Why is that Vine star wearing a Jimmy Johns T-shirt? Cash. Lots and lots of cash.

On the secret paydays of social media 'influencers'

These internet stars are bringing in big bucks.
(Image credit: Screenshots courtesy King Bach, Logan Paul via Vine)

They dazzle on Instagram and Vine. They deliver pithy shout-outs over Twitter, or showcase their personality on YouTube. Sometimes they do it for love. But sometimes they have a product to sell.

These are the so-called influencers, and they represent the next step in advertising's evolution.

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Alexis Boncy is special projects editor for The Week and TheWeek.com. Previously she was the managing editor for the alumni magazine Columbia College Today. She has an M.F.A. from Columbia University's School of the Arts and a B.A. from the University of Virginia.