Influencers. That word didn’t exist back in 2006. Neither did “content creators.” Back then, we were simply called bloggers, brave pioneers in a digital landscape that was still taking shape. The now-essential iPhone was still a year away, and we roamed with our digital cameras, the DSLRs or digital single-lens reflex cameras, slung around our necks. The bigger the camera, the better.
Today, the trend has reversed. The smaller the camera, the better. And why not? Influencers now carry a carload of equipment — ring lights, wireless microphones, stabilizers — covering three to five events a day. They churn out stories and reels for TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, and restaurateurs welcome them with open arms. But when we were just starting out, we bloggers were met with skepticism. Were we spies for the competition? Why did we need so many cameras?
Nearly 20 years later, everything has changed.
Restaurants have embraced the power of social media to showcase their newest dishes and trendiest locations. Name a category, and you’ll find a swarm of influencers eager to be the first to post about it from the latest dining hotspots in Makati and BGC to that viral pistachio cake or the young entrepreneur selling bespoke hotdog sandwiches in Quiapo. And, for a while, it works until the next big thing comes along.
That’s my question: With hundreds — no, thousands — of influencers covering the same viral topics, how long does the impact really last?
I remember when Kris Aquino was the queen of vlogging. We’d all tune in the moment she uploaded a new episode, and for two or three weeks, the restaurants she featured would be packed. Then, the cycle would start over again with the next episode.
Here’s something to consider, that the top three social media platforms today are not indexed by Google. Nothing posted there is searchable on the world’s most powerful search engine. Nada. But my 19-year-old blog posts on Manila Boy? They’re still there, fully intact. Go ahead, check it out.
Blogs matter.
Many of my fellow bloggers from 2006 have long since stopped writing. I know — I did, too. But given the way things are now, maybe it’s time to start again. It’s free, after all. And maybe, just maybe, I can convince the writer of the best blog to come out of hiding and share her beautiful words with us once more.
How about it, Lori of Dessert Comes First?
