After accepting a Webby Award this year, which, by the way, we’re not saying was fixed, but like didn’t that just feel a little planned? Like Anna maybe just said to someone, “so, included in this year’s plan for Vogue’s branding, we will win a Webby Award and I will accept it,” and it was so? The point is that after some have criticized the mag for being less culturally relevant than it once was, Vogue seems to have gotten pretty dedicated to upgrading the internet side of its branding.

Tying that to Vogue’s reliance on advertising, they have recently launched the Influencer Network, through which advertisers can use Vogue-appointed panel members to extend the reach of their products through social media. Susan Plagemann, vice president of publishing at Vogue, tells AdWeek, “There are a lot of people who are self-appointed experts. The biggest difference is, we’re developing a program of ambassadors who spread the word digitally across a very big network about the access that’s been given because of Vogue.” Panel members are asked to provide feedback and talk about products on their social networks and blogs. So basically, the advertisers are using (and presumably compensating) Vogue, who is using (and not compensating) Vogue readers and in the end both Vogue and its advertisers get more publicity.

So, what is Vogue’s selection process for this “network?”