Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

“Influencers” ESL Discussion Questions

I. Understanding Influencers
1. What is an influencer?
2. How do people become influencers?
3. Can anyone be an influencer, or does it require specific qualities?
4. What platforms do influencers usually use?
5. Why do you think influencers have become so popular?

II. The Impact of Influencers
6. How do influencers impact the opinions of their followers?
7. Can influencers change the way people think about certain topics?
8. What is the positive impact of influencers on society?
9. What are some negative impacts of influencers?
10. Do you think influencers have a responsibility towards their followers? Why or why not?

III. Influencers and Marketing
11. How do influencers make money?
12. What is influencer marketing?
13. Why do companies choose to work with influencers?
14. Can influencer marketing be considered as a form of advertisement?
15. How can consumers tell if an influencer is being genuine or if they are promoting a product?

IV. The Content of Influencers
16. What types of content do influencers typically post?
17. How important is the quality of content for an influencer?
18. Do influencers need to have a specific theme or niche?
19. How often should influencers post content to stay relevant?
20. How do influencers decide what content to post?

V. The Ethics of Influence
21. Is it ethical for influencers to promote products they don’t use?
22. Should influencers disclose when they are paid to promote a product?
23. How do influencers affect the self-esteem of their followers?
24. What ethical responsibilities do influencers have?
25. Can influencers lead to unrealistic expectations in terms of lifestyle, body image, etc.?

VI. Influencers Around the World
26. Are influencers popular in your country?
27. Do influencers in different countries focus on different types of content?
28. How do cultural differences impact the role of influencers?
29. Can international influencers influence trends in your country?
30. Who is your favorite influencer from another country and why?

VII. The Psychology of Following Influencers
31. Why do people follow influencers?
32. How do influencers build a relationship with their followers?
33. Do you think following influencers can become addictive? Why or why not?
34. How do influencers affect the purchasing decisions of their followers?
35. Can following influencers lead to positive personal changes?

VIII. Influencers and Young People
36. How do influencers impact teenagers and young adults?
37. Should there be an age limit for following certain influencers?
38. How can young people be taught to critically evaluate the content of influencers?
39. What role do parents play in monitoring their children’s engagement with influencers?
40. Can influencers be role models for young people?

IX. The Future of Influencing
41. How do you see the role of influencers changing in the next 10 years?
42. Will influencers become more or less important in the future?
43. How might new technologies impact the world of influencing?
44. Can the influencer market become oversaturated? Why or why not?
45. What new types of influencers do you think will emerge in the future?

X. Personal Experiences with Influencers
46. Have you ever bought something because an influencer recommended it?
47. Do you follow any influencers? If so, why?
48. Have you ever unfollowed an influencer? What was the reason?
49. Would you like to be an influencer? Why or why not?
50. What is the most important lesson you have learned from following influencers?

XI. Influencers and Society
51. How do influencers reflect the values of society?
52. Can influencers play a role in social movements?
53. How do influencers contribute to the spread of information or misinformation?
54. Should influencers use their platform to discuss political or social issues?
55. How do influencers shape the cultural landscape?

XII. Criticisms and Challenges of Influencing
56. What are some common criticisms of influencers?
57. How do influencers deal with criticism or backlash?
58. What challenges do influencers face in their careers?
59. How can influencers maintain their mental health?
60. What advice would you give to someone who wants to become an influencer?