The Lonely Life of a Yacht Influencer...

I allways replace "influencer" with "salesman" or "marketeer", it's a much more honest way of looking at their profession.

I'm in doubt about what is more sad between the fact that "influencers" even exist, and that they become an interesting subject for an article.
It's a weird world we are living in...

There is a difference between a 'natural influencer' and an artificial influencer , really a salesman, huckster or tout because they intend to change fashion or behavior or to sell something and possibly make a living at it.
In the former camp I would place the Duchess of Cambridge and the Kennedys. When the former wears something or dresses her children in something it becomes all the rage and sells out world wide although there is no indication that she cares whether people like it or not or buy it or don't.. Jack Kennedy hated hats. Jackie hated the long gloves women wore to formal luncheons and evening affairs. Neither wore them. Or very rarely. Within a year the fashion for both, which had lasted over 200 years, was out the window. Worldwide. That is natural influence.
The guy in the article was at the forefront of using Instagram as a marketing tool and convinced people and brokers to follow him and to pay him. That's just a new age salesman with a fancy name.

Hmmm.. Another Grand Illusion. At least I think for many of us.