While becoming a top social media influencer isn’t easy, launching your social media influencer business is pretty simple.
1. Choose your niche.
Choosing a niche is the most important step you’ll take as a
social media influencer. Your niche will define you and the companies you’ll
work with. Many social media influencers pick a niche like cooking, home
design, motherhood, fashion, or crafting.
Pick a niche that you’re passionate and knowledgeable about
and one that you think will interest you for a long time. You don’t want to
grow your influencer status only to get bored with the niche in six months.
2. Set up your social media accounts.
As you set up your social media accounts, be consistent.
Whenever possible, use the same name, profile, or brand image and description
on each platform.
Use a similar voice, tone, and personality in your posting
to build trust and connection with your audience. Be authentic, honest, and
engaging.
3. Create a posting schedule.
As you grow your following, your audience will expect
regular content from you. To do this, consider creating a posting schedule or
editorial calendar. You can plan out ideas, topics, keep track of campaign
dates, and anything else that helps you stay on top of your obligations.
Consider using planning software to have your images post
automatically online and set aside time each week to create and edit videos or
images. You can even hire a virtual assistant to keep you organized as your
business grows.
4. Know your target audience.
As your accounts grow, use any analytics or information
available to you to understand your target audience. Ask questions like:
- How
old are they?
- Where
do they live?
- What’s
their education level?
- What
do they like?
- Which
posts get the most interaction or engagement?
- What
time of day are they most engaging with your account?
The more information you have about your audience, the more
you can curate and tailor your content to them. This also helps you create
pitches and target the right companies and brands for your followers.
5. Apply for affiliate partnerships and contact sponsors.
As your social media influence grows, and you get to know
your audience better, you can apply for affiliate partnerships. Make sure you
read the terms, conditions, and requirements carefully before applying and note
the ones you don’t qualify for. If you don’t meet the criteria now, you might
be eligible later as your following and influence grow.
Also, make a list of companies you’d like to work with or
have sponsor you. If you’re just starting out, consider working with smaller or
newer companies first.
You can even contact local brick-and-mortar companies, too.
As you do the work and gather testimonials and a good reputation, you can start
to work with larger, higher-profile companies.
6. Promote your social media accounts.
One of the best ways to grow your accounts, after posting
consistent, helpful, and engaging content, is to promote them by cross-posting.
For instance, you can let your Twitter followers know about your Facebook page
and your Facebook followers know about your Instagram account.
You can also work with other up-and-coming influencers to
promote each other’s accounts. The idea behind this is to let people know where
they can find and follow you and attract new fans.
You can also consider an ad campaign to help people find
you. Those can be expensive and might not drive the traffic that you want, but
if you can get even a hundred new followers, it might be worth it.
Whatever you do, don’t pay for followers. That is a shady
practice that will make your existing followers not trust you and make
influencers and brands not want to work with you. It’s better to grow your
followers slowly and organically than to pay for followers.
7. Interact with your followers.
Engagement is essential when it comes to growing a following and pitching brands. Interact with your followers by answering their questions, responding to comments and direct messages, and even commenting on some of their content. This shows an active interest in your followers which will make them loyal to you and even more interested in buying products or services that you recommend.
If you don’t want to stay connected to your social media
profiles 24/7, pick a block of time each day that’s dedicated to interacting
with your followers. You’ll still get the benefit of engagement and building
trust without having to do it all day long.
Can You Become a Social Media Influencer?
It may seem elusive at first, but it’s possible to earn
money as a social media influencer without being famous or having a large
following.
While you may have to pitch brands and companies in the
beginning, as your audience and reputation grow, companies may come to you. And
as you begin to work with larger companies, you’ll start to make more money.
You want to be fair when you negotiate with these companies,
so charge them a reasonable price. Remember that this is a business deal for
them, too. They want to work with an influencer who’ll get the most eyes on
their products or services and who will represent their beliefs and values. But
they also want to stay within their budget.
If becoming an influencer interests you, pick a specific
niche, stick to a posting schedule, provide useful and helpful content, and
engage with your audience. Doing this means you’ll gain their trust, and
they’ll use that trust to buy products and services that you recommend.