The question many are asking is this: “what does the influencer do” and immediately after how to become an influencer?
The success of these characters is undeniable: thousands if not millions of followers (followers) follow their social profiles. Posts and stories of daily life that are all the rage on the web, collaborations with famous brands: in short, the life of an influencer is not bad at all. But what is behind this new profession? Is there a path to follow to win the title of influencer? In short, are influencers born or made? In this article we will explain how to become an influencer and how much it is possible to earn thanks to sponsored posts and collaborations with brands.
First of all, let's try to understand who an influencer is.
Who is the influencer?
The term influencer usually indicates a person who enjoys notoriety on the web and boasts a large number of followers, or followers. Followers are users of a social network who follow another user and view the messages and content they post. Influencers are usually recognized as experts in a certain industry. For this, in fact, there are active influencers in the world of fashion, travel, fitness and technology. In short, following an influencer means recognizing a point of reference in that person. The influencer has great value for the brands he represents thanks to his ability to influence the purchasing decisions of his followers. So the influencer is a bit like the testimonial of the advertisements we are used to seeing on television. When a well-known brand is advertised by a well-known person, the general public recognizes a value in the product. The same thing happens on social networks. If a well-known influencer uses a certain lipstick or wears a certain item of clothing, then it means that those products are worth it. The tendency of the follower is to "imitate" the influencer and desire what he or she possesses.
In numerical terms, if a fashion industry influencer has over 1 million followers, for a brand to advertise means achieving enormous visibility.
The gainers are the company that can count on an increase in sales of that product and the character that will become increasingly influential.
In summary, therefore, the influencer is a person capable of influencing other people's purchasing, political or decision-making choices. The influencer enjoys authority and is recognized as an expert on a given topic. The ability to influence the opinions of a number of other users is so high that we have come to talk about influencer marketing.
Are all influencers the same?
Before you see how to become an influencer, let's try to understand if influencers are all the same. What makes the difference between the numerous influencers present on the social world is mainly the number of followers who follow them.
The US Association of National Advertisers has even created a classification of social influencers that are divided into three categories:
- Nano e Micro-influencer: have 50 to 25.000 followers
- Mid-level influencer: have between 25.001 to 100.000 followers
- Macro-influencer: with more than 100.001 followers
If you think being a micro-influencer is bad, you're wrong. In fact, many companies prefer to hire micro-influencers for their collaborations as their followers are loyal and more active.
If you are wondering with how many followers you become an influencer, as you can see there is no precise number. You can be an influencer of a particular niche and have few but good followers.
How to become an influencer
After this overview of the influencer figure, let's move on to the heart of our guide. So let's see how to become an influencer with the right strategy.
Identify the sector in which to propose
The first step is to identify your passions and therefore the sector in which to operate. If traveling is your passion, choose the travel sector. If you know everything about fashion, look it up how to become a fashion influencer.
Most of the influencers you know certainly have to do with the fashion industry, however there are other fields in which to put your influence. Your reasoning must not be to "go" where there is more public. Your goal must be to create your own niche of followers. Remember: better a few followers who are really interested in your content than thousands of people who follow you with no real interest.
Having your own niche of loyal followers will make you much more attractive in the eyes of brands operating in that particular field.
Select the right audience
Once you know which field to move into, start thinking about your audience. Make a list of the characteristics of the target you want to address. Therefore identify gender, age, lifestyle, interests and passions, habits. Only by outlining your audience, you will be able to understand what content to offer them so that they are really interested in what you publish.
A 50-year-old woman has different habits and interests from a 20-year-old girl. If you sponsor a product suitable for a XNUMX-year-old, you must do so with the appropriate language and content suitable for the young age. You will therefore have to create relevant and effective content, capable of attracting the attention of your target.
Create an online presence
Another aspect not to be overlooked is the creation of a blog in which to talk about your passions. Thanks to sponsored posts, affiliations and the sale of advertising space, you can start making money with your own blog.
Publish the right content
No improvisation! To be successful, you also need healthy marketing. In short, how to become an influencer if you don't know how to manage your social networks?
Your contents must be created with care and attention, be of quality and designed to give value to those who receive them. Post regularly to keep followers engaged.
Take and publish photos or videos with a well-defined style and tell something interesting and engaging.
Contact the brands
Our advice is to aim for brands within your reach. With 5.000 followers you can't expect the attention of world famous brands or luxury brands. Over time, with the right commitment and the right strategy, you will expand your reach.
So in summary, here are the rules to follow to become an influencer:
- passionate and study a topic in depth
- become an expert on that topic
- build relationships with other industry influencers
- start a personal blog
- fuel your presence on social media
- create and share successful content
- attend events and meetings in real life
How much does an influencer earn?
Now that you know everything about becoming an influencer, are you ready to jump into this area? If the world of communication and marketing interests you, also take a look at our degree courses. Being an influencer with a college background can help you.
