IMpulse - The Influencer Marketing Podcast
How a Penn State Professor is Training Future Influencers
April 12, 2025
Welcome to S3E06 of IMpulse, the Influencer Marketing Podcast! In this episode, we’re joined by Bill Zimmerman, Assistant Teaching Professor at Penn State University and the author of Understanding the Creator Economy. Bill is leading the charge in academia, developing courses, summer camps, and certification programs that prepare students to thrive as ethical, strategic digital creators. We talk about how education is adapting to the rise of the creator economy, the myths of virality, AI’s role in content creation, and what it means to be a “creator middle class.” This is a must-listen for brands, marketers, and aspiring creators alike. 🎯 Key Topics Discussed: 1. Why influencer education belongs in the classroom 2. The ethics of becoming a content creator 3. What it takes to build a niche and grow sustainably 4. How AI tools are reshaping the creative workflow 5. Campus creators and the future of brand collaborations 6. Why "riches are in the niches" — and how to find yours 7. Bill’s bold prediction for the future of creators in America
 Welcome to S3E06 of IMpulse, the Influencer Marketing Podcast!

In this episode, we’re joined by Bill Zimmerman, Assistant Teaching Professor at Penn State University and the author of Understanding the Creator Economy. Bill is leading the charge in academia, developing courses, summer camps, and certification programs that prepare students to thrive as ethical, strategic digital creators.

We talk about how education is adapting to the rise of the creator economy, the myths of virality, AI’s role in content creation, and what it means to be a “creator middle class.” This is a must-listen for brands, marketers, and aspiring creators alike.

🎯 Key Topics Discussed:

1. Why influencer education belongs in the classroom
2. The ethics of becoming a content creator
3. What it takes to build a niche and grow sustainably
4. How AI tools are reshaping the creative workflow
5. Campus creators and the future of brand collaborations
6. Why "riches are in the niches" — and how to find yours
7. Bill’s bold prediction for the future of creators in America




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