how to become a influencer

How to Become an Influencer

Becoming an influencer is the new "it" job to have, and it'll be a long time before that changes. Many social media stars ambled into the early influencer fray because they began posting their passions on Instagram. Others took a more decided approach and targeted a need until it snowballed into a moneymaking venture. The influencer arena changes almost daily, and what it took to become an influencer even a year ago differs from today.

What did it take to become noticed in the early days of influencers? It took grit and a focus on one platform. How do you become an influencer now? It still takes grit, and you have to spread your efforts on multiple platforms.

The term 'influencer" is actually quite old, dating back to the days of fashion icon Coco Channel and earlier. Then the popularity of celebrity endorsements emerged in the 1980s and 1990s. When Instagram launched in 2010, viewers flocked to bloggers and brands using the platform. In 2018, the influencer world exploded with increased marketing budgets and increased pressures on both influencers and brands. Today, the industry continues to evolve, including the ways to becoming an influencer. The general path remains the same, but with a few significant additional steps:

Female influencer looking at her Instagram photo feed on an iphone.

Your Niche

Find a niche that you're passionate about or have an expertise in, and focus, focus, focus. It doesn't matter how many other influencers are in the same niche. If you have a genuine love for the subject, it'll come through in your posts.

Your Bio

To attract followers, know your topic. Or, be honest and say you're learning and invite others to learn along with you. Your bio is the beginning of your branding. Study your favorite influencer's bio and figure out why it's compelling.

Your Platforms

It's not just about Instagram anymore, though it's estimated to have 1 billion active monthly users. There are plenty of influencers on Twitter, which may have more engagement with followers than Instagram. YouTube is extremely influential with an estimated 1.9 billion active monthly users per month. The key today is to distribute content on all or at least two platforms to capture followers.

Your Stories

Instagram has evolved beyond just photos. Now, you need to put some meat behind those eye-catching images in the form of stories. Through your real stories, you'll begin to engage with your audience and connect with your followers.

Your Feed

It needs to be consistent, coherent, and with an authentic style all your own. Use editing tools and filters to stand out in a way that blends with your content and niche. It's almost like putting a beautiful book together. Take your time and be thoughtful with your content and your image.

Your Followers

They need to be real, not fake, so forget about buying them. Fake followers don't engage, and real followers can sniff that out.

Your Designation

You no longer need to be designated as a mega-influencer to get noticed. Brands, and audiences, are beginning to pay attention to nano-influencers (less than 1K followers) and micro-influencers (1K to 100K followers). Influencers with smaller audiences have hyper dedicated captive audiences, which is ideal for brands. In fact, according to Forbes.com, marketers want to partner with smaller, edgier and more controversial influencers that have zealous followers.

Your Favorite Brands

It pays to reach out to a company or brand that you truly believe in, tell them you're just getting started and ask the marketing person from the bottom of your heart for a sample for a photo. You never know where it could lead from there, maybe even a long-term partnership.

Your Networks

Last and by no means least, join and apply to influencer networks. Networks act like agents, matching brands and their budgets to influencers. As you grow, consider joining Amazon's influencer program which rolled out in 2017. It's a richer version of its successful affiliate program, but allows influencers a free storefront filled with recommended products and a way to make money.

If you're hoping to be an overnight influencer, it could happen. There are stories of influencers who took two months to become a moneymaking brand ambassador. In the influencer world, miracles have been known to happen.