How to Become an Influencer

In a world that is shifting almost entirely online, job roles are not following too far behind. Social media influencer marketing has seen a significant rise within the last decade and it is only getting bigger. Turning heads (and dreams) with the enormous amounts of money it can bring, everyone wants to know how to become an influencer. 

How to become an influencer: The basics 

What is a social media influencer?

It is what it says on the tin. Social media influencers are a growing breed of highly influential individuals (typically within certain niches, such as beauty, gaming, fitness etc.) who use their large followings to promote themselves and other brands/products. From Instagram to TikTok to Youtube, if there is an opportunity for content creation, then there is an opportunity for influencing. 

What has recently caught peoples’ attention, is the way in which influencing has shifted into the marketing world to create what is now known as ‘influencer marketing’. With each influencer having their own niche following, the task of audience-targeting is already taken care of and is why, in 2017, 86% of marketers turned to influencer marketing. 

Just one successful Instagram post or TikTok  from a well-established influencer can make a company’s ROI sky-rocket. Brand deals have changed the blueprint for what was once solely a content-creating role and expanded it into the business world; broadening the number of people now wanting to know how to become a social media influencer.

An appealing aspect of being an influencer is the opportunities that can present once a considerably large following has been obtained and a credible profile has been created. Examples of these range from clothing edits with popular fashion brands to the creation of an influencer’s very own brand. This type of success is exactly why 75% of under 17s stated that their dream job is to be a YouTuber/vlogger and how the Google search ‘how to become an influencer’ became one of the internet’s most popular questions.

How to become an influencer: Getting Started

The Molly-Maes and Pewdiepies of the world all started their influencer journeys somewhere. Though it’s hard to believe, at one point they, too, only had a few thousand followers/subscribers. Whether you’re looking for how to become an influencer on Instagram, YouTube sensation or TikTok mogul, the first step is to find your niche. This will lead you to your demographic. 

For those thinking specifically about how to become an Instagram influencer, the magic starts in your bio! A successful Instagram bio is your first selling point and hooks people into wanting to explore your profile. The same can be said for your profile picture or cover photo—a picture paints a thousand words. 

Once your rhythm for attracting followers has been found and you begin to get into the swing of things, it’s time to get creative! On-brand content creation will not only ensure your followers remain loyal to you, but will also provide you with many opportunities to raise awareness about important topics; should you decide that you want to use your profile to stand for something. 

With the exponential development of social media platforms nowadays, you will almost always be able to track the success of whatever you choose to put out there. Keeping an eye on statistics surrounding your followers interests, locations, genders etc., will ensure as much influence over them as possible, as you will be able to tailor your posts to this information—this is one of the best tips when considering how to become an influencer.

If being a macro-influencer is your goal when considering how to become an influencer, then optimising your presence on a range of social media platforms is key. Take some time to explore each platform, its features and what it has to offer. From here, take away what suits both you and your audience’s preferred way of content-sharing, best. This is a tedious task, but it will reap great rewards and will be proof of your connection with your audience; securing their loyalty. 

How to become an influencer: Final thoughts

While it’s true anyone can become a social media influencer, results don’t happen overnight. Countless hours of hard work paired with hefty amounts of patience are required to yield success in this line of work. Staying consistent with content creation all while knowing it is not yet reaching your desired demographic will tempt your downfall, but dedication to your personal brand will only produce positive results. Keep pushing!

FAQ’s

How do you become an influencer? 

To summarise; 

1. Build a community around your niche and stay on brand
2. Stand for something
3. Create goals
4. Network with other influencers
5. Understand the difference between each social network and how they can work for you
6. Be constantly learning and willing to use new platforms.

How many followers do you need to have to be considered an influencer?

Though this is definitely subjective, it is said that a following or subscriber count of 1,000
+ is considered “influencer worthy”. Macro-influencers will typically have between 40,000 to 1 million followers, while micro-influencers will have anywhere between 1,000 to 40,000. 

Who is the highest paid Instagrammer?

The current reigning instagram champion is world-famous footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo; weighing in at roughly $880,259-$1m per post. 

Our Influencer marketing agency and Social agency are located worldwide, with our agency network based in the USA, UK, UAE and China.

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@ Socially Powerful

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