In this day and age, technological innovations and scientific progress have propelled the world into a digital economy where success is driven by creativity. More than ever before, young people flock to various virtual communities to test and apply new ideas. These YouTubers, TikTokers, Photoshop freelancers, and the likes, have gained more and more influential power as they contribute on a regular basis vast amounts of fresh content to the expanding online ecosystem. Their rising numbers of followers have made them de facto influencers throughout the world, not confined to any one country, despite language barriers. While in the past, the older generations had to work long and hard in order to establish a reputation, because of advancements in communication technology, these younger folks can achieve a reputation with a wider audience in less time. Clearly, technology is a catalyst that drives their ability to influence viewers. However, in my opinion, the bigger factor is ability to originate content and their creativity to communicate their message, albeit with the help of modern apps and electronic devices.
It is important to acknowledge that success in communication begins with a message that is meaningful to the audience. Creating fresh and new content that contributes value to the listeners and viewers is not as easy as it sounds. For example, plenty of food videos have been made to present various food dishes in Vietnam, and many have failed to reach a wide enough audience. However, one successful YouTube channel in this domain is a channel that promotes Vietnamese dishes by following a group of motorbike tour guides and capturing their trips in videos. These motorbike tour guides pick up their passengers at hotels and cart them around Ho Chi Minh City to experience various local restaurants and food stalls, from the traditional pho to a less known dish called ‘banh cuon.’ This channel became an instant hit when it first went live. The content of this channel is original and meaningful to their audience, especially with those who seek to visit the country Vietnam.
In addition to having meaningful content, these influencers must present and disseminate their information in a manner that captures their audience’s attention, which also is not easy. Serious content creators will always find ways to deliver the core of their message in videos that are less than one minute and often times less than 30 seconds. These videos are known as short videos on YouTube or TikTok. The motorbike food tour channel discussed above has done just this, presenting the objectives of their motorbike tours in videos that are less than one-minute. While the content is the what, the presentation is the how. How the content is presented matters, because the manner in which the message is delivered can significantly sway or not sway its audience. Indeed, to hold the attention of the audience, a content creator must wisely chose their method of disseminating information.
In conclusion, the reason why young people have more influence and power than the older generations comes down to a couple of words: originality and creativity. Younger generations can create original content and deliver it with a bigger punch because these young people are so very creative.