Meet the ‘grandfluencers’: How a wave of seniors in their 80s are enjoying a second lease on life as social media stars making thousands of dollars per POST
The stereotype of the social media influencer is a scantily clad twenty-something who gives fitness tips, handsome wellness gurus or hot mommy yoga instructors.
But a new wave of stars are hitting Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, sharing their wisdom – seniors, some of them in their 80s.
They are known as 'major influencers' have gained millions of followers by sharing posts about baking cakes and life advice.
The most successful among them earn as much as $150,000 per post, through brand sponsorships and merchandise sales.
Lynn Yamada Davis, 79, earns a cozy six-figure salary through her 'Cooking With Lynja' channels, which show her making food in unconventional ways – 17 million people watched a video of her building a 10-foot hot dog and made popcorn with a hair straightener.
Most people assume that the followers of these major influencers are older adults, but most of their fans are the younger generation who have welcomed them into the digital world with open arms.
Lynn Yamada Davis, 79, earns a cozy six-figure salary through her 'Cooking With Lynja' channels, which shows she makes food in unconventional ways
I offer some older wisdom
There is plenty of room for big influencers – especially to make money – as the influencer market is worth over $21 billion.
You don't have to be a lifelong entertainer to go viral on social media.
Crazy Chef Davis is a retired MIT engineer. You wouldn't have guessed that, given how naturally entertaining she is in the kitchen.
She slices and dices like a chef with a Michelin star, but puts a unique twist on every recipe.
If you want to know how to undo a zipper with Vaseline, find an internet mom/grandma like a 'Babs.'
If you want to know how to undo a zipper with Vaseline, find an internet mom/grandma like a 'Babs'
BrunchwithBabs declares itself 'everyone's grandmother' tips and tricks for her more than four million followers.
She has a sweet bob haircut, stylish glasses and wears soft pink lipstick in every video.
The clips include how to make the perfect breakfast sandwiches, packing a cooler, cleaning tips and advice on mothering a new mom.
She's not alone. There are dozens of these stories in which elders offer their wisdom. Many of these older makers are warm, motherly and fatherly figures you can learn from.
The granddaddy of the internet
And there would be a complete pair without the grandpa of the internet.
Stephen Austin, 85, is called “Old Man Steve” on TikTok, which he is over 1.7 million followers.
Stephen Austin, 85, is called “Old Man Steve.” The smiling grandpa in each video wears a hat and has a white beard and glasses
The smiling grandpa in each video wears a hat and has a white beard and glasses.
He posts short clips of drinking coffee, eating cookies and talking to his fans from his kitchen in Dallas, Texas.
Although he is not a grandfather himself, he receives many messages from young fans asking him to be theirs.
And Austin makes a video every day.
He reminds his fans to be kind to themselves and others.
“Making fun videos gets me up in the morning because I look forward to interacting with my fans and getting suggestions from them on what I can do,” he said.
Grandparents of comedy
Just because you're getting older doesn't mean you can't laugh anymore — and it looks like a group of six actors over 70 are living those words on their channel called Retirementhouse.
More than five million people follow them as they spend their golden years together in one home.
Just because you're getting older doesn't mean you can't laugh anymore — and it looks like a group of six actors over 70 are living those words on their channel called Retirementhouse
It's basically 'Jersey Shore' – if the cast had back pain and grandchildren to care for.
The group doesn't mock social media trends, but instead joins in on the fun — from doing popular TikTok dances to eating Oreos covered in ranch dressing as a challenge.
They also give some hysterical relationship advice.
See and share the sights
At 76, Lindy Moore defies the typical image of retirement.
Moore converted her 2013 Chevy Van into a house, giving her and her dog Marley to explore the US while sharing tips and stories with 36,000 YouTube subscribers on 'Lindy's Awesome Van Adventure.'
“I started strictly because I wanted to tell my story. It's a completely different life,” Moore said. 'I got polio when I was seven or eight.
Lindy Moore converted her 2013 Chevy Van into a house, allowing her and her dog Marley to explore the US while sharing tips and stories with 36,000 YouTube subscribers on 'Lindy's Awesome Van Adventure'
'My mother saved me from the lung machine. Because of her strength I learned to walk again.'
As she got older, Moore realized she had a choice to make: sit around and watch TV or live every day to the fullest.
She makes about $600 in a normal month from her posts, but when a video gets crazy views, that number is much higher.
“Let's say you have a video that gets 400,000 views,” Moore said. “You could possibly get $10,000.”
She encourages other seniors to create their own channels.
'Seniors have so much knowledge, and it is a source of knowledge that is being lost. All you need is a phone, that's all,” Moore said.
“Even if you make $300 a month, that can be a huge help. That can be life-changing