Why I call myself a Content Creator.
Let’s get into it - I really dislike the term “influencer”.
I don’t call myself an influencer, and I cringe every time someone else does. I don’t do this out of a sense of false modesty, the term “influencer” does structurally mean “someone who has or is influencing others”, and quite naturally grew out of the very real influential power of people on social media. My beef with the term has to do with what it has culturally morphed into. The job title “influencer” has become synonymous with obnoxious consumption, narcissistic behavior, and addiction to the approval of others. Like with a Hollywood A lister, the draw of the lights, likes, partnerships, and glamour has led many an “influencer” down a road beyond self-recognition.
No, thank you, I’m good without all that unicorn dust. I’ve been behind the cameras & glamour before, working alongside the starlets, and I did that long enough to realized the value of anonymity & grounded-ness. However, a public platform has its purpose - to be heard you have to be willing to put your name & face out there. In fact, it has become almost impossible to be truly anonymous in today’s world - many are afraid of this, some try to hide from it. I say own it - but with some caveats. Hold yourself accountable, speak truthfully, and act with civility in this online community of ours. With the long-lasting power of the internet, it is not unreasonable to assume that your grandchildren will be able to see every post you ever made someday, so I like to proceed with that sobering thought. However, instead of letting this thought terrify you, let it empower you - because unlike eras of the past, your gender, race, and social status no longer mean you can’t make your voice heard or remembered - so own that power!
So instead of calling myself an “influencer”, I prefer the job title of Content Creator. I know, it’s semantics, but hear me out. The term Content Creator communicates the work of creating content by which you can (presumably) influence others, but more to the point, communicate information or inspire. It describes the more humble, service side of working in social media, rather than the glamorous bits. It’s the difference between an actor & a movie star - one implies the actual job of physical storytelling, the other the fame-saturated pinnacle. You could say, “well, its just a name”, but names matter don’t they? What we call ourselves influences how we act & behave, and I don’t want to get caught on the glittery road of self aggrandizement.
I hope that this gives you a better idea of me, and what my outlook is with Noelle Weigel Style. I’m here to do a service for you, for the brands & good people I would like to promote, and for the wider online community of people trying to find good, useful, and uplifting content. In a sense, I’m rewiring the old PR game I used to play, and changing the game for a whole new genre & audience of people than I might not have ever reached in my old job. Here’s to changing the game and I hope you’ll stick around.
