Social media has impacted each of our lives completely and we all rely on it too much like the way we connect, share and consume content. Now there comes influencers who attract a large and loyal audience, affecting their lifestyle along with their shopping decisions and behaviours of their followers. What came as a passion has now emerged as a viable, lucrative, career path. While it seems easy, earning money through social media involves strategic planning, creativity and also consistency.
Let’s discuss in detail how you can pursue your career being a social media influencer
Understand what is Social Media Influencer?
A social media influencer is someone who has access to a large group of audience and has a niche to impact the life of others. They post on various social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, linkedin and X (previously known as Twitter). These posts engage with followers through different posts, images, videos, stories and live sessions. These audiences are mostly gained through expertise, constant engagement with their audience, authenticity and reliability.
Influencers are usually categorised by the size of their audience
- Nano-influencers- (1k- 10k followers)
- Micro-influencers- (10k-100k followers)
- Macro-influencers- (100k- 1M followers)
- Mega-influencers- (1M+ influencers)
Irrespective of the number of following you can still earn money with engaged following and multiple live streams.
How to Make Money as an Influencer?
There is no one single way to monetise your social media presence rather combine several income streams:
- Brand Sponsorships and Collaborations- There are many brands who pay influencers to promote their products and services through their content. These collaborations can be done through
- Sponsored Posts- A specific fee is paid for one or multiple posts as decided by the sponsor.
- Ambassador programs- This works as a partnership program where brands represent a brand for a long period of time.
- Affiliate partnerships- There is a certain amount of commision influencers earn when followers buy a certain product using their referral link.
Several factors such as ad reach, niche, engagement and their content quality decides how much amount will be earned by the influencers.
- Selling Products and Services- Many influencers work on creating a brand and develop their products- digital or physical. These can include
- Beauty and wellness products
- Fitness products
- Online courses and educational videos
- Merchandise such as T Shirts, Mugs and many more
- E books
These products have higher margins but need more investment and effort.
- Affiliate Marketing- Influencers use customized links to promote various products, they earn a good commission whenever a sale is made through those links. Some popular networks for these affiliate networks are RewardStyle, ShareaSale and Amazon Associates. Instead of flat fees these models reward influencers based on their performance.
- Ad Revenue- There are many partner programs which run through YouTube and Facebook and allow the influencers to earn through Ad Revenue. For example
- YouTube Partnership Program- Pays Influencers based on their ad views
- Instagram Reels Bonus- It rewards creator for views
- Tik tok creator Fund- Based on your video performance you are paid.
- Fan Support and Crowdfunding- Fans can also financially support the creators through platforms like
- Buy Me a Coffee
- Ko-fi
- Patreon
How to Start as a Social Media Influencer
Everyone has the option to create an account and become an influencer but in order to become a successful one you need to be dedicated, consistent and of course give it some time.
Let’s begin your journey:
- Find your niche- Your niche should talk about your passion, what your channel is all about, your expertise and of course your audience interests. Some of the most popular niches that you can think of are:
- Emotional wellness
- Fashion and beauty
- Fitness and lifestyle
- Travelling
- Finances and Investment
- Food and cooking
- Parenting tips
- Technology and gadgets
- Daily vlogs
- Educational Content
And there are many more. Stick to your niche and stay focused and consistent to grow your channel.
- Choose the right platform- There are many platforms which target different kind of audience
- YouTube- It’s great for long videos which help you get good watch time.
- Instagram- Great for visual content (beauty, fitness and fashion)
- Tiktok- It’s great for short term creative videos (good for on going trends and challenges)
- Linkedin- It’s great for professional content
- X- Effective for trending topics and of course leadership.
- Focus on high Quality Content- Everyone is trying to build up content but if you come up with something of value then you gain a loyal audience. Things to keep in mind:
- Use good lighting and clear audio
- Be relatable and authentic
- Engage with your followers
- Try to keep it personal
- Always stay on top of trends
- How to Grow Your Audience
To attract brands and grow your earnings, build a strong and engaged community. You can also try to
- Collaborate with other influencers from your niche
- Use relevant hashtags
- Plan giveaways and run some contests
- Engage with your followers
- Post consistently at peak times
Conclusion:
If you want to start a side hustle and are willing to face the camera then social media is your thing. Just follow the above steps and in no time you will have your own personal brand.
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Have questions? Post it in comment section below.