Break the Internet is an insider's guide to the world of influencing - Yallop pivoted into digital marketing as Youtube boomed in the mid-2000s. Here, she examines what it means to be an influencer - and whether they can be created.

Yallop chronicles her own journey attempting to become a social media star - from vlogging bootcamps to shady "engagement pods", snarkers and more. If you've ever wondered how much Mr Beast makes (or even how he makes some of his wild videos), pick up this book.

For those who grew up online, most of the context around apps like Tumblr is obvious, however for a business reader, this can offer new insight, particularly the sections on the business of influencing. How much *can* you make? How can you collaborate with online creators without hitting a sour note?

From hype houses, cancellations, stalkers and everything in between, this is a fascinating look at the dark side of the feed.

Essential reading for everyone in the social media sphere of influence. So thats everyone right. Whether you use social media or not.

Essential reading for everyone in the social media sphere of influence. So thats everyone right. Whether you use social media or not.

I’m going to be completely honest (because hashtag authenticity, right?) – I started this one with all the arrogance of a person who has spent the last two years studying different internet ecologies, hereunder also influencer culture – what could Yallop possible teach me that I wouldn’t already be familiar with? Does she have anything to say beyond that of scholars like Crystal Abidin (– who Yallop references on several occassions)? Going further, what can the book teach those who haven’t studied online communities but merely spend a lot of their time online (i.e., the majority of people her book is marketed towards)

Turns Yallop can tell us quite a bit. We follow her to influencer bootcamps and undercover meetups with internet bullies (yes, I’m calling them bullies even if they don’t identify as that themselves). These journalistic segments were insightful, felt like fresh contributions, and most importantly felt like the author’s own voice. Other parts of the book felt, at least to me, like regurgitations of things I have read a lot about before and I felt rather bored at times. I wish the book had focused more on Yallop’s experiences in different influencer environments and less on facts and figures that are available for everyone with an internet connection – I would have really liked to see her immerse herself in these worlds rather than trying to do everything at once – the book feels disjointed and certain chapters feel underdeveloped (although, perhaps this is deliberate? A subtle dig at the attention economy subjected to critique. If so, it is successful).

Now, when it comes to non-fiction (here comes my arrogance again), this is a field where I am particularly well-versed. If you want an easily digestible introduction to the world of influencing, then this is certainly not a bad place to start. The book is a great starting point for future internet journalism, research and discussion and I genuinely look forward to Yallop’s future contributions to the field. Finally, every single book cover should be holographic. That is all.

A massive thank you for gifting me this earc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very informative and well researched book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The author examines social media and how one becomes and thrives as an influencer. From hype houses to TikTok and YouTube, the book highlights how the world of advertising and connecting to others has changed. It was eye opening and definitely a book I would suggest others read for insight into the rapidly changing world of social media.

This one took me a moment to get into but I’m glad I did. It really picks up after the second chapter. Definitely has some good points and definitely a different voice.

Really interesting in-depth exploration on the influencer world. I really liked how chronological it was and how it explains and involves us into how the world went to develop during the COVID 19 pandemic.

"Break the Internet"... Before it breaks you. This is the thought that was lingering in my head when I read Olivia Yallop's book. The author went on a journey to investigate the influencers' sphere from many different angles. From instagramable parties, through family vlogging and kidfluencers - she covers it all with a critical eye. Yallop is critical, yet understanding when it comes to the phenomenon of being an influencers, as well as following internet celebrities. She does not sugarcoat anything, she shows the bad and ugly, including weaponising mental health and consent violations of children who appear in parenting content, which are very relevant topics.

I am afraid this book is going to get old pretty quick, though. Yallop's writing is quite time-sensitive and I am afraid that in couple of years people won't remember the family who "rehomed" their autistic adoptive son and many other social media dramas, which are very current.

Very interesting story about the crazy world of social media influencing and how they can, in some cases, have more impact than large scale, splashy, advertising campaigns. An intriguing book and one I recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Great read from a unique perspective! Social media is relevant to many and the world of influencers is unattainable to most are the book broke down these concepts and ideas and presented them in a digestible way!

It took me a while to get into the book, but once I got over the hump, I was fully engulfed in influencers.

Olivia Yallops investigative journalism takes us into the world of influencers, a new industry which arose out of the growing media platforms and their content providers. Some of these content providers rival major TV shows with their audience sizes. Some very few of these make a fortune and are in all fairness media empires on their own.

The book illustrates all aspects of influencing, from creating content, creating brands and creating a following. It looks at the industry along with the major conventions and associations. One clear take away after reading this book is, that influencing is a serious business, a sizable industry and your chances to succeed in this line of work are about the same as getting a star on the Hollywood walk of fame.

Fascinating!

If I could give this book 10 stars, then I would.
This truly is the definitive guide to the remarkable and strange world of social media influencers.
More than that, it is an insider's guide into a bizarre and exciting world that most people in the world never see - and it is quite extraordinary.
The rise of the influencer is a story of platforms, power, algorithms, atomisation, attention decentralisation and networks - the championship of the individual over the institutional and the market over everything.
An influencer has to obsessively want the full-time, 24/7 job of creating content for their own TV channel - not a job for anyone without the ego and obsessional drive to create a persona.
This is one of the most intensively researched non-fiction books that I read in a long time and the detail is there on every page. Not a word is wasted.

Recommended.

Like most people who have seen and aware of influencers and their existence, I didn't know the details of their how and why. Just for general knowledge supported by multiple influencers exaples, this book can be an eye opening factsbook on where the advertising is going. I found the stories of influencers featured in this book quite interesting as well as the stories about the author.