In recent years, the lines were blurred in the world of fame and followers and it became difficult to distinguish between influencers and celebrities. Now, the gap between them is widening again, and some influencers are trying to pursue celeb status for good. Should you? We'll help you decide.
While the careers of influencers and celebrities look the same from the outside, glamour, fame and riches are where the similarities end.
The two are more like cousins than they are like sisters.
It's not impossible to change lanes, but going from ring lights to red carpets can only be done after much consideration.
media update's Joreke Kleynhans discusses whether influencers should pursue celebrity status.
Key Differences Between Influencers and Celebrities
Audience Relationship
Influencers and celebrities have unique relationships with their audiences. They mostly differ in terms of closeness, and this difference impacts other factors.
Influencers stay successful by personally connecting with their audiences. They can achieve this by "inviting" their followers into their homes and lives through their phone screens. In other words, relatability is their greatest asset. That is why influencers share GRWMs, DITLs and emotional storytimes on the regular.
Celebrities have a much less personal relationship with their audiences. Their fame thrives on the unattainable lifestyle and elitist image their publicists hone. Fans only know what their favourite celeb wants them to know, and information usually comes through an official outlet. Think Vogue's 72 Questions series.
Platform
Recently, it has become harder to spot the difference between celebs and influencers. An easy way to identify either one is by the channels and platforms they used to gain popularity.
Influencers grow their audience through social media platforms and celebrities become famous through traditional media channels — such as the silver screen.
Work Environment
The work environment of an influencer is basically wherever they want it to be. Influencers can turn any life event or mundane task into profitable content. This element of the job makes it more accessible, but requires creators to be very intentional about maintaining a work-life balance.
Celebrities have better-separated work and home environments. They aren't constantly on the clock and don't have to try to incorporate their personal lives into their career. Celeb status, however, takes away the liberty of being able to decide for yourself when and where you want to work. Unfortunately, the media and public decide for you that when you are outside of your home, you must be on the clock.
Monetisation Opportunities
Influencers can monetise almost anything. You probably have your own opinion on MomTok's Whitney Leavitt doing a TikTok dance next to her baby in the NICU, but it's exhibit A of monetisation opportunities being literally everywhere.
Additionally, millions of brands worldwide pay influencers to promote them for monetary compensation.
However, most of these opportunities pay less than in the celebrity sphere. A simple supply and demand equation shows you that the sheer amount of influencers available for partnerships makes their service less valuable.
Celebrities have fewer opportunities to monetise their fame, but these opportunities are more profitable and evergreen. People working in film or music can earn royalties decades after a project has been completed, as long as consumers are still interested in it. Celebrity endorsements also pay way more than influencer endorsements, purely because of the luxury associated with their fame.
What It Takes to Make the Switch
Many influencers base their careers on their likeability. Their audiences give them the time of day because they enjoy watching their personalities unfold or having insight into their lives. This works well because of the intimate nature of influencer-audience relationships.
However, to make the switch from influencer to celebrity, you'll need to focus less on relatability and more on unattainability. This makes it less viable to share insight into your personal life. In other words, it requires establishing credibility and relevance outside of who you are. Now, what you do becomes more important.
The most common way of acquiring celeb status is by building a presence in the entertainment world. This generally includes artistic industries, like film and music or sports. Addison Rae is achieving success in her shift from influencer to musician and actress, which has already earned her that celebrity badge in the eyes of many.
Less common but still prevalent, some people become such prominent experts in their field that they gain celeb status as a bonus.
Why Celebrity Status May Be Worth Pursuing
Social media fatigue or influencer fatigue is quickly becoming a discussion point among consumers. People are deleting social media apps from their phones at record rates — which has made some influencers panic about the longevity of their careers.
Therefore, many influencers consider attempting the feat of extending their careers beyond social media, in case the influencer era is really coming to an end.
Risks of Pursuing Celebrity Status
The Volatility of Fame
Whether your fame is based on social media or traditional media, it is always dependent on how you are perceived by the public. Public opinion is subject to change in an instant. Fame is a volatile resource, regardless of how long you've had it, or where and why you got it. Even traditional fame is not a forever thing.
Possibly Alienating Your Audience
When you pursue celebrity status as an influencer, you will inevitably have to change your content strategy. Suddenly sharing different content might cause your followers to see you as less authentic.
This may alienate your existing audience, because they have a specific expectation from you. When you are no longer meeting that expectation in the way they are used to, you should pay extra attention to keeping them close in a way that better suits your new content strategy.
So, should influencers pursue celebrity status?
Unfortunately, the answer is that it depends.
You might be able to tolerate more risk than others before you end up in a puddle. Maybe you're already toeing the line between traditional and modern fame. The only person who really knows the context of your situation is you.
The most important thing to do before deciding, is to realistically evaluate your chances of success, your willingness to fail while trying and the best strategy for your individual case. Whatever you decide, give it your best shot and leave it all out on the field.
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*Image courtesy of Canva