If you’re asking yourself, ‘What is an influencer?’ or ‘How to become an influencer?’ you’re in the right place!
Influencers have a significant impact on consumer decisions and brand perception. These effects go beyond the popular social media influencer. Brand ambassadors and content creators have also become power players in the marketing world.
They’ve built loyal online communities, earned trust within their niches, and have become masters of shaping opinions, sparking trends, and influencing purchasing decisions.
This has propelled influencer marketing into a core component of modern marketing. The industry, valued at $16.4 billion in 2022, continues to grow.
Join us as we explore what influencers are, the different types, and their vital roles in the digital world.
What is an influencer?
Influencers are essentially people who have the knack for swaying others’ opinions and decisions because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience.
Their influence is often due to the fact that these individuals have built a reputation for their expertise and authenticity in a particular domain. They are able to leverage social media platforms — such as Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and blogs — to create a loyal following and engage with their audience through posts, videos, stories, and other content.
Influencers can offer their services to brands and businesses looking to boost their engagement and reach new audiences. If this sounds like your brand, discover how Jeff Bullas can elevate your brand to new heights!
The different types of influencers
Influencers can be categorized into different groups based on their platform, niche, preferred content medium (blogs, photos, videos, etc.), and the size of their following. While all these factors are important, the size of their following often plays a critical role in determining their reach, impact, and potential value for collaborations.
Influencers can be categorized into:
- Mega-influencers: These include celebrities, major public figures, and those with over 1 million followers. While they offer the most expansive reach, their connection to a specific niche might be less pronounced.
- Macro-influencers: These are content creators, bloggers, and social media personalities with 500,000 to 1 million followers. They possess a good combination of reach and, often, some degree of specialization. They can significantly amplify your brand’s message while still feeling somewhat relatable.
- Mid-tier influencers: 100,000 to 500,000 followers. They have a good balance of engagement and reach.
- Micro-influencers: 10,000 to 100,000 followers. They’re known for high engagement rates and a dedicated niche audience. Their strength lies in forming deep connections within their niche, making them perfect for specialized recommendations.
- Nano-influencers: 1,000 to 10,000 followers. They offer highly specialized expertise, strong trust in their community, and potential affordability.
What is a content creator?
Now, you might be asking, “What about a content creator?” A content creator is someone who produces original content for different platforms. The relationship between content creators and influencers is fascinating. While all influencers are content creators, not all content creators are influencers.
Content creators focus on creating high-quality content to capture the attention of their audience. They may build a loyal following, but their primary goal isn’t necessarily to influence purchasing decisions or promote products.
Influencers, on the other hand, use their content and their personal brand to sway their audience’s opinions and behaviors. They often partner with brands to promote their products or services.
In most cases, successful content creators evolve into influencers as their audience grows and they begin to partner with brands.
What are social media influencers?
While the term “influencer” encompasses a wide range of individuals who hold sway over others, social media influencers are confined to social media. They use the following and reputation they’ve built on a specific social media platform to influence their followers’ opinions on a product or service.
The key difference between a social media influencer and a broader definition of an influencer lies in the platform. While traditional influencers can exert their influence through various channels (e.g., speaking engagements, writing, personal networks), social media influencers primarily operate within the digital realm.
Three social media influencers shaping trends and transforming industries
From makeup tutorials to philanthropic challenges, these social media powerhouses have built empires and captivated millions:
1. Huda Kattan
An Iraqi-American makeup artist, beauty blogger, and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Huda Beauty, a cosmetics line that has gained immense popularity worldwide. Kattan has over 4 million followers on Instagram, where she shares makeup tutorials, product reviews, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into her life.
2. MrBeast
An American YouTuber, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is known for his elaborate stunts, challenges, and philanthropic endeavors. His videos often involve large cash prizes and charitable donations, attracting a massive following of over 250 million subscribers on YouTube.
3. Kylie Jenner
What are brand ambassadors?
Brand ambassadors are an elevated form of influencer. They essentially serve as the face of a certain brand and embody its values, personality, and spirit. Unlike influencers, who can work with multiple brands, brand ambassadors typically maintain a long-term, exclusive relationship with a single brand.
A brand ambassador’s role extends beyond simply promoting products. Their responsibilities include:
- Embodying the brand: They personify the brand’s values and personality in their own lives, both online and offline.
- Creating authentic content: They share their genuine experiences with the brand, making it an integral part of their lifestyle.
- Participating in events and campaigns: They represent the brand at launches, events, and promotional activities.
- Providing feedback: They offer valuable insights and suggestions to the brand team based on their experiences and interactions with consumers.
Three successful brand ambassador programs
These brand partnerships recruit influencers and consumers alike to generate buzz and build brand loyalty:
1. Red Bull Student Marketeers
This program recruits energetic college students to promote Red Bull on their campuses through events, sampling, and social media engagement, tapping into the youthful and adventurous spirit of the brand.
