Feifei: Hi Neil, you look stressed?
Neil: Oh, not really. Just writing a script
for The English We Speak. I'm a bit stuck.
Feifei: What's the phrase?
Neil: Social media influencer.
Feifei: Well, that's easy.
Neil: Maybe for someone young
and trendy like you! Go on then, tell me.
Feifei: Let me talk you through it
step-by-step. Well,
you know social media?
Neil: Of course! Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram...
Feifei: A social media influencer
is someone who has a lot
of followers online - and who
is an expert or authority in a particular
subject - like photography
or cookery or make-up.
Neil: OK.
Feifei: What that person says, or does,
or buys, or wears... can influence
the decisions of their followers!
Which is why we call them 'social media
influencers'. Or simply, 'influencers'.
Neil: OK, I have a few followers. So if
I start, say, growing a long moustache,
and all my friends copy me - would you
say I was a social media influencer?
Feifei: Err... I suppose so! And then,
what might happen is
the marketing department of
a company selling moustache products
gets in touch - and pays you to start using
their moustache oil?
Neil: OK. I like the sound of this.
Grow a moustache and get paid.
Let's listen to some examples.
Our company was finding it hard to reach
new customers aged 16 to 25.
Then we hired a few
social media influencers and
sales just rocketed.
Kylie Jenner is one of America's
biggest social media influencers.
Companies pay her up to
a million dollars for a single post!
There's a lot of debate about whether
or not influencers should be open
about who is paying
them to promote products.
Feifei: You're listening to The English
We Speak from BBC Learning English.
Our expression is
'social media influencer'.
So, Neil, how's the script going?
Neil: I'm not writing it any more, Feifei.
I'm focussing full time
on my new business.
Feifei: Ah, I see you've grown
a moustache. Are you going to post
a picture so all your
twenty followers can see it and be
influenced by your amazing style?
Neil: Don't worry, I've realised I don't have
enough followers, or authority,
to influence anyone, Feifei.
But I have discovered there's
a gap in the market
for organic moustache oil!
Feifei: Oh, well done!
Neil's Marvellous Moustache Oil...
Neil: Nice. Now, I just need to find
an influencer to help me with marketing.
A hairy influencer.
Feifei: Good luck, Neil!
Neil: Bye.
Feifei: Bye.