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Table of contents:
What is a Kid Influencer?
How Kid Influencers Got Started?
Why Do Brands Want to Work With Kid Influencers?
How do you promote a product to a Kid using Influencers?
The Positive Impact of Kid Influencers
How To Find Kid Influencers Using the Kofluence Platform?
Conclusion
What is a Kid Influencer?
A kid influencer is similar to any other influencer, they are someone who is popular on social media platforms. The only difference is that these influencers are under the age of 18. Just as how a normal influencer is talented in something which they showcase, kid influencers too, make efforts to portray their talents, hobbies, and interests for others to see.
This is not only entertaining but can also be informational, educational, and entertaining. By utilizing the power of social media in the form of videos, photos, and posts, they find many fun ways to make their audience relate to them and invoke various different emotions ranging from happiness to nostalgia.
At one point of time during the late 2000s and the early 2010s, access to social media became widespread and its usage boomed. As people with a large following on social media platforms started to coin the term “influencer”, kids too wanted to take part and join the frenzy.
When brands realized the influential capabilities of these kid influencers, they began to tie up with them to promote their products. But being a novel industry, companies were initially skeptical of this as there had been a lot of talk about the ethicality of child influencers and the types of products they can and cannot promote, along with other topics such as privacy issues, safety and security on social media, etc.
With kid influencers, other children watching them can learn the benefits of self-expression while learning from their content. Therefore, parents, guardians, and social media platforms must work together to understand how to create a safer environment for these influencers.
How Kid Influencers Got Started?
As aforementioned, at a certain point of time in the 21st Century, there was a sudden boom in the usage of social media and the internet as a whole. People started to solely rely on the internet for any reason, be it for information, entertainment, or education. Content creators who made this information readily available online began to earn monetary rewards and fame. As time passed, the internet’s influence on kids increased, and children wanted a bite of this too.
One must remember that social media pages such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat are platforms that are relatively young compared to the “OG” internet platforms – MySpace, Facebook, and Friendster – which were prevalent during the 2000s. These platforms were the stepping stones for children to convey their thoughts and opinions on various topics, ranging from trending topics to life with friends and relatives.
But these primitive platforms were used only to teach children about the general nature of the internet, something that still stands true to this day. Popularity became a possibility for kids with the introduction of YouTube and Instagram, which helped them create an identity for themselves and spread it to an international audience; by this time the internet had matured and the users were well-versed with the internet’s possibilities. Children’s talents started to get recognized and encouraged.
The concept of unboxing is something we might find synonymous with gadgets, technological gizmos, etc. At the same time, this unboxing concept was the claim to fame for Ryan Kaji, one of the internet’s first child influencers, and his YouTube channel named “Ryan’s World”. The channel was found to be very friendly and wholesome, leading to Ryan gaining more than millions of views and subscribers. This phenomenon paved the way for future other aspiring pre-teen influencers to try their luck in the influencer world.
Ryan Kaji inspired the younger generation to step into the world of kid influencers. Children and parents could now see the immense possibilities of earning through the internet and social media platforms. Child influencers now hopped onto many new trends and social media apps and catered their content to this. For example, the shift to short-length videos on TikTok and Instagram reels made was a big leap, in lieu of the longer videos that kid influencers were used to by making content on YouTube.
It did not take much time for brands to realize that they could be in partnership with these wholesome creators to promote their products that cater to kids. From endorsements to partnership deals, these children were flooded with money-making opportunities, all risen from their own capabilities, talents, and hard work. But a line had to be drawn, with the culture raising questions about ethics about advertising and promotions. Soon, guidelines and restrictions were implemented which brands and influencers had to abide by.
The Internet influence on kids led to a platform for children to showcase their talents and now became a lucrative business that unfortunately hampered the mental and emotional well-being of these influencers. As these influencers showed their day-to-day life on screen, it became hard for them to have privacy and balance this work with education. Over time, creating a safe space for these influencers was focused upon, as they were subject to online harassment.
Without a doubt, kid influencers grabbed the opportunity they saw during the global shift in the working of the internet. These creators were soon given kid-friendly platforms or versions of popular platforms to showcase their talents and communicate personally with their viewers, thereby creating stronger creator-audience bonds. That being said, social media platforms are still working on how to make these spaces safer for young influencers.
Why Do Brands Want to Work With Kid Influencers?
The innocence that kids portray along with the entertainment and information they provide keeps kid influencers in a separate genre that attracts a younger audience. Brands wish to collaborate with children for the following reasons:
Authenticity and Relatability:
Unlike some influencers who fake interest to get on a particular trend, young influencers are more authentic, original, and relatable. They showcase genuine hobbies, interests, and opinions, which are deeply relatable to their audience who are of the same age group. Brands can trust that these influencers will be able to connect more to their audience.
Targeting a Niche Audience:
While the internet has a plethora of content for all age groups, we seldom find content for young children and pre-teens. This may be because there are neither that many influencers that cater their content towards these age groups, nor a solid population as an audience. This falls into the category of niche audience, where the creator-audience bond is stronger and is something brands can leverage.
Trendsetting and Influence:
From family games to fashion, kid influencers have the power to influence their audience and the capabilities to start new trends. Brands can come up with concepts that are the “new trends”, and take the help of child influencers to promote them.
Engagement and Interaction:
Children love entertainment, especially when it is shown in visuals and audio. In this day and age, they are eager to find content that entertains them. And who knows kids better than kid influencers, who are aware of the type of content children love? This knowledge is something that brands can take to their stride.
