True influence: The once vaunted term "influencer" has lost its luster in recent years. Media often uses the word in a condescending manner to describe a vanity-obsessed Millennial/Gen Z creator culture it doesn't fully understand. But in reality, social media has evolved well into its next phase – where authenticity and influence in its truest form is what rises to the top. Content consumers are looking for relatability, and more importantly, reliability. They expect to be respected as an audience, and in return they reward trust.

Social politics: The historically hot-button U.S. presidential election tested the limits of online influence, with over $12 billion in political ad spend posing a tempting payday for anyone with an audience.

"We’ve noticed a growing awareness among influencers of their potential impact on political discourse," says Joey Chowaiki, the Co-Founder and COO of Open Influence. "Many are more cautious and intentional with their messaging, and some have opted to steer clear of overtly political content to maintain neutrality with their audiences."

Open Influence is a tech-enabled marketing company that helps brands and advertisers engage and grow their desired audiences through social media. In contentious markets, companies like OI become the stewards of authenticity, and make sure that both the creator and client sides of the market stay safe.

Staying on brand: The best marketing orgs have the insight that transparency and authenticity are not just ethical imperatives, but are also crucial for maintaining audience trust and connection. They would never let their roster of creators stray too far from their brand. "We’ve also seen some clients in non-political sectors raise concerns about working with influencers who are politically active. These clients want to avoid potential audience alienation, and we help guide them through the nuances of choosing the right talent for their campaigns," Chowaiki says.