From blogs to reels, people are rapidly shifting to social media influencers as their chief source of knowledge. From your phone feeds to the billboards in front of your local cinema and the colourful posters on street benches, influencers are present everywhere.
But behind those eye-catching filters and aesthetically shot videos lie hours of work creating reel scripts and writing catchy content that is anything but effortless. Does this new shift of authority denote influencers taking over content writers’ roles? Or is their position complementary and will reshape how audiences consume content?
Long-Term Authority vs Urgency and Authenticity
The evergreen nature of content writers’ blogs was their best asset for ranking well on search engines. Strategies like E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness & Trustworthiness) mattered for getting the top spot on Google — and the traffic that comes with it. However, instant gratification is what reels audiences in nowadays. After surveying 10,000 content creators, a Sky News article discovered that influencers have become a cultural phenomenon, leaving audiences satiated yet wanting more with videos that last a mere 30 seconds.
Despite adding layers of Snapchat filters to their short-form content, creators highlight relatable topics and issues. They bring connection and storytelling to the centre of information dissemination techniques. However, although influencers generate sparks and momentary interest, viewers still need the research and thoroughness of content writers to guide them through their queries.
Influencers Can Hook Audiences Faster Than Writers
By sharing every aspect of their routines in the vertical format, influencers excel in building trust. The principal value of their content is the personality shining through the screen. The voice behind the glass, the emotive face and the evocation shaped through experiences all add to it.
Writers, meanwhile, continue to provide the depth, research and structure that audiences rely on for long-term understanding. The balance between the two is particularly evident in industries like travel, lifestyle and mobile pay casinos, where audiences engage with quick influencer updates and seek well-researched written guidance for informed decision-making.
Influencers and Writers Are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Many predict that the rise of influencers threatens content writers’ careers. But rather than competing, these professions actually collaborate.
For example, Reuters’ Digital News Report from 2024 shows that younger generations prefer the raw alternative voices of social media. Yet, audiences still want accuracy and ground-level insights, which they get from quality content writers.
With influencers’ entrance into mainstream media, a new ecosystem balancing personality and depth exists. A travel influencer may share vlogs of the location, showing views, spots and must-visit places. Meanwhile, the writer can provide a detailed guide on how to dress, pack and follow local customs. Together, they offer audiences a holistic suite of resources for their trip.
Emerging Issues of Fragmentation and Fatigue
With global audiences consuming more content than ever, attention is neither centred nor focused. Reuters’ report mentions ‘news avoidance’, a way to intentionally neglect important updates. Influencers risk losing engaging content inside a mindless scrolling pit. This tendency signals an even bigger problem for writers, as readers skim and skip, disregarding their deep research for bite-sized content.
Oversupply remains the biggest issue for influencers and writers alike. Crowding of digital spaces has led writers to focus on niche specialisations to stay relevant. Influencers have adapted by rushing their process and skipping fact-checking before publishing content. A measurable impact can be achieved by finding the middle ground between authenticity and reach.
Absence of Diversity in News-Sharing
In many countries with a strong international media presence, surveys disclose that the most prominent spaces are often occupied by men and partisan voices. With viewers having limited control over the workings of their algorithm, the content displayed can be partial and lacking. So, while the perspectives of a solo woman traveller are resourceful and beneficial to a broad sector of viewers in the travel niche, these might be bypassed by algorithms in favour of male content creators.
That said, a market gap exists for women and other minority groups to enter. There is room for more inclusive news sharing. Yet, although the roughly 45,000 UK-based influencers contribute about 2 billion pounds to the British economy, they still lack recognition in policymaking and the overall creative industry. Writers have traditionally borne this task of sharing perspectives, but collaboration between writers and influencers could expand representation and generate significant profits.
Blurred Lines Between Content Writing, News Reporting and Influencers
Influencers such as Dylan Page are changing the landscape of sharing stories. With over 10 million TikTok followers, his account balances serious updates and fun stories aimed at under-35s who favour a short, accessible content format.
Even if immediacy is the latest information currency, Page sets an example for writers to recognise that there’s still demand and supply for structure and trustworthiness. Guidance from the government in finances and taxes, as well as influencers’ involvement in economic reporting, will create equal ground. This will also pave the way for content writers to be more valued as contributors to the creative industry.
Influencers, Writers, and Algorithms Converge in a New Era of Content
The entry of influencers has somewhat altered how audiences interact with information. Another co-author in the story is the algorithm. Whoever learns how to tame it will become the next trailblazer for controlling who sees what, when and how.
Content writers provide the foundation of knowledge, and influencers bring in their experiences with storytelling. Together, they work well for younger audiences who have shorter retention rates but still seek connection and trust.