Long-Term Brand Loyalty:
When child influencers realize that their viewership is increasing when collaborating with certain brands, they wish to become long-term partners with them. Similarly, when brands realize that by working with a particular kid influencer, their visibility and sales start to increase, they would want to stick to the same influencer. This mutual benefit is something that both parties must seek to achieve.
How do you promote a product to a Kid using Influencers?
Brands must understand that children’s interests and thought processes are a different ballgame. It requires careful planning and execution to make sure that the kid influencer’s authenticity is kept intact. Here are some ways of doing so:
Audience Alignment:
Just as it is for any other influencer, the values, vision, interests, and content that a kid influencer creates must be in line with that of the brands. The latter must identify the type of content the kid influencer focuses on and must check if that and the products the brands sell match.
Authentic Integration:
A smooth integration of the brand’s interests into the kid influencer’s content is essential, as the audience back away from content that is inorganic and unnatural. It must not be something that seems out of the normal content that the influencer creates.
Storytelling:
Children love a good storyline. Brands must focus on portraying their content in a meaningful way that is compelling. This makes the content more interesting and the products that are promoted more attractive.
Interactive Content:
Games, puzzles, riddles, and quizzes are attractive for kids as they find this content to be interactive and interesting. Thought-provoking yet fun concepts make products more appealing and are also easier for young pre-teen influencers to promote.
Visual Appeal:
Children are drawn to vibrant colors, playful animations, and visually appealing content. Ensure that the promotional content is visually attractive and aligned with the influencer’s overall aesthetic.
The Positive Impact of Kid Influencers
The Positive Influence on Creativity
Kid influencers have a magical ability to ignite creativity in young minds. Through their content, they encourage imagination and self-expression, inspiring kids to think outside the box. By showcasing their artistic skills, they prove that creativity knows no bounds. Whether it’s painting, crafting, or creating music, these young influencers are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Additionally, their storytelling skills captivate young audiences, transporting them to new worlds and helping them unlock their storytelling potential. Young influencers truly bring the “art” in “smart.” So, let’s raise a paintbrush in celebration of these young creative geniuses!
Educational Benefits
When it comes to the educational benefits of kid influencers, the possibilities are endless! These pint-sized powerhouses are not just playing games and making silly videos, they’re learning valuable skills along the way.
Learning through play is a major advantage of child influencers. Whether they’re building with blocks or solving puzzles, they are actively engaging their minds and developing problem-solving abilities. They’re introducing new concepts to their young viewers, sparking curiosity and pushing the boundaries of traditional education.
But it doesn’t stop there! Kid influencers are also teaching problem-solving skills. Through challenges, experiments, and interactive content, they’re inspiring their audience to think outside the box and find solutions to real-life situations.
So, next time you see a kid influencer on your screen, remember that they’re not just entertaining you, they’re also expanding their knowledge and skills, and encouraging others to do the same. Who knew learning could be this much fun?
Building Confidence:
Kid influencers play a crucial role in boosting self-esteem and confidence among their young followers. Through their videos and social media presence, they become inspirations for other kids, showcasing their talents and unique personalities. These young stars develop impressive public speaking skills as they engage with their audience, making their voices heard.
Not only do they gain confidence in expressing themselves, but they also become role models for other children, encoring them to embrace their passions and pursue their dreams. The recognition and praise they receive further fuel their self-assurance, motivating them to continue their creative journey.
Promoting Diversity and Inclusivity
Do you ever feel like the world needs a little more acceptance and celebration of diversity? Well, the young influencers are here to save the day! They are breaking stereotypes left and right, showing us that it’s okay to be different. Whether it’s by promoting body positivity, embracing different cultures, or challenging traditional gender roles, these tiny trailblazers are making a big impact on inclusivity.
Who says kids can’t create change? These kid influencers are using their platform to celebrate different cultures and backgrounds. Through their videos and posts, they showcase the beauty of diversity and encourage others to do the same. It’s refreshing to see young minds embracing the uniqueness of every individual and spreading acceptance like confetti.
How To Find Kid Influencers Using the Kofluence Platform?
Kofluence offers a technology-driven platform where brands and young influencers can discover and be discovered by one another, handpick who they wish to work with, and at transparent pricing with no hidden charges. Kofluence is partnered with ASCI and certified by ISO, which ensures safety and security for all our influencers.
For brands, all the influencers that are registered with Kofluence are verified and deliver authentic content.
Kofluence’s AI-driven advanced search and discovery feature lets users narrow down creators from our database based on a variety of criteria, including location, genre, brand relevance, and more!
Conclusion
From a broader perspective, the world of pre-teen influencers can teach one about the dynamic nature of social media, its audience demographic, and trends. A living example of the saying “Age is only a number”, they have broken every stereotype there is about content on the internet and its creators.
Their wholesome and joyful content has not only helped them gain an audience of their age but of all ages. Brand endorsements and monetary benefits are not what kid influencers are only about, as they have built an industry from ground zero by solely using their talents, authenticity, and creativity.
A kid influencer might be one person but play different parts. They play a role model for children, an anchor for diversity, a teacher, and a provider of education entertainment. Their content being positive as a whole, create groups on the internet that spread and embrace it. They are the cardinal example of creativity having no boundaries.
If you found this blog to be helpful browse through our website for other blogs on similar topics or get in touch with us for your next influencer marketing campaign! Download the Kofluence app and find relevant campaigns catering to your target audience! To opt-in, download the Kofluence app here: iOS users, and Android users.
