Granfluencers: Breaking Down Barriers of Age

Look out Gen Z there’s a new influencer on the rise and they’re some experienced competition. It’s your grandparents! We know you’re probably shocked to hear this but as social shifts happen people want to see more authentic content that less edited. Your grandma has an up on ya’ here because she probably doesn’t even know how to do those things. People want new voices as well as diversified ones. The boomer generation is perfect for this since they honestly don’t give a s#$% what other people think and are comfortable being who they are. Granfluencer was the name coined by whom we do not know but it’s cute. They create content that not only is authentic, it is warm and wholesome. It’s inspiring people all over the world to YOLO proving that age is only how many times you’ve taken a trip around the sun. They’re just like the younger generation dating, traveling and living it up. Granfluencer, Loni Pike is a 57-year-old who stated, “You don’t have to fear age. I’m the same person at 57 that I was at 25. I just have more tattoos and I drive a better car.” This is the kind of mentality the world needs so we can see why the rise of the Granfluencer is upon us. We love this and hope to get to work with some in the near future!

Content Creators vs Influencers

Influencer marketing is coming in the lead this year for marketing and advertising strategy. But what is the difference between an influencer and a content creator? They are not necessarily the same thing. Let’s look at content creators first. This group of creators know how to create high-quality and authentic content that resonates with the audience. They consider this to be their career. An influencer is someone who actually has influence over a particular audience, hence the name. They’re usually experts in a particular field that regularly post tips, information and tutorials on their craft that influence others. Influencers have different tiers:

1.     Mega: over 1million

2.     Macro: 500K-1million

3.     Mid-tier: 50K-500K

4.     Micro: 10K-50K

5.     Nano: 1K-10K

There are some differences when working with content creators versus influencers. Working with content creators will get people engaged whereas influencers, as the name implies, influence. They have big followings so this is a way to increase brand awareness.  Working with content creators can enable a brand to experiment with different types of content, publish more frequently, save money and work with experts in certain fields. Working with an influencer can expand your reach and help you reach your target audience. Influencers have sway over their audience’s purchasing decisions. There is no way to say whether a content creator or an influencer would be better for your brand. It really depends on what your goals are. Are you trying to reach your target audience more effectively or are you trying to increase engagement? Both content creators and influencer have great things to offer your brand. We’ve worked with both at Locomotive and we understand the importance as well as differences of both. Understanding each is the first step to knowing which to use for your campaign.