Power and Influence of the Modern Internet Opinion Leader

Power and Influence are particularly interesting research topics when examined in the growing technological web environment.User influence in social networks can help to explain the successful diffusion of innovative ideas and new products.These individuals can be referred to as “opinion leaders”, “web or online influencers”, or even “internet celebrities”.The objective of this paper is to examine how these individuals procure their influence, how they earned those roles, and how their influence over the average user is executed.The methodology is a comparative review of contemporary writings on modern online influence, compared that to more traditional scholarship regarding pop-culture influence maximization.This essay will identify criteria for an opinion leader, and what factors contribute to online influence by examining influencers through traditional academic concepts such as Influence Tactics, Influence Triggers, Power Bases, Motivational Sources and Zones of Resistance.The comparative findings show that despite the new technological medium, customary methods of power and influence remain largely effective.

Keywords: Bases of Power, Zones of Resistance, Influence Tactics and Triggers, Motivation Sources, internet celebrity, online opinion leader, web influencer.