How taking a break can help save an influencer's dying career, even when it seems like there's no hope

• Gabbie Hanna returned to the internet after a yearlong hiatus, to a positive reception.
• Hanna's break allowed her and her audience time to heal and forgive.
• Experts say audiences tend to be forgiving of influencers who show genuine change.

Last year, Gabbie Hanna took an extended break from the internet, with some thinking she would never come back.

But she did, and despite having contended with a string of controversies before her departure, she was welcomed back with open arms.

The shift in perception is not guaranteed by stepping away, but it does help, experts say.