FBC – 123 – What does it mean to be an influencer?

What does it mean to be an influencer?

Do you know what an influencer actually is? What criteria should we use to determine whether someone is an influencer or not.

It turns out that most people have the wrong idea about what it means to be an influencer. It's time to solve this mystery once and for all.

If you like the podcast and want to support it: anchor.fm/freedom-by-choice/support

I've been reading this book about influencers. It's a very fascinating book.

And the more I was listening to the book, the more I started thinking about the meaning of influencer, because right now with all the hype and all the Instagram this and YouTube that, you know, all these people have crazy views and all that stuff on YouTube. Then I think the actual meaning of influencer has been corrupted. And people don't really understand what an influencer is. So I just wanted to shoot this small podcast to basically discuss this.

So the most famous influencers are Instagram influencers. So if you if you say something about influencers, people will immediately think about Instagram influencers, because that's where the most dynamic market for them is at the moment. These Instagram stars, they don't do anything in particular.

I mean, a lot of them don't do anything special. They're just like shooting their days and basically telling you how awesome their life is and how much yours sucks or something.

What does it mean to be an influencer?

So when you talk to people, then this is what is in a lot of people's minds. Right. And one of the assumptions is that you need to have millions of followers. So basically the determining factor if you're an influencer or not is the number of followers you have.

And you can see that some of influencers, they're just running after the followers and after the stats and stuff. You know, it's conditioning their life. And, you know, sometimes they go to extremes and even put themselves in like really dangerous situations just to get in the game for more followers and stuff, which is crazy, right?

I mean, there are people who, you know, who passed away because of that stuff, because of the followers. They just wanted to impress people because I mean, right now with all the videos you have on the Internet and, you know, everything available, you need to step your game up. Right.

So you need to go on top of a skyscraper and then hang on a bar or something and be, you know, physically on the brink. Some people die like this just because they want more followers!

But there is a whole other dimension behind the whole thing. I met some influencers and they were telling how they approach it. Like a business, you know, like a blueprint that they have. And. It’s really well designed in terms of business and in terms of goals that they have.

It was a happy surprise. And then I will be very honest with you guys. I judged a lot of them by saying, well, you know what, they're not doing anything special and there's nothing behind there in terms of strategy. But there is, you know!

So now when you think about it, if the number of followers was the determining factor, that was the only factor, then the rule wouldn't really apply. In a lot of cases it really doesn't apply. Just to give you an example, so I don't know if you've noticed on Instagram, for example.

There’s a bunch of like huge accounts, you know, like funny videos this or crazy facts or, I don't know, like couples forever or something. So you have these massive, massive accounts that have like five million followers and they are private accounts, you know, which is crazy. How can you have 5 million followers on your private account, you know?

So it's a strategy that some people are using. OK. So if you're wondering, it's a strategy that some people were using, you know, so it's like a mental trigger or something.  You think that because it's private, then you need to be in on that stuff. And there is a strategy to grow these accounts. Right. But anyway, the point is that you have some of these big accounts like funny videos.

They have like maybe 10 million followers. But do they have a specific message? Do you think that the followers are inspired or anything by this thing? No, they just want some funny videos. Right.

So the number of followers is not the determining factor to whether you're an influencer or not. You could you could have 100 million followers. But if nobody cares about what you are saying, you yourself, you don't have the message, then you're not influencing their behaviour or anything. All right.

So that's one thing I really wanted you guys to understand is when people think about, oh, man, I want to become an influencer today. Oh, they immediately think about I need millions and millions and millions of people. And it is not the case. An influencer influences their followers.

The likes don't mean anything, right. It doesn't mean anything. Regardless of the number of followers you have, what you focus on is your ability to influence people's lives and get them to change their behaviour. It's your ability to drive, change and get people to change the way they think and the way they behave based on the message you have for them. That's what will make you an influencer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What actually defines an influencer in 2026?

An influencer is someone who can shift a specific group's decision, not someone with a large follower count. A doctor with 800 patients is more of an influencer than a creator with 800,000 passive followers, because the doctor produces measurable behavior change in a defined population.

Why is follower count a poor measure of influence?

Follower count measures reach, not action. A creator with 1 million followers and 0.2 percent engagement moves fewer decisions than a niche operator with 5,000 followers and 8 percent engagement. Brands and audiences have started pricing influence by action, not by audience size.

How do you become a genuine influencer in a niche?

Pick one specific audience, ship useful work for them weekly for at least 18 months, and stay narrow. Real influence comes from being the obvious choice for a specific problem, not the generic choice for a broad category. Narrow wins almost every time over the long run.

Can you measure your own influence quantitatively?

Yes, by tracking decisions your audience makes after your recommendation. Sales attributed to your post, signups after your podcast, or behavior changes reported by readers all count. If you cannot point to one measurable shift in 90 days, your influence is smaller than your reach suggests.

About the Author

Martin Ebongue is the founder of martinebongue.com, an online business and lifestyle design blog focused on helping aspiring entrepreneurs build location-independent businesses. Since 2014, he has been creating and scaling online ventures across multiple niches, from digital products and affiliate marketing to SaaS and content platforms, while traveling the world. He shares the real-world strategies, tools, and systems that work, with a particular focus on AI-powered automation for solopreneurs. Follow him on YouTube, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

Related Reading

• How Does AI Influence E-commerce Strategies For Entrepreneurs?
• Influencing Work Pattern with the Concept of Ultradian Rhythms
• Inc Authority Review
• Use this BEST KEPT BUSINESS SECRET to achieve success with your brand!