With social media applications like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube consistently evolving, influencers have found new ways to connect with their fans and provide content. For me, I have always been obsessed with beauty/lifestyle bloggers since the early days of YouTube, Instagram, and Tumblr. From a young age, I have always been interested in researching and following current fashion and makeup trends. As a fan, I have always looked to these bloggers as sources of inspiration for finding my own style. Now, with features like tagging, recommending, and advertising, it makes it even easier for me to find content that interests me.
For example, with the introduction of new apps, I am not only able to look at an outfit a beauty blogger is wearing on Instagram and think “Wow, I like that”, but now may also simply click the tags to see where I may purchase the items myself. The same goes for makeup, as I am able to easily look at tags to see what products my favorite beauty gurus are wearing.
Also, the progression and growing popularity of YouTube has allowed me to view content from beauty bloggers in a way that is far more efficient than before. Instead of reading about how to apply makeup, I am able to watch visual tutorials and teach myself as I go. Also, the commentary section featured below the video allows bloggers to provide links to products so that the average person, like me, can purchase them with ease to create the look.
Overall, the rise in social media and its improvements have made it easier for people in this fandom to access creators’ content. Now, instead of having to do their own research, fans can purchase the favorite products of their favorite bloggers with ease. I know that I have experienced the benefits of this myself, as I don’t really need to test new products on my own, since I can just watch a review by a blogger and decide if I want to purchase the item. Also, these practices have allowed me to find items I like much more easily, saving me the time and effort.
