Book excerpt: Highly Commended by the 2020 Business Book Awards Digital influencing is one of the most exciting and disruptive new media industries, forecast to be worth over £10bn by 2020. Influencers now dominate the digital world and, when it comes to growth, they are consistently outperforming traditional media and brand advertising. Despite their prominence, digital influencers continue to be misunderstood and undervalued by many people, as those charged with incorporating the influencer space into their digital strategy rarely comprehend how this extremely powerful industry works. As one of the leading authorities on the influencer space, Sara McCorquodale demystifies exactly how it operates, as she interrogates the phenomenon, analyses its problems and forecasts its future. Influence draws upon first-hand interviews with world-renowned influencers, providing an invaluable insight into the inner-workings of digital culture and how it can best be used as an effective marketing and branding platform. This compelling guide on how to effectively identify and utilise the power of influencers is a must-read for anyone who wants their business to succeed and prosper online.