What Is a Social Media Influencer?

And How to Become One

Social media influencers are digital creators with expertise in a specific niche. Influencer
marketing is a growing industry that offers tech-savvy creators a variety of job perks.

Social media influencers get to share content they're passionate about, build and engage with an
audience of their followers, and collaborate with their favourite brands. Influencers have the
added benefit of being able to work from anywhere.

In this article, we’ll explore what a social media influencer is, the skills you’ll need, the
advantages and disadvantages, and other details to help you decide if it’s a path you want to
pursue.

What is a social media influencer?

Social media influencers establish themselves as experts in a particular field and share their
knowledge with a curated audience on one or more social channels.

Influencers create and share content regularly to establish their expertise and work to build a
relationship with their followers. By regularly engaging with their audience and offering
insightful content, creators can often "influence" their followers to try a particular product.

Brands partner with influencers for product or service promotion, allowing them to effectively
reach their target audience or build brand awareness among people unfamiliar with what they
offer. Since followers trust an influencer, they see these product endorsements as a
recommendation from a friend rather than a sales pitch.

Collaboration can result in compensation or free products as the influencer tries to influence the
audience to make a purchase.

Types of social media influencers

Social media influencers typically fall into tiers based on their audience size. Common tiers
include the following five categories:
 Mega influencers: One million+ followers
 Macro influencers: 500,000 to one million
 Mid-tier influencers: 50,000 to 500,000 followers
 Micro-influencers: 10,000 to 50,000 followers
 Nano influencers: Zero to 10,000 followers
TOP 5 MOST CONTROVERSIAL SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS IN THE
PHILIPPINES
1. ZEINAB HARAKE
Zeinab Harake is a well-known social media influencer and YouTuber who rose to
fame in 2019. Since then, she has gained a massive following on various social media
platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Being an open book to her
followers, Zeinab’s life has been surrounded by controversy because of her failed
relationship with artist Skusta Clee.

She has recently been in another scandal involving several other celebrities and social
media influencers because of her remarks that were made public when she and her
then-friend, another content creator, Wilbert Tolentino, had an issue that became the
talk of the town on social media.

2. WHAMOS CRUZ
Whamos Cruz is a talented content creator who has made a name for himself on social
media because of his funny, engaging, and entertaining content. He is known for his
comedic skits, hilarious lip-sync videos and dancing, and relatable content that
resonates with his fans. He also joined several TV contests which made him known
not only on social media but in the mainstream, too.

Whamos became a household name when he was dragged into a controversy after the
mother of his fiancé Antonette Gail, complained about him for molestation on Raffy
Tulfo in Action, which was later proven to be false by Antonette, herself, who was a
minor at the time. Whamos won the hearts of his fans for not backing down and
showing his authenticity and the fact that he is not afraid to be vulnerable and share
his struggles.

3. WILL DASOVICH
Will Dasovich's popularity on YouTube began in 2016 when he started uploading
videos that documented his travels around the Philippines. He quickly gained a
massive following, with his subscribers appreciating his fun and adventurous
personality, as well as his insightful and informative content about the local culture
and people.

He inspired many people with his resilience when he publicly announced he was
diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in 2017. He became more popular for his
relationship with cosplayer and vlogger, Alodia Gosiengfiao which controversially
ended in 2021.

4. DONNALYN BARTOLOME
Donnalyn Bartolome is a popular Filipino singer, actress, and social media influencer.
She started her career on YouTube where she gained popularity for her comedic
videos and catchy music covers. Donnalyn is also a vocal advocate for mental health
awareness, sharing her own struggles with anxiety and depression with her followers.
 Her honesty and authenticity have earned her a loyal fan base, making her one of the
most influential and inspiring young stars in the Philippines.

She has become one of the most controversial content creators because of her remarks
on social issues, including posts and comments from followers and other influencers.
She was also criticized for her baby-themed and what netizens dubbed as 'poverty
porn' birthday photoshoots.

5. TONI FOWLER
Toni Fowler started her YouTube channel in 2015 and has since gained a significant
following sharing her daily life experiences. She became popular for her openness and
comedic content including her daughter, Tyronia. Toni rose to fame when she
surprised her followers after introducing her mansion called ‘Toro de Palacio’ with
Roman architectural design and golden furniture.

Toni has become a hot topic on social media because of her controversial body
transformation and her reaction to several issues and other content creators like
Zeinab Harake. Her music video ‘MPL’ has recently raised a lot of concerns online
for its sexually suggestive content.

These are just some of the most controversial social media influencers and content
creators in the Philippines today.

While social media has given many people the opportunity to share their experiences
and showcase their talents, it has also become a platform that sparks outrage because
of controversies and inappropriate behaviors. Whether you’re a team Zeinab,
Whamos, Will, Donnalyn, or team Mommy Toni, it is our responsibility to always
guide our kids when using social media and be mindful of the content they consume
on a daily basis.