The terms Influencer, Content Creator, and Blogger are often used interchangeably. Some people have a preference for one title over the other when describing themselves and their work. There is maybe some negative connotation around one of them that they try to avoid. The confusion is understandable because there is a lot of overlap but there are also some distinct differences that I want to highlight.

What is a Blogger?

Blogger is probably the oldest term of all and it describes someone who has a website on which they publish articles (posts). Blogger is also content creator because they generate content – even if it’s only in text form. But many bloggers also create photo and video content. A blogger can also be an influencer if they have a large enough audience – maybe it’s blog readership or followers on their social media accounts. But there are many bloggers out there who don’t have accompanying social media accounts or do not utilize them with the intent to influence an audience.

What is an influencer?

The term influencer became prevalent in more recent years – probably since 2017, or 2018 – with the rise of social media and the ability for people to monetize their followings without a website. You used to need a website on which to publish sponsored content or insert affiliate links. But since brands started paying for content to be created for social media only, a website was no longer necessary. The introduction of features like Instagram stories with links made it possible to share affiliate links without needing a website. So an influencer doesn’t have to also be a blogger anymore. But many influencers are also bloggers. And in terms of social media influencing, all influencers are also content creators. They need to generate content in order to grow their community and influence.

What makes someone an influencer? There isn’t a set number of followers that makes one an influencer. There is such a thing as a nano-influencer for accounts with very small followings. It’s more about the intent with which you treat your social media account. Do you use it with the purpose of influencing others’ decisions? And ultimately, are you able to monetize that work? Is someone an influencer if they have the intent but are not able to monetize it (yet)? I’m actually not sure what the answer to that question is. Because there are no standards or qualifications to be applied to this industry, it relies on self-identification.

For more details, check out my post How Influencers Make Money. If you’re already on LTK, you might benefit from my LTK Course on how to make more money.

What is a content creator?

Now that we know that every blogger and influencer is also a content creator, you probably understand why many of us use that term to describe ourselves and what we do. However, not every content creator is a blogger or influencer. You can potentially make money from creating content without posting it on a website (blog), or without having a significant following at all. You could be a photographer or videographer who produces content and releases paid usage rights to brands. UGC (user-generated content) is becoming more and more popular with both brands and content creators. It allows brands to pay for the piece of content and not the reach of an influencer. While at the same time, it removes the stress of growing and maintaining a following for the content creator.

What am I?

You may disagree with my definitions or find the differences immaterial but I believe the distinctions are deeper than just terminology. I started out as a blogger out of necessity because it was right before IG stories and before the ability to monetize without a website was available. Within a year, things changed – I focused on growth on IG and turned my back on blogging. So I became an influencer first. I thought the terms were interchangeable or even that blogging was becoming obsolete. That couldn’t have been further from the truth.

But in the past year, I have turned my attention back toward blogging. It has made me realize that even though there is overlap in the job description, the worlds and mentality of blogging and social media influencing are extremely different, and so are their audiences. There are very few people who do both successfully and knowing what it takes to achieve success in both, I have nothing but admiration for them. And I also aspire to be them.