Day 6·The New Sell

YouTube and Instagram influencers are transforming the digital marketplace

Part One of our series, The New Sell, looks at the growing power of YouTube and Instagram influencers over brands and consumers — and the sometimes shoddy ethics of it all.

'They get this kind of perceived authenticity'

Influencers on Instagram and other social media platforms can make tens of thousands of dollars for promoting brands. (Marcia Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)

The New Sell is a four-part series about the new rules of marketing, from social media influencers to shopping via smart speakers.

In this first instalment, we look at the growing power of YouTube and Instagram influencers over brands and consumers — with some making tens of thousands of dollars for a single endorsement — and the sometimes shoddy ethics of it all.

In this week's edition of The New Sell:

Marlena Stell, the founder of beauty line Makeup Geek and an influencer herself, says her business suffered when influencers stopped talking about her brand. She says it can be hard for small companies like her own to make in roads on the competition due to the high premiums on influencer reviews.

Paris Martineau, a writer for Wired, explains the rise in influencer-led marketing and why brands love them for advertising.


Click 'Listen' above to hear the full segment or download our podcast. Next week, we'll be exploring the future of AI-driven shopping.