Being a popular influencer on any social media platform and then using your popularity to market for brands whilst getting paid is a huge trend right now. More and more people are turning to this way of life as their main source of income and essentially being an influencer as a full-time occupation. It has become a mainstream marketing tactic and is no longer limited to a select few brands or agencies.
The rise of the influencer has had a ripple affected outward into almost every industry on the planet. Being an influencer is a new age form of marketing that not only supports brand awareness and gets the marketing strategy out to as many people as possible, but also supports the individual or page doing the influencing. It has taken marketing from a companywide strategy and turned it on its head into a more singular supportive context.
Whether you are a student needing to support yourself and pay off your loans, or a full-time marketing manager wanting to enter the world of social media, there are 3 tips you need to know in order to start your influencer journey:
1. What Is Your Niche?
This means looking and selecting an area/niche that you are interested in and can consistently create content about. Do you enjoy crafts? Do you love to play live casino games? Are you a whizz with make-up? Can you sew or repurpose clothing?
It’s important for you to have knowledge, experience, and expertise in the field you choose in order for you to really establish a name for yourself.
2. Sort Out Your Social Media Profiles
The next step is to choose your social media platforms that you wish to be on and create or optimize your profiles/accounts. Keep your focus small at first by choosing 1 or 2 accounts to focus on, branch out late when you have built a following and feel more confident. Ensure your bio, profile picture, cover photo and all your info are engaging, precise and professional.
Keep in mind that the success or failure of your time as an influencer can be as simple as having an engaging profile that invites people in.
Figure out what type of message you want to send and what brand you want to represent yourself as and run with it!
3. Get To Know Your Audience
Before you start creating content and posting on social media, you need to understand your target audience. As an influencer, you will have a big impact on your audience and create strong bonds and connections with them.
Knowing them on a foundational level and understanding what their needs are is an important part of this process. To become an influencer, it is important that you know who you’re targeting and then do it well to build a loyal follower base.
These 3 steps are a way to start getting yourself set up to become a thriving social media influencer presence. Remember to stay focussed on your goal, passionate about your content, and loyal to your followers and fan base.