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How to become an influencer easily?
Generation Z is entering the labour market and is setting a new trend in terms of 2.0 professions. For a few years now, professions that combine social networks and marketing/communication techniques have emerged. In this wave of emerging professions are bloggers, Youtubers and Instagrammers.
These are particularly popular with young people seeking fame and success. The best part is that in most cases, these jobs do not require a lot of knowledge in specific areas. On the other hand, if you manage to become an influential person on social networks, you are likely to generate substantial income. However, becoming an influencer is not that easy to do overnight. So how do you do it?
What is an influencer?
Being an influencer is a profession that pays off, not to mention the many benefits that come with it. As the name suggests, it is a profession, the purpose of which is to bring together a group of people in a community. The influencer invests in a specific sector and brings together people who share the same aspirations and values.
The first influencers who made history did not necessarily have in mind to make this activity their profession. Most of them had decided to create a community around a specific theme in order to share their inspirations and entertain Internet users. Over the years, the profession of influence has been so successful that the pioneers of this profession have quickly become influential public figures recognised throughout the world. Companies, well aware of their power of influence, have considered partnerships and collaborations with them. This is how influencers were elevated to the rank of brand ambassadors.
Currently, the biggest names in this sector (Norman, Tibo InShape, Squeezie, etc.) manage to generate substantial revenues that allow them to live solely from their profession as an influencer.
At first glance, being an influencer seems easy. However, it is not an activity that can suit just anyone. First and foremost, you need to be passionate about what you present to your followers. You also need to be a great communicator, have a certain charisma, a well-defined personality and enjoy sharing.
If you're only interested in being an influencer for the money or the fame, it's an activity that requires commitment and patience. Influencer marketing is clearly not profitable in the short to medium term unless you know how to do it right.
What's the point of being an influencer?
Being an influencer is an exciting activity that allows you to share your point of view on a topic or theme and to be heard by as many people as possible. It's a way to be part of something bigger and to be part of something bigger. By being an influencer, you contribute to the building of a better world.
Influencers are in great demand because of their power of persuasion over their community members. They are experts in mass mobilisation and can be easily identified with by ordinary internet users. For this reason, they can also be seen as ambassadors of a brand, a cause, etc., as well as being the voice of the people.
If you succeed in building an engaged community, you can make a living out of it and even earn small perks. In addition to compensation, an influencer is likely to receive free bonuses from brands and companies that solicit them. This can be free trips and stays in idyllic places or gift boxes. This is also one of the reasons why many people aspire to become influencers, but don't always succeed.
The different types of influencers
Although the goals of influencers and what they do may seem the same from the outside, in reality there are different types of influencers.
Social influencers
These are people whose actions are quite similar to those of conventional opinion leaders. A social influencer is a person who operates on a smaller scale on social media. He or she may well be considered a trusted expert in the field in which he or she operates. Anyone can become a social influencer even without necessarily realising it.
For example, when you publish a post on a social network (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, MYM Fans etc.). By publishing a review of a product, a film, etc., you are already acting as an influencer. Your post becomes visible to your friends and subscribers, it is likely to generate comments, reactions, shares and even influence the action of Internet users.
A positive review can for example make people more interested in the brand, and conversely, a negative publication can also break the image of a product. All of these actions (rating a product, an establishment, reviews, etc.) are already a form of micro influence. However, they do not allow you to establish yourself as an influencer and earn income.
Key influencers
It is these types of influencers who are generally perceived as icons and ambassadors. Unlike social influencers, key influencers are differentiated by their authenticity. They are much more highly regarded and offer their own content to Internet users. Public figures, bloggers, Twitch-Streamers, Youtubers and Instagrammers are relegated to this category.
A key influencer is someone who speaks to a target audience. This can be teenagers, gamers, etc. Above all, they are driven by a passion that they share with their community. For example, a fashion influencer may share styles, original looks or tips that appeal to a particular target audience. People who appreciate the creativity and personality of this influencer will inevitably identify with her. This helps to create an engaged community.
Peer Influencers
Influential peers fall between social influencers and key influencers. Opinion leaders on social media, they are true experts in their field. What's more, they generally have a wider reach. They are influencers that companies contact and sponsor to raise awareness of their brands and products.
A peer influencer can for example be an expert in the gaming world. With their knowledge of the subject, they easily establish themselves as a trusted figure in the industry and their opinions and comments are likely to reach a large number of people in the industry. They create and share authentic and original content that can generate reactions, shares and comments. Note that peer influencers are aware of the reach of their posts. They can promote articles that are in line with their own value and mobilise their community to engage with them.
Which platforms should you choose to become an influencer?
If you want to become an influencer and make a living at it, you will need to start logically at the bottom. It's best to establish yourself as a peer influencer first. Look after your image, create content, generate reactions and shares. Once your posts start to have a wider reach and your status as a thought leader is well established, you can become a key influencer.
Depending on the engagement you generate in your social circles and the size of your community, companies may contact you to represent their products, etc. Note that your rise as a key influencer will become exponential once you reach a certain threshold.
Most popular key influencers operate on YouTube. They earn their living by promoting products in a very subtle way in their videos. Most of the time, these promotions are embedded in the videos and the influencers do not fail to announce their various sponsors while presenting said products. They also provide their subscribers with links from which they can purchase the sponsored items. This is what allows the influencers to earn commissions afterwards. This technique works just as well on other platforms such as Twitch or Instagram.