2. Gymshark Athletes
Gymshark partners with fitness influencers and athletes who embody their brand values of dedication, hard work, and community, empowering them to share their fitness journeys and inspire others to achieve their goals.
3. Sephora Squad
This community of beauty enthusiasts is selected based on their passion for makeup and skincare, allowing them to create content, share product reviews, and receive exclusive perks, fostering a sense of belonging and brand advocacy.
The influence of influencers
Influencers have the remarkable power to shape trends, dictate what’s “in” and what’s not, and have a big effect on what people buy. Let’s be honest, an influencer’s enthusiastic unboxing has probably made you buy a product or two.
Influencers have a way of making their recommendations seem more like advice from a friend than an advertisement. Influencers also create a sense of wanting what they have. They show off products and experiences that we desire, leading to FOMO (fear of missing out).
The power of influencer endorsements
Endorsements from influencers are powerful for brands. They often have their finger on the pulse of what’s cool, new, and important within their niche, which can be great for future product launches and buzz creation.
A well-placed endorsement from a popular influencer can generate a significant buzz and increase brand awareness and sales. In fact, according to a report by Influencer Marketing Hub, influencers and their partner brands will have generated $24 billion by the end of 2024. https://influencermarketinghub.com/ebooks/Influencer_Marketing_Benchmark_Report_2024.pdf
Influencer campaigns that hit the mark
These examples showcase the power of influencer marketing in driving brand awareness, engagement, and sales.
- Daniel Wellington
This watch brand skyrocketed to fame through a micro-influencer campaign on Instagram. By gifting watches to hundreds of niche influencers and encouraging them to share photos with a branded hashtag, Daniel Wellington achieved massive organic reach and social proof. This led to a significant increase in brand awareness and the sale of $228 million worth of watches in just three years!
- Glossier
This beauty brand is known for its authentic and relatable approach to marketing. By partnering with diverse influencers who genuinely love their products and encouraging user-generated content, Glossier has cultivated a loyal community of brand advocates.
- HelloFresh
This meal kit delivery service has tapped into the power of influencer marketing to drive subscriptions and customer acquisition. By partnering with food bloggers, cooking enthusiasts, and celebrities, HelloFresh has created compelling content showcasing the ease and convenience of their service. Influencer-created recipes and meal preparation videos have resonated with audiences, leading to a significant increase in brand awareness and sign-ups.
Becoming an influencer
The idea of becoming an influencer may seem glamorous, but it requires more than just posting pretty pictures or witty captions. It requires strategy and a deep understanding of yourself and your audience. Here’s what you need to do to become an influencer:
- Identify your niche
Your niche is your area of expertise—the subject matter you’re passionate about and knowledgeable in. Stand out from the crowd and attract a loyal following by specializing in a niche you’re passionate about. By consistently sharing high-quality content in your chosen niche, you’ll build credibility and become a sought-after collaborator for brands seeking to connect with their audience.
Examples of popular niches:
To get you inspired, here are a few examples of thriving niches in the influencer world:
- Travel: Share your adventures, tips, and recommendations for fellow globetrotters.
- Beauty and fashion: Showcase your style, makeup skills, and favorite products.
- Health and fitness: Inspire others with your workout routines, healthy recipes, and wellness tips.
- Food and cooking: Tempt taste buds with your culinary creations and restaurant reviews.
- Gaming: Entertain and engage fellow gamers with your gameplay, reviews, and commentary.
Remember: don’t fake it. If you aren’t genuinely passionate about your topic, your audience will pick up on it.
Building a personal brand
Once you have your niche down, it’s time to make it your own and create your personal brand. Think of it as your digital fingerprint—a unique blend of personality, values, and style that sets you apart from other influencers in the same niche.
Develop an authentic voice that resonates with your audience, whether it’s funny, inspirational, or informative. Then find a visual style that best represents you. This will serve as the aesthetic for your photos, videos, and overall feed. Lastly, be consistent! Maintain your voice, style, and message across all platforms.
And remember, let your audience see the human behind the perfect feed. There’s nothing more inspiring than hearing my favorite lifestyle influencer say they work out so they can eat a giant steak later.
On a serious note, share your struggles, be vulnerable, and let your personality shine through. Genuine connections are what truly get you trust and loyalty from your followers–the building blocks of a successful influencer career.
Creating high-quality content
While content is king, your run-of-the-mill posts won’t do. To establish yourself as a reputable influencer, you need to consistently come up with high-quality content that not only goes viral, but also convinces your audience of the product or service you are promoting.
A good tip is to appeal to the emotions of your audience. You can do this by writing captions and stories that resonate with their personal experiences, values, or aspirations. Share authentic anecdotes, showcase the positive impact of the product on your life, or highlight how it can solve a common problem for your followers.
