How to be an influencer

In the modern world, being an influencer is a highly coveted trait. To influence others on a local level is important enough, but in the more global sense of the word, influencing is truly a fine art that means you’ve figured out a way to reach a very broad audience. Simply put, influencers are the connectors and loud voices that help brands connect with their intended clients. So how to become an influencer, exactly?

Make Your Connection

The key to being a successful influencer is having a strong presence on social media. To effectively influence, it’s vital to make a connection with as many people as possible. That begins by establishing trust with your audience. You’ll likely start small — no one has a built-in audience right from the start unless they’re already known in the public realm. Otherwise, make it your mission to create a bond with those who already follow you. That list might be limited to a few close friends and family — and that’s perfectly fine. Everyone starts somewhere, and your goal is to set yourself apart as an authority figure in your preferred genre.

That means having a little bit of extra knowledge about something. The beauty of this is that in today’s world, you can influence your audience to purchase anything from the newest snack foods to the most exciting skin care products. There’s a crowd interested in everything, and that means someone, somewhere, is searching for what you have to offer. You simply need to carve out your niche, have the confidence to speak about it and share your thoughts and expertise with the world.

How to Do It

It’s easy to say all of this — but how to become an influencer may be considerably more challenging. It helps to understand what’s out there. Consider your fellow influencers — those you’re inspired by, but also those you don’t necessarily want to replicate. You just want to get an idea of what people are talking about, what generates buzz, and what draws people to return for more.

Then you need to determine where you’ll best have success. For most people, that’s Instagram. It provides an excellent platform to share pictures, videos, and copy in a single spot, and it’s easy to use and curate to your liking. Less popular, but no less viable if you want to reach as many people as possible, are Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. All of these are often used in tandem with one another for the greatest outreach. You can, for example, promote your YouTube videos on your other social media channels, or share links to your latest Instagram post on Facebook and Twitter. But the platform that you select really depends on where your intended audience spends the most time. Do your research to determine where the sports junkies or beauty addicts are most likely to reside — and then make your presence known there.

The Pros and Cons

There’s a certain “glossy” appeal associated with being an influencer. The greatest advantage of all is that it connects you directly with trusted brands. You’re likely to be considered whenever these companies are in the early stages of launching new collections and products. They may send you some of these items for consideration, and you simply need to test them and review them for your audience. The best influencers are honest — bear that in mind. Don’t provide raves just because you were sent free products. It’s a huge pro in this business to set yourself apart as someone who is authentic and truly understands what your followers want.

On the downside, it can be hard work reaching the point where you’re actually considered an influencer. What others see on the outside isn’t a reflection of what it takes to get there. You will need to invest time, money, and patience in order to achieve the results that you want. You also need to remind yourself that persistence pays off — but that competition is fierce. It can be tough to distinguish yourself, which is where the hard work comes in especially handy. If you’re prepared to tackle that challenge, then you may have a future as a social media influencer.