I think "influencer" specifically implies someone who gets paid to shill for brands (or aspires to, once they build a following). You're not just "creating cont

I think "influencer" specifically implies someone who gets paid to shill for brands (or aspires to, once they build a following). You're not just "creating content", you're "influencing" public opinion. Early in the internet era, advertisers realized that personal testimony (e.g. from online forums) is trusted more than advertisements. So of course the obvious step was to make advertisements that look like personal testimony.