The Rise of Intellectual Influencers

 

 

Musing About Intellectual Influencers

 

 

I came across an article the other day titled, “‘Intellectual influencers’ will soon be taking over your social-media feeds.” I read it, and you can too – here.

If you want the TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) version, though, the bullet points were:

• The barrier to influencing is lower than ever, meaning more and more competition to succeed.
• Audiences are favoring authentic and knowledgeable content creators over follower count.
• It’s the ‘intellectual influencers’ or ‘thought leaders’ who are likely to thrive.

 

Why Does This Matter?

 

 

For my money, when I read this, I was intrigued. Not because I am an influencer, nor is it because I seek to be one. No, it was because the article said the competition was high due to the low barrier, anyone could be one, and people were more discerning about what they consumed long term.

I have said it on the podcast before: YouTube, for all of the opportunities it presents, also brings out sheer desperation in some. If you pay attention, you’ll notice content creators (almost always in the comedy space) do some REALLY outlandish stuff for the sole purpose of getting views/likes/followers.

That smacks of desperation from where I stand.

It tells me the space is saturated. It tells me that you have to continue to push the envelope further and further to get people to stay with you. It tells me that people subscribe NOT because you’re bringing value to their lives but because of your antics.

And THAT is a short-lived presence.

 

Contrast the above, however, with those who bring a level of intelligence, intentionality, knowledge, and authenticity to a space. They are fewer in number. They bring some expertise and/or wisdom to an audience. They are why, as the article points out, “respondents pointed to factoring authentic content over a follower count and the importance of experts.” Moreover, they continue, saying, “authenticity was paramount for viewers when choosing who to follow. Relatable personalities came out top, with 61% saying they found these more appealing, followed by expert personalities (43%) and just-for-fun personalities (32%).”

 

Oh, and then there’s this little gem:

 

“They don’t just want to be entertained or just want to be educated. They want to be edutained.”

 

Listen, there’s nothing wrong with being entertaining; laughter is one of the best medicines out there today. As a career online, however, there is no shortage of people jockeying for a little spotlight. And this competition makes for some serious issues overall.

The thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating content space, however, looks different. It takes a level of intentionality most are unwilling to engage, and as such, the competition is far less. Moreover, those who reside there don’t need to do anything outlandish, put up acts to fool people, or wear a facade; what you see is often what you get.

The reason?

It takes the influencer model and inverts it; namely, It’s more about the content and less about the creator. And that has lasting power.

 

Right Time, Right Place

 

 

This is where The Wealthy Ironworker has interestingly positioned itself. This website has been grinding away for over 6 years, getting Google’s first page ranks, gathering subscribers, and building consistency. What’s more, in 2024, we’ve made several changes – all content-focused – to grow the reach. That’s precisely why the Musings category was introduced in the first place: to allow more shorter-form content to be published regularly without sacrificing the overall articles and series we have here.

The articles are substantive, robust, and take time to research/read – BUT, they are the backbone of what’s going on, here. And, what’s more. the podcast is an extension of the website – not the other way around.

Ultimately, I’m selective of what makes it out to the general public because the content is king and it must be taken care of. I want the content to be enduring, inspiring others, and changing lives.

If, as the article on Business Insider asserts, people are looking for more substantive content from authentic voices, then I believe The Wealthy Ironworker is one such place. From The Principle Series to The Leadership Series, and The Wealth Series and the various book reviews (ALL of which we are continually adding to, by the way – there’s A LOT on the way) – and numerous other series in the works, too – there is A LOT here for people to learn from. 

At this point, it’s worth noting that the “intellectual influencers,” while focusing on the content instead of themselves, can – and sometimes do – make changes to their content or promote products. 

There are two things I can say with certainty when it comes to what we do here:

1. I will NEVER give up/sacrifice creative control over ANY of the content that’s put out there. NEVER, EVER.
2. I will NEVER represent, partner with, or advocate for a product I myself do not or would not use. A really ridiculous example to drive the point home would be me, with a long beard, advocating for a shaving company.

I have never really understood those who “go along to get along,” instead of taking a stand. People who do things like this sacrifice their authenticity for a few dollars. Their message is diluted, they lose credibility, and they rise only to fall. There is a subreddit I found – r/agedlikemilk – that discusses it.

Fingers crossed 🤞intellectual influencers are different.

 

In the meantime, enjoy everything here, share the content, and follow on the socials (Reddit has quickly become my favorite):

 

YouTube    Rumble    Reddit   Instagram   Facebook   Twitter    LinkedIn    

 

And I’ll keep creating solid, thought-provoking, and critically needed content here, at The Wealthy Ironworker.