Since 1872 Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park has offered a platform for open-air public speaking. Now imagine 288 million people (the number of active Twitter users), all stood on their soapbox, that’s a lot of noise. With a potential audience of three billion internet users there’s huge opportunity to get your message out there.

With so many voices who are we actually listening to? Malcolm Gladwell defines influence for us in The Tipping Point: Influence = Audience Reach (# of followers) x Brand Affinity (expertise and credibility) x Strength of Relationship with Followers. But where can these influencers be found?

The Creators is a documentary by creative agency Anomaly for YouTube. It explores how a generation of vloggers have given rise to a new cultural and social phenomenon. Directed by Oscar nominee Nanette Burstein, it stars Zoella, whose familiar and personal approach to make-up tutorials has seen her YouTube channel subscribers grow to nearly eight million. That’s a number some broadcast channels would dream of.

It’s not just millennials who are influenced by their online peers. Mumsnet started 15 years ago and now receives 14 million visits each month. A platform for sharing honest peer-to-peer advice, this growing community of Mumsnetters can give insight into everything from education to travel. Their work with brands ranges from partnerships to market research, which is further evidence of the influence this community wields.

Working collaboratively is essential. Brands must trust the intimate understanding influencers have of their audience and work with them to ensure the message they deliver is authentic and genuine.