Achieving celebrity status doesn’t require acting skills or a move to Hollywood. Anyone can become famous just by using their phone. We are officially in the age of the influencer, where nearly anyone can earn their 15 minutes of fame. And many become household names for much longer than just 15 minutes.
All you have to do is create an Instagram account and start sharing original content. But is it really that easy, or is it much more difficult to become an Instagram influencer? If you want to turn your love of social media into a career, keep reading to learn what steps to take.
How to Become an Instagram Influencer
A study showed that 86% of young Americans dream of becoming a social media influencer. Just as their name implies, influencers influence others. They earn brand deals and advertise to their followers using videos and photos posted on platforms like Instagram.
Becoming an Instagram influencer isn’t only lucrative, but it can be fun too. You get to share topics you’re passionate about with millions, whether it be fashion or food.
Like many dream jobs, though, becoming an influencer requires a few key steps.
Find Your Niche
To be an influencer, you must choose a niche or specialty. That way, you can build a brand for yourself, where people know who you are and what kind of content you make.
Experimenting with a variety of ideas in an effort to attract everyone might sound like a good idea, but it often backfires. Rather than trying to appeal to anyone and everyone, decide on a target audience.
Also, get clear on what exactly you have to offer your followers. Some influencers become famous for their “OOTD” (outfit of the day) photos, offering style inspiration to those interested in the latest fashion trends. Whether you’re showcasing the perfect linen dress for summer or the latest in streetwear fashion, sharing unique style tips can attract a dedicated following. Others create comedy videos focusing on a niche group, such as skits that are relatable to Millennials.
Determine what sets you apart from the crowd and what kind of content you have a unique perspective for.
Update Regularly
If you want to become a professional influencer, you must treat it like a real job. Most full-time jobs require at least 40 hours of work each week. While being an influencer does offer scheduling flexibility, you should still expect to invest several hours each week into updating content.
Adding a random photo here and there or uploading one Instagram Reel each week likely won’t be enough to catapult you to influencer status. As much as possible, utilize Instagram’s different content channels on a regular basis.
For example, many influencers update their Instagram Stories every day. Many also post at least four or five photos or videos to their feed throughout the week. The more high-quality content you offer, the more likely you’ll be taken seriously as an influencer.
Build a Following
You may have pinpointed your niche and started posting regularly. But if no one sees your content, there’s no way you can become an Instagram influencer. What makes influencers special, compared to average social media users, is that they have a following. People follow and engage with their content.
And these people aren’t just their closest friends or family. Strangers and people from all over the world follow their content because they believe it’s valuable. There are multiple ways to build a following. Using hashtags and searchable terms in your captions is one effective way to reach new people. You can also engage with others, liking and commenting on their posts.
Then, they might just see your content and return the favor. However, this can be extremely time-intensive, which is why you may want to consider using a tool that earns you free Instagram likes.
Demonstrate Your Value
Earning hundreds, thousands, or even millions of followers is a crucial step in becoming an influencer. But to make influence your job, you need to demonstrate your value to brands. For example, let’s say you’re a beauty influencer. You’ve earned followers by posting videos of easy beauty tutorials.
This may be attractive to beauty brands. But you can even go one step further by giving product recommendations in your videos. Then, makeup and skincare brands may recognize your ability to advertise beauty products to your followers. They may then be inclined to contact you to initiate a paid brand deal.
To try influencer marketing, consider what companies you’d like to work with and how you can appeal to them, even before they offer to pay you.
Micro and Nano-Influencers
Many influencers on Instagram have at least 100,000 followers. However, you don’t need that many people following you to become an influencer. In the last couple of years, more brands have started reaching out to micro-influencers and nano-influencers. Micro-influencers usually have a few thousand followers, while nano-influencers may only have a few hundred.
Even with so few followers, companies recognize the power these Instagram users have. Even if you only reach 1,000 or so people, you still have the ability to influence them—making you an influencer. While it may seem hard to stand out among Instagram’s 1.5 billion users, you can still become a paid influencer with only a small following.
So, How Hard Is It to Become an Instagram Influencer?
Becoming an Instagram influencer is a dream for many social media lovers. However, like many jobs, it requires time and effort. Still, even with a relatively small number of followers, you could become an influencer and work with your favorite brands.
Your dream of becoming an influencer may not be so difficult after all. For more social media tips, check out our latest blog posts!
