On social media, communities form around just about anything you can think of. At the core of these communities are creative people who make content that sustains conversation. Their content is the lifeblood of these communities – the focal points and gathering places for members to connect and discuss their passions.
We compiled a list of 10 influencers who have their fingers on the pulse of some niche digital communities. They’re nestled in the weeds of their communities, connecting with their audiences through quirky, fun, and informative content.
Regular Car Reviews - Car reviewing
Regular Car Reviews is a YouTube channel that reviews cars in a simultaneously comedic yet appreciably serious way. Mr. Regular simultaneously weaves irreverent sarcasm into technical reviews of, well, regular old cars. He travels around the country to review user-submitted vehicles, focusing on telling the story of the car with historical context, cultural nuance, and a dose of poop humor. His community, a group of oddball gearheads with English degrees, converge on his weekly reviews, podcasts, and meetups.
Ian Kung - Comedy
Ian Kung is a YouTuber and Redditor whose brand of comedy appeals to the sardonic meme generation. Pulling inspiration from pop culture and memes du jour, Ian produces snappy videos that usually find their way to the frontpage of Reddit. His unique sense of humor captures the spirit of the common redditor, usually by lampooning current events from a passerby’s perspective.
A Clockwork Reader - Book reviewing
The modern book club often meets digitally, bonding in the comments of YouTubers like A Clockwork Reader. Hannah publishes weekly book reviews, attends book expos and conventions, and even vlogs about her personal life. She shares her creative tastes with her audience in a unique and authentic way, sharing the personal experience of reading a book with her fans. The self-proclaimed Gryffindor vlogs and Instagrams her book-loving life to a worldwide audience.
Gothamista - K-Beauty
K-Beauty has been making headlines for the past couple of years, introducing the western world to the beauty standards of South Korea. While many popular beauty influencers have tried K-Beauty products, Gothamista has made a brand out of it. As a professional buyer for makeup, Renee walks the walk when it comes to K-Beauty. She gives detailed product reviews from an insider’s perspective, calling attention to the scientific qualities of makeup, as well as advice on how to use it.
Dirk Dallas - Drone photography
Few things scream “Instagram” as loudly as drone photography. The popularity of extreme photography through drones and GoPros was more or less built on Instagram, and Dirk Dallas is one of the reasons why. Not only is he a talented photographer himself, he runs the “From Where I Drone” Instagram community, where he curates a feed of some of the best drone photography on social media. His eye for breathtaking landscapes and knack for the perfect shot separate him from the pack.
Sean Long - Action figures
The stereotypical upbringing of many American children revolves around their dolls and action figures. While most square them away in cardboard boxes by the time high school rolls around, people like Sean Long hang onto the uninhibited creativity of play. Sean posts detailed, in-depth reviews of action figures, new and old. He discusses their features, design, articulation, and more, like a seasoned collector.
Olga Prinku - Tulle embroidery
Olga is one of many creatives on social media who found a home (and a market) for her artistic wares. Though she is a graphic designer by trade, Olga started experimenting with floral wreaths and tulle, a practice that blossomed into her own unique style of flowers of tulle embroidery. Her followers watch her craft improve in real-time as she experiments with different forms of embroidery, and she’s come a long way since she started her adventure. Many of her followers look to her for advice or inspiration, and many even buy her creations.
My 100 Year Old Home - Home decor/flea markets
Though home decor is a popular topic on social media, Leslie Saeta’s 100-year-old California home puts an original spin on a common theme. She blogs and Instagrams her home renovations, trips to local flea markets, and her culinary creations. Her unique, old-world farmhouse style found a home on Instagram, and her followers weigh-in on decisions about her home.
Propa - Comedy
Comedy means something a little different to everyone. To Propa, an 85-year-old German grandpa, it means giving an elderly spin on modern day digital comforts. Propa comically (and often musically) explores things like cell phones, Fortnite, skate parks, and memes. He collaborates with younger influencers to take his jokes even further, holds Q&As with his followers, and features his wife in some of his videos.
Catandcatcomics - Cat comics
Instagram is a hub for creative artistic content, whether it’s photography, painting, or in Susie Yi’s case, cat comics. Susie takes part in a small yet lively community of comic creators on Instagram who love their feline friends as much as they love drawing. She, along with other creators in the cat comics community, participates in community drawing challenges, engaging her followers and followers across their networks.
When we surveyed 300 influencers, we offered 14 different topics to identify themselves with – 10 percent still chose other, writing in answers like cigars, Disney, or farming. Niche topics like these are a huge part of what makes influencer marketing so successful.