Fifteen years ago, who knew what an influencer was? Few. Today, the word “influencer” is on its way to Merriam Webster’s dictionary. Thousands if not hundreds of thousands are vying to be considered one. Several are making money from it.
But what even is an influencer? For brands trying to target millennial and Gen Z-aged audiences, it’s the perfect marketing mechanism. Make an individual feel like their peers (social media accounts with dozens of thousands of followers and inspiring visuals) approve of a brand or product, and you’ve sold them better than any billboard or TV placement could.
These college influencers work with top brands, and lots of them. Often, they’re signed by agency’s for exclusive contracts. Who are the top influencers this semester?
Florida State - @lfelsh
With over 64,000 followers, Florida State University’s Leah has worked with over seven brands and one agency. She’ll garner over 2k likes on a post, and plenty of engagement -- making her an opportune model for brands like Victoria’s Secret Pink and Tinder.
Oklahoma State - Ashley Wilson
With a reach of 428,000 people, Ashley Wilson is one of the top influencers at Oklahoma State. There’s a couple of brands she works with exclusively, including Neff Headwear and Reckless Girls, but you’ll see her in an unexpected cameo promoting Taco Bell now and again.
Reese Regan
This vegan vlogger shares everything from beauty secrets to her own personal struggles with depression and anxiety. Find her booty-building workouts without all the fluff that most vloggers include, like intro’s, outro’s, and lots of chit chat. Her Instagram matches the dozens of thousands of views her YouTube channel gets, with over 33k followers.
Southern Cal - Olivia Jade
While you won’t be seeing this vlogger/Instagram influencer update that regularly anymore, Olivia Jade had the power of celebrity (her mom is Lori Loughlin of Full House fame) mixed with genuinely great looks. Her YouTube channel and social profiles are slammed with followers, hoping for a peek into her celeb life.
Southern Cal - Harlow Brooks
While she may just be famous for the response videos she created to the Olivia Jade/Lori Loughlin scandal, Harlow Brooks has garnered more views than most popular vloggers for her content through recent months. Allegedly a high school classmate of Olivia Jade’s, she has over 110,000 followers on her YouTube channel where she shares short films and poems along with usual content.
