The influencer market has been booming around the world. In 2020, the size of the global influencer marketing industry was estimated at $9.3 billion, and South Korea was about 17% of it.
Instagram and YouTube have a central role in influencer culture, and influencers have become storytellers.
In South Korea, Byung-jun Kim is a garlic farmer and YouTuber. He started his YouTube channel to build trust with customers. In rural Korea, farmers must develop their own brand to survive and grow, so Kim showed customers where the garlic came from and how he grew it.
Courses in digital marketing and communications are also booming globally. Korea’s Daegu Cyber University wants to cultivate content influencers and industry experts. Additionally, influencers are growing their business to e-commerce. Some companies are curating authentic Korean products and shipping them to a global audience.
Questions
1. What do you think about social media influencers?
2. If you were to become an 'influencer', what product or category of product would you choose?
Let us know your thoughts and ideas below!