The next era of influencers is here—the “smartfluencer”

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Culture Slant is a column that explores broader cultural trends across marketing, media, commerce, technology, and more.

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Over the last 10-15 years, the term “content creation” was synonymous with influencers who were selling us on an aspirational lifestyle, from the products they use to the trips they take. 

It might be a “recession indicator,” but most of us are tired of the consumerism and the “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality that comes with that. 

But “influencing” goes beyond just selling products and services; it can also be knowledge.

“Knowledge-based” influencers aren’t a new thing. Bloggers, YouTubers, and creators have been building knowledge-based content for the last decade. But for many, it was always seen as unattainable to build a following and, in turn, a business around content creation. But not anymore. 

In other words, we shifted from “vibes” to “we need someone smart and grounded.”

@alexacphillips

We’re moving towards a new era of content creation, one that’s rooted more in knowledge rather than lifestyle

The barriers to content creation and growing an audience have never been lower, with tools like Substack, TikTok, and Beehiiv supporting creators in their pursuit of growing audiences and owned platforms. 

Additionally, enterprises have started to invest in influencer marketing and brand partnerships as a larger part of their marketing model, sponsoring creators and their platforms, resulting in them being able to make a full-time living from their content. 

Moreover, there’s been a general decline in trust in mainstream media outlets, with audiences instead choosing to put their trust in the creators they follow. 

Where lifestyle influencers have built audiences solely on social media, knowledge-based influencers amass audiences on owned channels, such as newsletters and podcasts. Think Rachel Karten, Emily Sundberg, Lia Haberman, etc. 

The key distinction to note is that these people aren’t just content creators—they have a background or expertise in something, whether it be the creator economy, social media, etc., and are using that expertise to build a platform.

We’ve seen an increase in these types of “smartfulencers” to the point where they are now prominent at events like Apple’s WWDC, the US Open, and New York Fashion Week. 

And it’s not just creators in the traditional sense. Journalists are also leaving traditional outlets to create independent media as a result of newsrooms condensing, questions of unethical practices, or censorship of stories and topics. 

This trend is giving rise to an emerging business model—entrepreneurial journalism. 

Owned platforms with owned audiences

Entrepreneurial journalism isn’t solely a creator business, but it’s also not traditional journalism. It’s a hybrid between the two. 

With traditional journalism, a journalist is employed by an outlet (whether full-time or contract) and their work is published through that outlet. 

In an entrepreneurial journalism model, you’re creating an owned platform with your own content that you can then monetize; there is no middleman.

When you own your own platform, you get full control over the content and the narrative (with great power comes great responsibility, am I right?). You can share your stories in any format and on any platform you prefer. You can diversify your channels and extend your platform to reach more audiences across social, email, podcast, and a community. 

In other words, your content becomes the product. 

Revenue flows directly from audiences through paid subscriptions, advertisers, brand partnerships, or sponsors. Additional revenue may come from digital products, consulting services, or courses.

However, the key differentiation between this and a creator business lies in the foundation of the creator's expertise.

Where experience meets expertise

Knowledge-based influence brings together your expertise AND experience in the content you produce. This is how you develop your own niche, own your own corner of the internet, and become the go-to in your industry and culture.

What makes this type of content successful, and why we as consumers get hooked on it, is that it leans more on the “op-ed” side of things. 

There is a scale where on one end, you have pure, unbiased facts (like true journalism) and on the other end, you have opinion. Op-ed lies in the middle as a blend of both. 

Even traditional journalism is shifting away from fact-based reporting and leaning more towards op-ed. There are very few outlets now that are truly considered unbiased. Depending on your political affiliation, many outlets and networks tend to slant their coverage based on their demographics. 

We see this in the experts they choose to interview to support news stories; each expert adds their own take based on their own experiences. 

It’s the same with these knowledge-based creators. They are sharing their firsthand experiences and insights, along with third-party research, and have also added their opinions based on their expertise. 

This means that what they say isn’t pure fact or canon—they are just speaking from their experiences. So naturally, there will be questions about fact-checking and misinformation, as people may not see things in the same way or have the same experiences. 

Trust as currency

This shift is more than just the content; it’s about the trust that comes with the content. 

With eroding trust in mainstream media, audiences are choosing not to trust something, but rather someone.  

Consumers trust the creators they follow more than mainstream media outlets or brands. In turn, that trust builds a parasocial connection between creator and consumer. 

Op-ed style content is what builds trust between creators and consumers. The first-hand experience that someone has based on the expertise they have in that area is what builds credibility. It tells audiences, “Hey, I know what you’re going through because I’ve been there.”

This is why there’s been a growing emphasis on building a personal brand and why we’re seeing trends like founder-led social in the startup and small business space. 

Audiences want to see people speaking from experience. They want an opinion and a perspective. They want different angles, takes, and information they can’t get anywhere else. 

It also means you can find success in any niche, as you’ll bring a unique point of view based on your experiences, which sets you apart from others. 

Drawbacks of this model 

Some of the criticisms of this model have been: 

• Spreading misinformation

• Lack of fact-checking 

• Manipulation and cult-like behavior

• Anti-intellectualism 

The idea with this model is that the content is still high-quality and well-researched, just as journalistic content would be. The foundation of the content is in the knowledge and expertise that the creator shares—but only if it stems from true expertise, not fake expertise.

However, if creators don’t undergo the right media training, such as fact-checking, vetting sources, and conducting proper research, they can immediately become discredited (just like this creator who was criticized for her interview with Megan Thee Stallion). 

If the creator takes the time to do their due diligence to research the topics they speak about, they boost their credibility, just as someone whose name is tied to an outlet would be. But again, there is going to be some opinion tied to this because that’s the bread and butter of what makes this content work. 

That said, as consumers, we have to hold space for nuance and multiple truths. We also have to develop critical thinking skills to distinguish between what’s fact and what’s fiction. Just because we trust the creators we follow doesn’t mean we shouldn’t also verify the information they share online.

The smartfluencer is here

The next era of influence isn’t going to be about curated lifestyles—it’s about substance. In the content creation space and across the creator economy, authority and impact will come from ideas, not aesthetics. That means you don’t need a dreamy apartment or a jet-set routine to build influence; you need perspective, insight, and the courage to share it. 

Influence is no longer reserved for the few—it’s accessible to anyone ready to lead with their voice. And with it comes not just visibility, but freedom: freedom to create on your own terms, to shape conversations, and to carve out your place in culture.

Alexa Phillips is a writer, marketing & media strategist, and multi-passionate creative. She is the founder of Bright Eyes Creative, a Seattle-based consultancy that helps founder-led consumer brands and creators create content and media.