Stunning visuals also matter. Luckily, you no longer need to have expensive gear and software. You can even create content on your smartphone. Most smartphones’ cameras already capture high-resolution images and videos that rival those of professional cameras. Aside from your phone’s camera, apps like Canva, VSCO, and DaVinci allow you to create eye-catching visuals directly from your phone.
Types of content to produce
There are various content types you can experiment with, each with its own unique strengths and appeal. Here are a few popular options:
- Photos: visually stunning images that showcase your style, personality, and niche.
- Videos: engaging videos that offer tutorials, reviews, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or personal experiences.
- Blog posts: informative and in-depth articles that dive into your niche topics, offering valuable insights and advice.
- Live streams: interactive sessions where you connect with your audience in real-time, answer questions, or share your thoughts and experiences. This is popular in the gaming niche.
- Podcasts: audio content that allows you to have conversations and interviews with fellow experts in the niche, or for storytelling.
- Social media posts: short and snappy updates, captions, or stories that keep your audience updated with news in your niche, brand or life.
Growing your audience
Creating great content is only half the battle. To truly become an influencer, you need to grow your audience. Being consistent with delivering high-quality content and using relevant #hashtags are essential to attracting a large following. You can also collaborate with other influencers in your niche to cross-promote each other’s content.
Engaging with your audience is just as important as creating content. Respond to comments and messages, ask questions, and create polls or challenges to encourage participation. Show your audience that you care about their opinions and feedback. Building a community around your brand will encourage your followers to share your content with others.
While these organic strategies should make up the bulk of your strategy, you shouldn’t overlook paid strategies. Paid strategies, like sponsored ads or content promotion, can give you a boost, but use them sparingly and focus on organic growth. In certain instances, you also have the option of buying Instagram or Twitter followers to give your account a head start.
Using social media platforms
To become an influencer you also need to select a platform that aligns with your niche, content style, and target audience. Your choice can significantly impact the success of your content promotion.
Instagram is perfect for visually appealing content like fashion, beauty, and travel. Posting high-quality photos and videos with relevant hashtags is key on this platform.
If you prefer longer-form video content, YouTube is your go-to platform for tutorials, vlogs, and reviews. Create high-quality videos and promote them on other social media platforms.
TikTok, on the other hand, is best if you have a knack for short, entertaining videos. Keep your videos short, catchy, and trend-focused. Use trending sounds, participate in challenges, and collaborate with other creators.
Twitter is ideal for sharing thoughts and opinions. If this is more of your style, share concise tweets with relevant hashtags, retweet and engage with others, and participate in Twitter chats.
Lastly, we have Facebook, the king of social media. This powerful platform helps you connect with a broader, more diverse audience. With Facebook, you have an all-in-one platform for creating and sharing various content types, including long and short videos, photos, blog posts, and brief updates, eliminating the need to switch between platforms.
But don’t limit yourself to a single platform. Cross-promote your content across multiple platforms to maximize your reach and attract a diverse audience.
Collaborating with brands
Collaborate with brands by researching brands and companies that align with your niche, values, and audience. Reach out to their marketing or PR team with a personalized pitch that highlights your value, showcases your content and demonstrates how you can contribute to their goals.
Explain how your content and audience align with the brand’s target market, and offer specific ideas for collaboration. Remember, successful brand partnerships are about building long-term relationships. Exceed expectations by delivering high-quality content that drives results, maintain open communication, and be reliable and professional.
Monetizing your Influence
Once you’ve built a substantial and engaged following, it’s time to start thinking about how to monetize your influence. Thankfully, there are numerous avenues available to turn your passion into a profitable venture:
- Sponsored Posts: Partner with brands to create content that promotes their products or services. These posts can be in the form of photos, videos, or blog articles.
- Affiliate Marketing: Promote products or services using unique affiliate links. You earn a commission for every sale made through your link.
- Brand Ambassadorships: Establish long-term partnerships with brands you genuinely love and use. This often involves creating content, attending events, or providing feedback.
- Product Sales: Create and sell your own products, such as merchandise, e-books, courses, or digital downloads.
- Consulting or Coaching: Offer your expertise to individuals or businesses seeking guidance in your niche.
- Speaking Engagements: Get paid to speak at conferences, workshops, or events related to your area of expertise.
- Advertising Revenue: If you have a blog or YouTube channel, you can earn money through display advertising.
Determining your rates can be tricky, as there’s no one-size-fits-all formula. However, consider factors like your audience size, engagement rate, niche, and the type of content you’re creating. Research industry standards and compare your rates to those of similar influencers. Don’t be afraid to negotiate with brands to ensure fair compensation for your work.
And don’t rely on a single income stream, as this can be risky. Brands and businesses can drop partnerships at any time. It’s wise to diversify your income streams to ensure a steady flow of revenue.
