Credit unions were the original influencers

How’s that working in a digital world?

Photo by Artem Podrez

They used to be a novelty, but today’s influencers and creators have infiltrated every part of our lives. TikTok stars no longer stay on TikTok. They show up in HBO shows, prime-time sitcoms, Spotify playlists and even product lines. What makes them influential today is not only the size of their audience but the way they keep conversations moving with personality, community and a sense of purpose.

That should sound familiar. Long before MrBeast staged giveaways or Selena Gomez set up a mental health fund, credit unions were doing their own version of influence. They appeared in schools, workplaces and neighborhoods with simple goals like helping people and improving the community. In many ways credit unions wrote the first playbook on how to earn trust through action.

Why influencers took off

Influencers matter because people want to hear from people they relate to. Social media turned that impulse into a business model.

• Trust: A peer recommendation feels real in a way a banner ad never can

• Relevance: Influencers make complicated topics quick and entertaining

• Cause: The most successful influencers connect their reach to something bigger, whether that is charity drives, mental health or social justice

That mix is why young audiences spend hours watching influencers, even on subjects as serious as money. It is also why personal finance voices on TikTok and Instagram are booming.

Source: Rolling Stone

To get a sense of how influence is playing out on the Internet, explore Rolling Stone's 25 most influential creators of 2025 list.

The gap for credit unions

This is both an opening and a reality check. Young people want financial knowledge but if credit unions stay quiet someone else will fill the gap.

Some creators do a great job breaking down concepts. Others lean on hype, shortcuts or risky fads. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are already experimenting with crypto, ETFs and side hustles. If the only voices guiding them are TikTok clips, credit unions risk losing not just attention but long-term trust.

Credit unions as influencers before influencers

The advantage is that credit unions do not have to start from zero.

• Influence has always been part of their DNA

• They were founded to serve people not to chase profit

• They are owned by members which creates a natural sense of accountability

• They already have a foothold in schools, clubs and community programs

In some schools students run credit union branches as part of classroom projects. Those experiences bring in new members and often spark future careers. That is influence in action, helping young people build skills and identity through participation.

What youth are really asking for

The idea that young people do not care about money is outdated. In reality they talk about it more openly than their parents did. Surveys show Gen Z is ahead of Millennials at the same age when it comes to financial awareness. They swap stories about debt, compare notes on investing and follow finance creators for tips.

What they want is content they can trust that also holds their attention. Short videos, animated explainers, games and classroom debates all fit the bill. If credit unions bring those tools kids will use them. If not, they will take their cues from whatever pops up in their feed.

A kick start to influence

We built It’s a Money Thing to give credit unions a professional way to step into the financial education and literacy space. It is not about chasing trends or trying to manufacture TikTok stars. It is about giving members and students content that is fun, trustworthy and easy to share, and doing it without the intrusive data harvesting tactics common in modern educational apps.

• Animated videos that make money concepts click

• Teaching materials that help classrooms run with the topic

• Social assets that credit unions can post straight to their channels

• An expansive library of engaging digital assets that can easily be added to your credit union's website

It will not replace a full marketing plan, but as an essential component it can fast track credibility with audiences who are curious about money and open to learning.

Influence with impact

Across the creator landscape the top voices attach their influence to something bigger. That is why they resonate. People want to follow someone who stands for more than clicks.

Credit unions have had that cause all along, financial empowerment for ordinary people. A program like It’s a Money Thing lets them carry that message into the places young people already spend their time. The same values that built trust in neighborhoods can build it online.

The bottom line

Influencers thrive because they win attention and turn it into trust. Credit unions have been doing the same for more than a century, just with different tools.

The challenge now is to make sure TikTok is not the only place kids hear about money. Credit unions can be the trusted voice on financial literacy. With It’s a Money Thing content, they can extend their community role into the digital age and earn the loyalty of the next generation of members and leaders.