It seems we’ve been conditioned to idolize above all others those whose professions can make them famous by being broadcast to the masses through cinema, TV and other traditional media, than those whose professions are not.
Noya Lizor
Or does it?
With global audiences tuning to the mobile screens in the palms of their hands almost as often (if not more often) than the ones in their living rooms, traditional media is being overtaken by digital channels. YouTube and other social media platforms are available for content consumers to not only watch other people who interest them, but to become content creators themselves.
We now live in a world where anyone can become a celebrity without first signing a contract with a film studio or talent agency, and it’s us — the willing audience — who grants them this celebrity status.
Noya Lizor
Although Influencer Marketing has been around for decades (legacy celebrity brand ambassadors have been plugging all manner of products for years) — the industry of self-made influencers is still relatively young. Made possible by easy access to the internet and social media, a camera in everyone’s pocket and a huge variety of affordable content creation software — it’s an advertising Wild West, with both influencers and marketers learning how to navigate the rough terrain as they go. Influencer Agencies have been somewhat helpful in creating order and regulation in the industry, and new tools have emerged that help marketers identify (and avoid hiring) fake influencers whose audiences consist of mostly fake followers — but these too are in their infancy and by no means foolproof.

And it’s on all of us, too.
If we’re watching a video or a post that’s clearly mediocre, starring someone who hasn’t really created anything that’s even remotely different from or superior to others in their space, we need to vote with our eyeballs and move on to content that’s been created by someone who demonstrably cares about offering something genuinely creative or valuable. If we don’t, we’ll see more and more content creators rewarded for mediocrity, and the perception of brands that are rewarding them will be tainted by this mediocrity too. And if that’s not bad enough, there will be a lot more mediocre content polluting the web, so it’ll be a lose-lose for everyone.
And this doesn’t apply only to those who create content for entertainment value, but even more so to content creators whose main offering is professional advice and inspiration.
But while Impostor Syndrome is certainly a concern when experienced by people who actually are qualified and fail to recognize their own expertise (and there are ways to overcome it) — if a newbie experiences Impostor Syndrome, it shouldn’t be brushed off so easily, because it’s most likely warranted, in my humble opinion.
Not all Influencers are created equal, and not everyone is qualified to position themselves as experts. Expertise is achieved by gaining knowledge and experience, or in other words, being able to demonstrate a track record of success and ‘knowing what you’re talking about’.
Noya Lizor

In order for influence to mean something and be regarded as a legitimate commodity that’s worth paying for, it should be a lot harder for people to achieve it.
Noya Lizor
While it’s true that ‘everyone’s got to start somewhere’ and there are always going to be instructor-type content creators with expertise ranging from minimal to significant at any given moment, influence should be subjected to scrutiny in order to determine its rightful value. Newbie influencers certainly have the right to earn a living just as much as veteran experts do, but it seems only fair that their earning potential is based on their level of expertise and the quality of their content.
Here are a few ideas: