LAS VEGAS — The power of social media and influencer marketing is not one to be underestimated as the bakers behind the International Baking Industry Exhibition’s (IBIE) influencer program have proven. In addition to attending the Baking Expo, this select group of international bakers were specifically chosen to create their own IBIE-related original content, bringing a century-old Expo into the modern day.

But before there were bakers well-versed in the realm of social media, there were bakers like Duff Goldman, renowned pastry chef and owner of Baltimore-based Charm City Cakes. He represents a generation of bakers who brought their expertise to the masses through the power of personality.

Food Network’s Ace of Cakes, a reality television series that featured Goldman and his bakery employees, provided viewers with an inside look at the creation of baked goods, from complex orders to day-to-day operations with a bit of fun mixed in. Social media has blown the doors wide open for bakers big and small to do the same online.

In the advent of digital communication platforms available at the touch of a screen, influential figures like Goldman have adapted and maintained their position as industry leaders by using these tools to their advantage. With the emergence of social media touching all kinds of industries, bakers can find opportunities to connect with consumers and one another as content creators and influencers.