Lots of people make fun of influencers—but no one who has hundreds of thousands of followers is laughing! If you’re authentic, good at connecting with people, and have a knack for creating great content about something you love, then there’s no reason you can’t build a satisfying career as an influencer.
Influencer marketing used to be the “Wild West” of digital marketing. No one had established any rules, and it was pretty easy to game the system for personal profit. Now that the dust is settled, you can still make money as an influencer, but you’ll have to put in the work. Here are some tips for advancing your career.
Prioritize Your Social Channels! You Can’t Own Them All
There are lots of social media channels to choose from. As an influencer, it’s important to focus your attention and become visible on the sites that make sense for your niche. For example, if you’re great at making videos, YouTube might be the best platform for your content. If you’re a fashion blogger, Instagram might be the best choice. Just remember: you can’t be successful on all channels!
Not coincidentally, most influencers find the most success on Instagram. Instagram is the go-to platform for influencer marketing, and most businesses are willing to sponsor posts on the platform due to the engagement and results they get. That doesn’t mean you can’t find success on other platforms, but if your content can incorporate compelling visuals, it can be a great choice.
Don’t Just Rely On Social Thought. Have a Website Too!
When most people think of influencers, they only think about social media. The problem with that is that you don’t own the social media platform. You’re limited to what the platform offers you and you’re at the mercy of changing policies and algorithms.
Having your own site gives you more visibility and credibility. Best of all, it’s something you own. You have control over the design and it gives you another way to engage with people and promote yourself. Plus, you’ll have more than a social media profile to show off when media outlets contact you. It’s never been easier to build a website and there’s so much you can do with it.
Be Consistent With Your Posts & Messaging
Successful influencers don’t just put up random content when they feel like it. They have a strategy! Not only is it important to have your own brand and aesthetic as an influencer, but it’s also important to post consistently.
Making a schedule and content strategy you can stick to makes a big difference. Your fans will start to expect content on specific days of the week and will be more engaged.
You also need to be consistent with your messaging. If you’re all over the place, you’ll have trouble building trust and loyalty. Your followers want to be able to recommend your profiles for a certain experience, and you need to consistently deliver that experience.
Find Businesses and Entrepreneurs That Will Sponsor You
For the most part, influencers make money by working with businesses and creating sponsored content. Social media platforms require influencers to identify posts as ads or sponsored posts, but if you’re creative and helpful in your sponsored content, your followers will get a lot of value from your posts.
When pitching yourself to businesses, it’s important to only work with brands you can recommend without reservations. Ask yourself: would I buy this product if I wasn’t being sponsored? If the answer is yes, then that might be a good brand to pitch.
Remember, the relationship between an influencer and their followers is built on trust. Don’t break that trust just to make a quick buck from a sponsored post. Only work with brands in your niche that you believe in to deliver value to your audience.
Try And Use Your Influence to Add Some Positivity!
Most adults use social media, but it’s common knowledge that digital communications can sometimes lead to social isolation. As an influencer, you have a responsibility to help people, not to pull them into unhealthy behavior.
Now, more than ever, we need some positivity online. Social distancing has made it more difficult to connect and easier than ever to share negativity. Do your part as an influencer by adding some positivity into the world and help your followers live happier lives!
Influencers have, well, influence. Use that power carefully, and use it for good.