On the latter, it is mainly images and stories that influencers use to showcase products. They showcase themselves by wearing, for example, the clothes of the brands they have signed contracts with. Instagram influencers can receive free samples which they showcase on their accounts to encourage their followers to also buy the same products.
Bloggers and vloggers are solicited by companies that operate in more technical sectors. For example, a blogger specialising in the production of content on the subject of household appliances may receive an appliance and be invited to test it in order to write a detailed, authentic and fair review.
Of course, as a blogger, you should not put your image at risk. In some cases, if you are disappointed with the products you are offered, you can just write very nuanced articles, without advertising too much or bashing the partner brand. And this is where the Instagram influencer has its advantages. You don't specifically have to write an article about the product you're testing. All you have to do is create visual content that is enticing enough to highlight the product to engage users. You can also accompany your photos with captions and hashtags to gain visibility.
Which area should you start in?
Being an influencer can be very successful if you know how to do it. Before starting this activity, it is advisable to first define the field you wish to invest in. Given the growing success of some influencers today, you should not ignore the fact that competition is fierce. The truth is that almost everyone wants to be an influencer. Some don't do it for the right reasons, while others are driven by a real passion.
When choosing the area in which you want to establish yourself as an Instagram influencer, choose a niche that you like. Authenticity and originality are what will set you apart from the rest.
You should also be aware that being an influencer is not a smooth ride. Behind these successes that the biggest names in this sector make us believe in, there is in reality a lot of work, time, energy and willpower. You should also be aware that you will need to be very patient. Becoming an influencer overnight is not an easy task. What's more, you'll need a lot of luck.
Being an influencer is marketing
Even though being an influencer doesn't specifically require extensive education in any particular field, you will need to master some basics. It is important to know that marketing and communication play an important role in this profession. On the one hand, you need to define the target you want to influence, and on the other hand, you need to get to know them better (their expectations, their needs, etc.). This is the only way you will be able to offer innovative and interesting things to your targets.
A good influencer must also be very aware of trends and current events. But most importantly, you need to be emotionally prepared. Influencers do not only have followers and fans. In the vast world of social networks, there are also "haters", those who will not necessarily appreciate your image and what it conveys. You will have both positive and negative reactions. You must therefore be able to gauge them well and ensure that they do not have any impact on your personality.
Some influencers are quickly singled out because of the way they promote products. In most cases, their work is associated with advertising in disguise. This is often the case when an influencer stops promoting their own values in favour of an article that is, for example, the opposite of what they used to offer their community. For this reason, you must always know how to balance the two and remain true to yourself. Your subscribers will appreciate you all the more for this.
Don't be tempted by the lure of money. If brands offer you great deals, but it goes against what you stand for, it's best to decline. This will help you establish yourself as an Instagram influencer over time and even attract more followers.
What you need to do
Many people are currently choosing Instagram to launch their influencer careers. Nearly 85% of influencers in existence operate from this platform to promote their images. If you want to break into this highly competitive environment, you need to drive engagement on your Instagram posts. To do this, you will first need to determine your expertise. Then analyze what competitors are doing who are focused on the same niche as you. Pay particular attention to the quality of your posts and be active on the network. In order to strengthen your status as an Instagram influencer, don't hesitate to establish partnerships with brands. And finally, always be transparent with your followers.
What is your expertise?
If you want to be credible as an Instagram influencer, you need to have a good grasp of the subject matter you are presenting to people. Choose the field in which you thrive and in which you will be yourself. It's useless to want to become a fashion influencer if you don't have any knowledge of this universe.
If you have proven expertise in a specific sector, it is better to exploit it and orient yourself towards a target group that is interested in it. On the other hand, you need to find out what your community is looking for in order to better satisfy them and engage them.
What makes you different from other influencers?
If you want to get noticed on Instagram, you'll need to be able to stand out. Many influencers can exploit the same universe as you. To stand out from the crowd, don't hesitate to do some competitive intelligence. Analyse what your competitors are doing (visual identity, style of language, type of posts, etc.) in order to be aware of the formulas that work and the flops. This will help you to come up with innovative and more inventive things.
Your added value can also be your personality. Instead of offering bland and lifeless jobs, you can let your character, opinions and views shine through. This will also allow you to position yourself as an expert in your sector.
It's all about the quality of the content
On Instagram, images speak volumes. If you want to capture the attention of your followers and convey a professional image, take care of your visuals. Whether for your posts or your Instagram stories, use attractive visuals that match your style. Pay particular attention to the choice of colours, framing and the filters you use. Your visual identity should be easily recognisable and authentic.
Make yourself known through brands and other influencers
Last but not least to help you succeed as an influencer on Instagram is to network with influencers and brands. Try to build relationships with them (friendly or business).
Even if the competition is tough in this business, having good contacts is always a plus not to be neglected in order to make yourself known to other subscriber bases. Influencers can even collaborate on the same content to increase each other's notoriety. This is a good way to advertise yourself, but also to find interesting contracts with brands. It is important to know that influencers can exchange addresses or contacts with each other. Some can even recommend their counterparts to companies, etc.