How To Become A Social Media Influencer (& Get Paid!)
Online influencing is the future of not only marketing, but of business. There is more opportunity than ever before for individuals to make their mark in the online world, without much financial investment or risk. In fact, all a person needs is some passion and a cell phone.
Below I’m going to break down this opportunity - explaining what an online influencer actually is, how I became one, and what you can do to get started on your path to being a profitable one too. These are my 5 BEST tips to become successful online as an influencer.
WHAT AN INFLUENCER ACTUALLY IS
Some dislike the term influencer - but I love it. It’s broad and has a literal meaning: a person who can influence a group of people. That’s literally all an influencer is. Historically that has meant everything from major celebrities to local radio personalities. However, in the year 2021 it has come to mean something else.
Influencers are now online content makers.
They are Instagrammers, Facebook figures, bloggers, vloggers, and podcasters. In today’s world literally ANYONE can be an influencer. They simply need to know where to start (and develop enough drive to stick to it).
HOW I BECAME AN INFLUENCER
Of course, before I start telling you about how YOU can influence people online, let me first explain how I influence people online.
I essentially do two things:
1) I’m a blogger/service provider here at nicolestone.com
2) I’m an online influencer in the Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/YouTube world and have a different brand over at nicolestoneoutdoors.com
Each way I reach thousands and thousands of people.
I MAKE my living by building my blogging brand at nicolestone.com and I make my side income with what I do at nicolestoneoutdoors.com.
Building up each brand takes tremendous time, diligence, and content creation. However, if you are dedicated, you can build as many profitable brands as you want.
Below I’m going to go through my 5 core steps to becoming a profitable online influencer and teaching you how you can build your own, authentic, profitable online brand too!
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5 TIPS FOR BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL ONLINE INFLUENCER
1.HAVE A NICHE
This might seem cliche but it is the single most important factor in being successful in the influencer business. The key here is to figure out where you can stand out and then create content for it. Being able to have a specific group of people you can target is the fastest way to grow your brand and your online worth.
Of course, having a niche comes in many different forms. Also, the bigger the audience there is the more room there is for influencers. People who say don’t target a broad niche clearly don’t know what they are talking about. That’s why there are so many successful fitness influencers out there - because there is simply an insane group of people who care about fitness.
However, the key to stand out in this large group is to develop the BEST content you possibly can. This leads us to step two: produce content .
2. PRODUCE CONTENT
My first and foremost piece of advice is that you are going to have to produce content. In fact, you are going to have to produce an extreme amount of content. This includes social media content, blog content, audio content, and video content. If you really want to succeed in the online influencer world, you are going to need to take time to put out as much content on as many applicable platforms as possible. That’s how you build all around brand awareness and reach people.
This content needs to be beneficial: either provide value or entertain. Some people are good at both while some are better at one or the other. Figure out where you are strongest and try to create content around it. Tips and information that help make people’s lives and decisions easier is always good place to start.
3. FIND THE RIGHT ONLINE PLATFORMS (& FOCUS ON ENGAGEMENT)
To be an online influencer, you are going to have to find different platforms to engage with people on. Knowing your niche will help you determine which platforms are the best fit for you.
I am on as many platforms as possible. This includes Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok and more. However, I didn’t start out on all of these platforms. I started on one.
The first ever platform I was on was Instagram. Then it grew from there. After I became comfortable there I started blogging, then I jumped on Facebook and started vlogging. As I became more comfortable over time, building my brand felt more comfortable too.
In the end, I recommend being on as many relevant platforms as possible - this includes blogging on your own websites (you can learn how I made my first ever 1,000 here). The more people you reach the more influence you have and therefore the more valuable you become.
Next we need to talk about engagement.
It is absolutely crucial you focus on your engagement and not your numbers.
Your total numbers will come. However, to have an actual influence, make an actual difference, and make money - you need to connect with your audience. Do this by responding to comments, interacting with other people in your niche, and delivering content your audience actually wants.
If you need help improving your engagement, I recommend you read my guide:
4. CONNECT WITH OTHER INFLUENCERS
Once you have established an online base - (and are on multiple platforms and have a niche) then you will want to reach out and collaborate with other influencers. The key here is to find people YOU enjoy following and reach out to them. These influencers can help your platform grow faster, help you grow connections, and give you an opportunity to collaborate.
If possible, attend conferences, gatherings, and participate in as many collaborations as possible. This a great way to grow your brand, grow your following, and find work as an influencer.
Just remember, it’s about building a quality following - not a large, un-engaged one. Working with other influencers in your niche will help you achieve this.
5. CREATE A MEDIA KIT (AND KNOW YOUR WORTH!)
Finally, once you have started establishing an online presence, I recommend that you neatly package it up for brands and businesses to find you. This package is usually called a media kit or press kit.
Remember how I just mentioned the benefit of engagement over huge followings? Those engagement numbers become valuable here. They show your connection with your audience, your trust with your audience, and your worth.
Making these kits are simple. You can create your own on a platform such as Canva or you can purchase a template through Etsy. The key here is to have the numbers - online designers can do the rest. Most of these don’t exceed $15.
THE FIRST STEP IS TO SIMPLY START
Of course none of this is possible if you don’t simply start first. One of the biggest hurdles for people is getting past consciousness and other people’s opinion. My biggest solution for this is to simply force yourself into making content everyday. The more you do this, the more desensitized you become to the outside voices. It’s at this point that you can really flourish in the online world.
