Virtual influencers are CGI creations that are meant to mimic real-life influencers. They appear real and post pictures of themselves doing everyday activities: hanging out at the beach, eating out with friends, shopping, riding a bike, travelling etc. The goal of these digital creations, however, is the same as with real influencers. That is, they want to obtain large numbers of followers and get them purchase goods and services. The image below shows some of the highest earning virtual, or robot influencers, on Instagram.
Virtual influencers have certain advantages over real people. They can post tweets at a far lower cost than a real-life influencer and allow the marketer more control. They will not jeopardize the brand due to a personal scandal, and there are no space or time constraints for them to travel all over the world. Because of these characteristics, more and more brands are considering cooperating with virtual influencers. Top fashion brands like Prada and Gucci now employing virtual influencers.
In the future, with the arrival of Metaverse, virtual influencers have increased visibility and importance. To read more about the potential of virtual influencers in the Metaverse, please read this excellent article by Vogue business writer Kati Chitrakron.