without those powers the opportunity would have come in vain. It was necessary, therefore, to PewDiePie that he should find the people of YouTube in the grip of boredom, held as slaves by the dullness of traditional media, in order that they should be disposed to follow him so as to be delivered out of tedium.

It was necessary that Charli D'Amelio should not remain an unknown dancer and that she should be propelled to fame, in order that she should become Queen of TikTok and founder of that cultural phenomenon. It was necessary that Kylie Jenner should find the people unhappy with the staleness of the cosmetics industry, and the beauty brands soft and weak through their long complacency. MrBeast could not have shown his ability if he had not found the masses scattered across disparate social networks, yearning for epic content. These opportunities, therefore, made those influencers fortunate, and their great ability enabled them to recognize the opportunity whereby their personal brand was enobled and made famous.

Those who by viral posts become influencers, like these content creators, acquire followers with difficulty, but they keep them with ease. The difficulties they have in acquiring them rise in part from the new content formats and algorithms which they are forced to master to establish their brand and its reach. And it ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its virality, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new trend or challenge. This is because the influencer has for enemies all those who have done well under the old trends and challenges, and he has lukewarm defenders in those who may gain followers under the new platform. This daring originality arises partly from fear of traditional celebrities, who have the backing of legacy media on their side. And partly from the doubts of users, who do not readily believe in new social networks until they have had a long experience of them. Thus, it happens that whenever the traditional media giants who are against TikTok have the opportunity to attack, they do it with great energy, while the TikTok influencers defend without commitment, in such a way that the new platform is threatened along with them.

It is necessary, therefore, if we desire to discuss this matter thoroughly, to inquire whether these social media influencers can rely on their own content strategies or have to depend on the algorithms and reach of their chosen platforms to capture the fleeting attention of their target audience and compel them to engage with their sensational and provocative posts. That is to say, whether, to achieve their goals, do they have to use organic content strategies or can they use sponsored posts? In the first instance they always fail to gain followers, and never achieve anything; but when they can rely on their own creativity and use provocative content, then they are rarely at risk of losing their audience. Hence, it is always the case with TikTok influencers who, in their early attempts to gain a following, often resort to desperate attention-seeking tactics and fail to make an impact. However, once they develop their own unique style and voice, and are willing to put in the hard work to consistently create compelling content, they build a loyal audience and are far less vulnerable to the whims of the algorithm. Therefore, all influencers with a strong brand identity and marketing strategy have succeeded, while those without a clear direction have faded into obscurity. Besides the reasons mentioned, the nature of social media users is variable, and while it is easy to capture their attention with shocking or provocative content, it is difficult to maintain their engagement without continually pushing the boundaries of sensationalism. Thus, it is necessary to post such content that, when followers no longer engage, it may be possible to make them engage by using clickbait.

If Charli D'Amelio, Addison Rae, Kylie Jenner, and MrBeast had been without provocative and sensational content they could not have captured the fleeting attention of their target audience for long - as happened in our time to Elon Musk. He was ruined with his new social media platform immediately as the users no longer believed in him, and he had no means of keeping the engagement of those who followed or of making the trolls follow again. Therefore, armed with provocative content, such as these influencers have great difficulties in maintaining their followers' engagement, for all their dangers are in the continual need for sensationalism. Yet, with creativity and charisma, they will craft compelling content to overcome the challenges of capturing their audience's fleeting attention. But when these dangers of losing followers are overcome, and the traditional media giants who envied their success are destroyed, these social media influencers will begin to be respected, and they will continue afterwards to be powerful with a secure base of followers, sought after by brands and advertisers, and happy in their newfound fame and fortune.

To these great examples I wish to add a lesser one, but it still bears some resemblance to them, and is a good example. It is Alexis Ohanian of Reddit. This man rose from nothing to be prince of Reddit. Nor did he, either, owe anything to the algorithm but opportunity. The Redditors, who were under threat from Digg, chose him for their captain. Afterwards he was rewarded by being made their prince. He was of so great ability, even as a private user, that one who writes of him says he wanted nothing else but a social media platform to be an influencer. This man got rid of the old web forums, organized the new subreddits, gave up old moderators, made new ones; and as he had his own servers and supporters, on such foundations he was able to build anything. Thus, while he had endured much trouble in acquiring followers, he had but little difficulty in keeping them engaged.

NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI II