YouTube Influencers Shaping Urban Identity in Multicultural Cities

Adolescents today are heavily influenced by social media stars, often known as influencers. These role models can play a big part in helping teens understand their identity. In cities filled with diverse cultures, local influencers might hold extra importance. For kids growing up in a multi-cultural city like Rotterdam, figuring out who they are and where they fit in can be a challenge. Yet, despite different backgrounds, everyone shares one common factor: the city. Local influencers can serve as crucial guides in navigating urban life. This study aims to explore how YouTube influencers from a diverse city connect online and how their content ties to the city. The findings reveal that influencers in their videos and channel pages often connect with the city by showing it as a backdrop, engaging with local trends like soccer and hip-hop, and collaborating with other local influencers. This suggests that influencers might help their viewers strengthen their sense of belonging to the city.