You have “met” them many times. Whether on your favorite social media platform, on TV, or at a public event. These are the social media influencers.
Usually, influencers are paid to “sell” us products. However, there is also a different type of social media influencer – those that advocate and, in this case, those that support Israel.
Pro-Israel influencers are divided into two groups: news influencers; and those who focus on everything but the news, such as culture, culinary, fashion, sports, and music.
A recent Pew poll found that 21% percent adults in the US get their news from influencers. Broken down into age groups, unsurprisingly, the main consumers of news this way are between 18-29. They are affected by such influencers four times more than adults over the age of 65.
Unprecedented resources
In the past months, Israel has poured unprecedented resources into digital advocacy with catchy videos, celebrity visits, and patriotic hashtags.
Most of the content posted was based on visits to the Gaza border region to showcase the horrors of October 7 but while a viral post can generate millions of likes, Israel’s story is far too complicated to be marketed solely by influencers.
Hiring them to promote a cause is expensive. Many content creators charge thousands of dollars per post or campaign. But digital vitality is fleeting. The same dollar invested in educational partnerships, university student engagement, or news production could yield a more lasting impact.
Take, for example, an Israeli television series like Fauda, which visualizes some of the challenges Israel is facing. It reached millions and will reach more in the future because it does not “disappear” like a social media post does.
Another timing aspect has to do with the nature of social media. Influencer campaigns have spiked during Gaza escalations or amid campus protests, but then fade. Israel cannot allow vacuums; the fight for narrative legitimacy must be continuous.
Influencers may win moments of impact, but eventually the next generation’s understanding of Israel will not depend on who or what trended in 2024 or 2025. It will depend on education and the in-depth context. A TikTok clip viewed by a million people cannot replace a semester-long university course or a visit to Israel.
Every Israeli shekel spent on influencers is a shekel not spent on cultivating a deeper, systemic understanding. Universities, think tanks, and interfaith groups struggle for funding while influencer agencies thrive.
Meanwhile, misinformation about Israel crosses borders and multiplies in languages or regions where the influencer ecosystem barely reaches – Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
Imagine if only a fraction of the influencers’ budget went to seminars for journalists or to exchange programs. Real people telling real stories – teachers, doctors, students, and more.
The return on investment will be slower but it will be far more durable.
Combating fake news
Influencers also face challenges. They talk at audiences, not with them. Comment sections are battlegrounds of disagreement, the very opposite of dialogue.
Israel’s biggest challenge today is not visibility, it’s combating fake news and helping people understand the complexities of the issues.
Explanations, descriptions, and amplifications are not sufficient. Israel needs moderated debates, detailed conversations, and town halls where Israelis and Arabs can both speak honestly.
Digital platforms that do invite dialogue, like podcasts, usually reach audiences already supportive of Israel.
This is not an argument against influencers. Many do valuable and dedicated work reaching audiences that traditional diplomacy cannot reach. But they should be one layer in the wider ecosystem.
Israel’s narrative deserves more than trending hashtags, its communication policy should include three elements: credible voices; in-depth education; and creative content.
The country’s story has many valuable components – innovation, human rights, multiculturalism, and more. These cannot be compressed into a sponsored reel that carries Israel’s story alone.■
Lt. Col. (res.) Avital Leibovich is the director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) in Israel. Former IDF spokesperson to international media and founding head of the IDF Social Media Branch.