HOW TO BECOME A SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER IN 2019: TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Nowadays, everyone and their dog wants to become a social media influencer. So what’s the secret? At Social Exposure we work with influencers from all over the world and we’re going to spill the beans on what we look for.
The conventional concept of celebrity has been flipped on its head thanks to social media. Are we sick of the term influencer yet? Yes. Even I am. But it isn’t going anywhere so it’s time to sit back and embrace it.
First you need to answer to yourself why you want to become a social media influencer? It is because you want to make easy money on the ‘gram? Is it because you like posting beautiful photos? Perhaps you’re craving attention? While these are common desires of wannabe influencers, they rarely succeed. Marketers will seek influencers who have moral and educational value and – wait for it – INFLUENCE! Without these things you’ll struggle to grow a dedicated audience and ultimately catch the attention of social media marketing companies like us at Social Exposure.
So, how do you start?
You’ll want to provide some value or social guidance for people. You can do this by having a real story, life lesson or journey people can learn from. The idea isn’t to get followers, it’s to get advice seekers. Trust us, it’s not about being attractive. Catching the viewers’ eyes isn’t enough without a story.
Don’t fake it!
A sad but true fact is that a lot of ‘influencers’ are simply faking it.
There are now hundreds of growth services that are cheap and easy to use and offer followers, likes and comments in exchange for money. While this is old news, we need to be reminded not to be so easily fooled by the basic metrics. How can you tell this person’s account is fake? Comments vs likes, engagement ratio vs follower count and the quality of profiles following and engaging with this person’s content. Just look at WHO is engaging? Are their profiles seemingly real and active? Are there are hundreds of profiles based in Asia with no avatars? These things seem obvious but we forget to dig. Everyone is trying to monetize their social media and are doing whatever it takes but brands beware! The whole point of working with influencers is to achieve more awareness and increase sales. If their following is not even real, you’re wasting your time and money.
Know your purpose!
Now it’s back to you. Lesson learned: don’t go down the path of faking it to make it. It won’t work here. Not only will businesses spot a fake, but the backend algorithms are intelligent and are cracking down on these accounts. Now you have to know your purpose and focus on that specific demographic. You won’t appeal to everyone so find a niche, grow that niches audience. It could be fitness and transformation, coffee connoisseur, or your mental health success story, or travelling the world to explore cultures and yourself. Trust me, we have enough models and bottles.
Lady Gaga called social media “the toilet of the internet” and while so much content on social media is indeed cr*p, you have the power to change that as a new influencer. Aim to be the trailblazer that uses social media to speak TRUTH about a hot topic or shed light on darker issues. Social audiences are currently craving authentic inspiration! And when they find something or someone authentic, the engagement and the loyalty is ten times stronger.
Here are some top influencers who are doing it right and why!
- Maybe all of the photo content isn’t gorgeous but who cares. You want to keep scrolling because he is relatable
- Tidbits of “inspo” might resonate with you personally
- His personal journey and life story is one that will genuinely inspire you and his life experiences are worth sharing
- Truly unique as in a world of vanity, here is a person who is sharing her struggle in a beautiful way
- Created a relatable and inspiration campaign #redefinepretty
- Inspiring skin and beauty positivity without coming off unapproachable or intimidating
- A dark story turned positive
- While photos and videos don’t look “professional” it’s human, raw and empowering
These are what we deem as POSITIVE INFLUENCERS you can relate to, admire and follow. Now that’s not to say that you need to have only one leg, a skin condition or be a former athlete to become an influencer. Your story can be far more simple then these examples. Just think about what it is you think people want / need to hear, start posting and gage the response!
Did you find this article interesting? Click here to read more of our articles on succeeding in the world of social media.
