What does it take to be a successful influencer?

What does it take to become a social media influencer or content creator? The University of Guelph-Humber’s Media & Communication Studies (MCS) program is offering an innovative course this semester that answers that question by exploring the creator economy for students about to enter the professional world.  

Instructor Lara Cardoso’s MDST*4400 Special Topics in Media and Communication Studies course is called “Influencer Marketing (And What Comes Next).” This fourth-year class gives students a window into the viable path to becoming an online creator or influencer, explores influencer marketing and partnerships, and shows how people online can affect purchasing power – a.k.a. “the creator economy.” Cardoso brings nearly a decade of experience working in brand marketing and content creation to the classroom, notably as the Lead, Community, Content & Creators – Skin Creative at BIC, and before that, she held marketing roles at Inkbox, DivaCup, and Rogers Communications.

“This is one of my favourite courses that I've taken in the four years I’ve been at Guelph-Humber…This is such a unique course offering,” fourth-year MCS student Brintha Manoharan said. “Having a professor who's immersed in that world as well makes it so much better because she brings that life experience into the course.” 

Cardoso defines a social media influencer as someone with a large online audience that can influence purchasing power through brand partnerships, such as promoting a new beauty product. According to an article by Marketing Dive, 69 per cent of people say they trust influencer recommendations, as well as those from friends and family, over messaging coming directly from a brand. On the other hand, a content creator is someone with a smaller following who creates content to build connection and community.

“While influencers are more traditionally associated with brand sponsorships as a form of income, more brands are also sponsoring content creators who prioritize community and online engagement. This is why the creator economy is projected to double in size over the next couple of years, valued at $480B by 2027,” Cardoso shared, according to Goldman Sachs Research. Cardoso’s course explores many facets of this career path, from creating content to leveraging influencer marketing from an advertising perspective.  

Cardoso explained that with the rise of platforms like TikTok, anyone with access to a device can create and upload content that can be consumed. On the flip side, companies also rely on influencer marketing to promote their products, so managing that and carving out a direction aligned with a brand is also imperative to a social media marketing strategy.  

To give students a hands-on opportunity to learn, Cardoso had her class make their own “a day in the life” vlog to tell a visual story for social media about what they do in a typical day. Students found it a valuable exercise that allowed them to flex their technical abilities, and use their storytelling skills to create compelling, successful and authentic content.   

“I’ve filmed similar ‘day in the life’ videos for my own personal social media channels, but to do it in a professional setting was a challenge,” Cardoso’s fourth-year MCS student Emily Shmyr said. “I really enjoyed doing it.” 

For example, Shmyr’s vlog showed a typical day in her program placement as a digital media and communications intern for the Brampton Steelheads. The vlog was a visual story about game day for the local hockey team, showcasing her passion for sports media. 

Fourth-year student Kera Pal said that prior to taking the influencer marketing class, she really did not know what went on behind the scenes with influencers, including pitching ideas, developing an influencer brief (a document outlining a social media marketing campaign and its objectives), and more. She found the course was “eye-opening.” 

“It’s definitely not your typical class…It's very engaging for me because I'm interested in this realm [for my career],” Pal added.  

Each semester, the topic for MDST*4400 Special Topics in Media and Communication Studies changes, as it explores timely and significant issues relevant to the current media and communications landscape. This offers students the most up-to-date education, preparing them for the real world. 

“To see that my post-secondary schooling is adapting to how the media landscape is changing is refreshing,” Shmyr said. “It's a fresh new outlook on the media and communication industry, and provides a hands-on learning aspect, too.” 

Click here to learn more about Guelph-Humber’s Media & Communication Studies program.