Study reveals one in four Gen Z people plan on becoming social media influencers

A new study shows that one in four Gen Z people based in the US want to become social media influencers.

Research conducted by HigherVisibility, surveyed 1,000 individuals across the US between the ages of 16-25 in July this year.

It was found that more than 40 per cent of youngens on the west coast want to be the next Charli D'amelio or Addison Rae.

They have high hopes of earning huge bucks through content, endorsement deals and sponsorships. 

In the Midwest, 33 per cent of residents wanted to become influencers and 36 per cent in the South showed interest too.

Additionally, 39 per cent of young people in the Northeast also favoured living the high life rather than getting a conventional nine to five job.

HigherVisibilty

Sixteen per cent of surveyed participants said they would pay to become social media influencers.

More men than women also revealed that having a significant online following was their only viable career option.

The authors of the study also shared that the notion of ‘celebrity’ and influencer is becoming increasingly synonymous.

They wrote: “It is safe to say that over the years, the line between ‘influencer’ and ‘celebrity’ has blurred.

"With influencer culture permeating the younger generations and becoming more prominent as time goes on, it is a movement unlikely to falter any time soon.”

Economist at payroll services platform Gusto, Luke Pardue, told Bloomberg that we’re seeing a shift between the dream jobs of Millennials and Gen Zs.

Mirko Vitali / Alamy Stock Photo

He said: “Specifically among younger workers, we're seeing this trend that even amid a tight labor market workers aren't seeing wage gains that are keeping up with inflation, so they’re moving to self-employment where they can determine their compensation a little more independently.

“There isn’t a lot that the nine-to-five employment can allow in terms of achieving some of the milestones that were available to prior generations.”

Even colleges are getting on board with this idea, as the prestigious Duke University in North Carolina has even started offering ‘Building Global Audiences’ classes to teach students how to build their online profile.

The Big Smoke reports that one of its students, Natalia Hauser gained an additional 12,000 followers while taking the course as she learned how to ‘negotiate with brands and figure out how much she could charge for her work’. 

Now she’s working alongside brands such as Barnes & Noble, Macy’s, Canon and Pepsi.

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