LOS ANGELES, Ca. — From fashion to fun, health, parenting and career, you can bet there’s an influencer for that! I’m talking about the people you see on social media with two million, ten million, a hundred million followers. The more people you have following you, the more money you make.
The influencer marketing industry has reached 16 billion dollars this year. In fact, 93 percent of all marketers have opted to use influencers in the past year. The top influencer is Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the best Portuguese soccer players in the world, with 443 million followers. He’s followed by Kylie Jenner, from the Kardashian family, with 339 million followers. Now there’s a new group of influencers taking social media by storm.
Grandfluencers are changing the face of Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
81-year-old Sandra Sallin has 30-thousand loyal fans.
“They've told me that they, that I make them happy. That they like seeing a woman of my age who still wears lipstick, I care about the world and that I haven't given up.” says Grandfluencer, Sandra Salin.
Lonni Pike goes by gray hair and tattoos.
“The boulder and the brighter and the braver i get, the more colorful I become.” Says Grandfluencer, Lonni Pike.
In just three years, Lonni’s attracted a million and a half followers on TikTok. The 58-year-old says most of them are millennials.
“I have 1,442,000 women between the ages of 18 and 35 who follow me.” Lonni Pike added.
And for some, Lonni’s message is a lifesaver.
“You have reaffirmed my commitment to loving myself and my tattoos.” says Lonni Pike.
Lonni and Sandra are just two of a growing number of grandfluencers. The Old Gay Guys have more than two million followers, Joan MacDonald turned her life around with her first trip to the gym at age 71. Now at 75 she has 1 point 4 million people following her fitness journey. And although all their themes vary, their messages are very similar.
“I hope that I can inspire women to not to give up.” Says Sandra Sallin.
“I’m not invisible, and I won't let anybody think that I’m invisible.” Sallin added.
Using their social media might show the world you can love the age you are, be relevant and still have something to say.
Lonni Pike said, “You can be just as bright and just as bold and just as fierce at 50 as you can be at 20.”
Sandra Sallin finished with, “It's just kind of letting people know that they can still be alive and living and be curious and that you don't have to be, what, 14, 18 or a Kardashian.”
How much money you can make as a micro-influencer is up for debate…a popular formula is a hundred dollar a post for every 10,000 followers.
Lonni’s latest venture, she’s doing a podcast with her sons, Robert, and Brandon. It’s called, We’re in Trouble Now. You can find that on Spotify and iTunes.
