What is an influencer (wanghong)?
An influencer is a person who has gained a large online audience through content, livestreams or online events and can sway its views or purchases. Influence measures reach; a personal brand measures lasting trust, and not every influencer has one.
Also known as: Wanghong, 网红, Internet celebrity, Social media influencer
In Chinese, an influencer is a 网红 (wǎnghóng), short for 网络红人, “internet-famous person”. An academic study of the industry describes wanghong as “creators, social media entrepreneurs alternatively known as KOLs (key opinion leaders) and zhubo (showroom hosts), influencers and micro-celebrities” (Wanghong as Social Media Entertainment in China, Palgrave Macmillan, 2021). In Chinese the word also describes things that go viral, such as a 网红店 (a viral shop); this entry is about people.
Wanghong is a social label, not an occupation. The related official occupation is 互联网营销师 (internet marketing specialist), which the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Bureau of Statistics announced in 2020, with livestream selling (直播销售员) as one of its job types.1
What is the difference between an influencer and a celebrity?
The main differences are where the fame comes from and how the business works: influencers usually become known through online content and platform audiences, celebrities through film, music, sport or television. The line is blurring as celebrities join the platforms and influencers move into film and TV.
| Influencer (typical) | Celebrity (typical) | |
|---|---|---|
| Route to fame | Short video, livestreams, social content | Film, music, sport, TV |
| Relationship with fans | Direct and frequent | Mostly through the work and the media |
| Main income | Brand deals, sales commissions, platform income | Fees for work, performances, endorsements |
| Team | Own team, an MCN or a manager | Agency or management company, usually with a larger, more specialized team |
Influencer vs content creator vs streamer: what is the difference?
These words describe the same people from different angles: influencer stresses the ability to sway an audience, content creator stresses making content, streamer stresses the livestream format, and KOL stresses authority in a field.
| Term | Chinese | Emphasis | Typical context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Influencer | 网红 wǎnghóng | Reach and sway over an audience | Media coverage, brand marketing |
| Content creator | 博主 bózhǔ, 创作者 chuàngzuòzhě | Making content consistently | Video and social platforms |
| Niche expert creator | 达人 dárén | Skill in one area such as beauty, food or travel | Brand collaborations in China, as in 达人带货 (creator-led selling) |
| Streamer / host | 主播 zhǔbō | The livestream format | Live platforms and livestream selling |
| KOL | 关键意见领袖 | Authority that shapes decisions | Marketing briefs; see KOL |
One person can hold several of these labels at once. China’s Livestream E-commerce Measures (Article 2) use a legal term for hosts who sell: a livestream marketer (直播营销人员) is a natural person who directly promotes goods or services to the public during livestream e-commerce.2
What is the wanghong economy?
The wanghong economy is the commercial activity built on influencers’ audiences: advertising, livestream selling, virtual gifts and paid content, together with the MCNs, management firms and supply chains that serve influencers.
Further reading
- How established creators work with a management firm: Creators & influencers
- How personal brands, creators, celebrities and companies differ: Who we work with
Notes
- 《人力资源社会保障部办公厅 市场监管总局办公厅 统计局办公室关于发布区块链工程技术人员等职业信息的通知》 (Notice on Publishing Occupational Information for Blockchain Engineering Technicians and Other Occupations)
- 《直播电商监督管理办法》 (Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Live-Streaming E-Commerce)