Social Capital = Influencer?

With the rise of social media, many users have gained a large following of users that appreciate and love that user’s content. This is what we call a social media influencer, someone who is able to influencer others through their large social media following. An example of an influencer is Lele Pons. She currently holds over 44 Million followers on Instagram and Youtube. As Lele Pons is so popular, brands often reach out to her to collaborate or for her to promote their product in exchange for money or free products.

My thought on social capital is neutral. Honestly, I do think social capital marketing is a brilliant method of marketing to reach a younger generation. A lot of users trust these influencers, so, if they were to promote a product the users would most likely buy/check out the product they’re using. I don't think social capital is something we should control, as long as it stays harmless. There are some users with large followings that try to spread hate/wrongful ideals, but I do think that social media platforms are doing a good job at filtering out those hateful posts.

Overall, I have no issue with social capital as long as it’s used for good. I personally don't follow any influencers or take any advice from influencers, but some of my friends get a laugh out of them and some of their posts. Users with Social Capital will continue to rise and fall with the inevitable change of social media. The big question is “what's next?”.