Are social media “celebrities” the real deal?

As social media developed, it was inevitable that some people would be “better” at it than others. Something that may not have been expected, however, was the evolution of the internet celebrities that have emerged. Among the sites of Instagram, YouTube, and Vine (during its active period), there have been users who have reach unexpected levels of notoriety and numbers of followers. There are people who cover all different niche areas of these sites — beauty bloggers, avid gamers, and science lovers.

Within these popular users, there are some who have taken it to the next level and tried to expand their platforms beyond just the internet. Beauty bloggers who have endorsements from major brands. People from Vine who went on tour, where girls would pay just to see them stand on stage. YouTubers holding conventions to meet fans and teach others how to take YouTube from a hobby to a full-time gig. Many have taken their passion for social media and created books, launched music careers, and even gotten involved in TV and film. They are the elite of the elite when it comes to social media creators. Yes, they have even surpassed users and become “creators.” Most of them have had an intended audience of young teens, often teen girls.

There are obviously some more “famous” than others. For example, a 21-year-old beauty guru from YouTube, Bethany Mota, has taken the recognition from her channel to contract many brand deals, write books about her life and style, and even partner with Aeropostle to create her own clothing line. At 21, she has millions of followers across all platforms, and has a net worth of $3 million.

But are these “celebrities” as relevant as those that are in traditional media? Many think they will be. In a similar situation, 22-year-old Instagram and YouTube user Cameron Dallas has taken the support from his (mostly) teen girl fan base to launch himself into many outlets, including his own Netflix show. Brands such as Calvin Klein and Dolce & Gabbana have reached out to make him, along with other social media influencers, the face of some of their campaigns.

While the number of social media celebrities is far below the number in the traditional media, they are on the rise. There are plenty of creators and users with millions of followers across all platforms and who are making a lot of money as well. A lot of the early 20-year-old internet stars are even running in the same groups as Kylie Jenner and Justin Bieber. The general public may not see these stars as legitimate to those currently in the brightest spotlight, but as the currently high school-aged kids grow older, I see these social media stars only becoming more and more mainstream.