Staying relevant and adapting to trends
The internet is constantly changing, and trends tend to come and go, so you have to keep up to remain relevant. Keep yourself informed about the latest algorithm changes, platform updates, and emerging trends. You can do this by networking with fellow influencers and by simple observation. Each platform has its own “trending section,” so regularly monitor for any popular content.
As trends shift and algorithms change, so should your content strategy. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new formats, topics, or styles to keep your content fresh and engaging. Pay attention to what your audience likes and adapt accordingly.
Ethical considerations for influencers
Influencers wield significant power over their audience, and if you become one, it’s crucial that you use this power responsibly. Transparency and authenticity are the cornerstones of being an ethical influencer. To maintain these standards, adhere to the following best practices:
- Only promote products or services you genuinely believe in: Don’t compromise your values for a paycheck. Your audience trusts your recommendations, so only endorse products you would personally use or recommend.
- Disclose sponsored content: If a post is sponsored, it should be clearly disclosed using appropriate hashtags like #ad or #sponsored. Misleading followers by presenting paid promotions as genuine opinions is not only unethical but can also damage your credibility.
- Disclose any potential conflicts of interest: You should also disclose the nature of your relationship with a brand, such as whether you received payment, free products, or other incentives. This helps your followers understand the context of the endorsement and make informed decisions.
- Be mindful of your audience: Consider the impact your content might have on your followers. Avoid promoting products or services that could be harmful or misleading.
- Respect copyright laws: Don’t use copyrighted material without permission.
The future of influencers
Just as trends and algorithms change, so does the influencer industry itself. This includes the role influencers play in marketing. Influencers are no longer just content creators; they are becoming brand partners, storytellers, and community builders. They are increasingly involved in product development, marketing strategy, and even business ownership.
The demands of the industry are also changing. Today, brands and consumers alike are looking for more reliability. This shift is driving some of the key trends we’re seeing in influencer marketing today:
- The rise of micro-influencers: Brands are increasingly partnering with micro-influencers due to their personal and relatable approach, as well as the strong connection they have with their audience.
- Greater diversity and inclusivity: Consumers are demanding greater representation in the media they consume, and brands are responding by partnering with influencers from diverse backgrounds. This not only helps brands connect with a wider audience but also promotes a more inclusive and equitable industry.
The impact of AI on influencer marketing
The influencer industry is also seeing changes due to the rise of AI. AI-powered tools are streamlining influencer marketing campaigns–from identifying potential partners to content creation. This allows for more efficient and effective collaborations, ultimately benefiting both brands and influencers.
However, whether these changes are universally positive remains to be seen. While AI offers efficiency and data-driven insights, its growing use raises concerns about potential threats to the authenticity that consumers value in influencer marketing.
Potential challenges and opportunities
While the future of influencer marketing is looking bright, there are also challenges to consider. The industry is becoming increasingly saturated, making it harder for new influencers to break through. Additionally, the rise of fake followers and engagement fraud poses a threat to the integrity of the industry.
However, there are also significant opportunities for growth. As brands continue to invest in influencer marketing, there will be more opportunities for you to monetize your influence and build sustainable careers.
Final thoughts
From the creative minds of content creators to the trendsetting power of social media influencers and the brand-boosting efforts of ambassadors, influencers hold incredible sway over today’s society.
If you’re a business owner, consider how thoughtfully a crafted influencer marketing strategy can help you reach your ideal customers, amplify your message through trusted voices.
And for those of you dreaming of becoming influencers yourselves, the journey starts with finding your passion and niche. Be true to who you are and create consistently high-quality content, and never waver in your authenticity. With time, you too can build a loyal community and establish your influence on the internet.
FAQs
What is an influencer?
An influencer is someone within a specific niche who has built a reputation and loyal following. They have the power to affect the opinions and purchasing decisions of their audience.
How do I become an influencer?
It takes dedication! Here are the essentials:
- Find your niche: Choose an area you’re passionate about.
- Build your presence: Choose your platform(s) and create high-quality, consistent content.
- Engage: Interact with your audience and other influencers in your niche.
- Be authentic: Let your personality shine.
What are the different types of influencers?
They’re generally categorized by follower count:
- Nano-influencers: (1k – 10k followers)
- Micro-influencers: (10k – 100k followers)
- Macro-influencers: (500k – 1 million followers)
- Mega-influencers: (1 million+ followers)
How much money do influencers make?
It varies wildly! Factors like follower count, niche, engagement rates, and the type of partnership all influence earning potential. Some micro-influencers make extra money, while top-tier influencers can earn millions.
What is an example of an influencer?
Influencers exist in every niche, including beauty gurus, fashion bloggers, tech reviewers, travel photographers, and fitness enthusiasts.