9 Steps to Become a Social Media Influencer

By Citlalli Ortiz

Recently, there has been a huge rise in influencers and influencer marketing. Social media has created a variety of opportunities for people to become influencers and earn income and popularity. We have watched how much influencers have grown and obtained collaborations with big brands that boosted their popularity. Top influencers like Bretman Rock, James Charles, Emma Chamberlain, Liza Koshy, Manny Mua, who began small social media careers on YouTube, have branched off and expanded to other channels and are now living  extravagant lives. It’s a fact that social media and influencer marketing will continue to grow and this can become a career for many more people, including you! Here you’ll learn about the nine most important steps you don’t want to miss on your journey to becoming a social media influencer.

1. Choose the topics you want to influence others about. In other words, choose your niche.
 If you are planning on creating a career off social media, you have to start off with a good foundation. The first and most important step is choosing your niche is deciding what you want to talk about? This can be a variety of things, but a good tip is to start off with one big thing. It can be skincare, makeup, technology, home decor, gaming, or something else. But, it has to be something you enjoy and have enough knowledge about. In other words, what kind of influencer do you want to be? 

2. Decide which media platforms/ channels you will use. 
A lot of influencers began their career on YouTube and then moved to other channels. Today, Instagram has become one of the best ways to engage audiences due to its visual appeal. It is imperative to consider which platforms you will be using to reach out to your audience. Your content plan will depend on the social media channels you decide to use; therefore, this is something you have to decide early on. 

3. Optimize your website and social media channels. 
Once you’ve decided which channels you will be using, you have to make sure all of your channels have complete and consistent information on them. If you have a website it is highly recommended that you optimize it first before you begin working on your social media channels. Your website should be the home of all the content you’re sharing on social media. If you will be referring people to your website, it should be organized and it should have everything they need to know about you. You also have to ensure you have engaging profile pictures, bios and cover photos, that is the first thing someone will look at when they get to your page, so make it nice!
 
4. Identify who your audience is or will be.
Identifying your audience is a vital step to success as an influencer. You will need to know who they are, what they like and why they are following you. Identifying your audience erroneously can cause you to lose followers because you are not producing the content they were expecting. Knowing what your audience likes will allow you to understand how you need to engage with them 

5. Create a content plan.
The content you want to produce must be tailored to the channels you decide to use. A content plan can look different for Twitter and Instagram or YouTube, but you can tailor it to fit all of the above. Ensure that this plan is relevant to what your audience wants to see. You must also be sure that you create a plan or strategy that can be accommodated for future brand promotions. 

6. Be consistent.
After you’ve created a content plan, you must also develop a posting schedule and be consistent with it. If your followers feel like you are connected with them, they will become more engaged with you. Once you have a schedule be sure to follow it and don’t miss postings. A good tip is to use the three to one rule, three gives to one get. This means that you will post three things that give knowledge, tips, or fun and post one thing that you want your followers to do. Doing this can be a fun way to stay consistent and to allow your followers to engage with you. 

7.Contact brands and other influencers (Collabs).
Create a pitch to contact several brands you are interested in collaborating with. There are two main ways to achieve brand sponsorships: one is by you reaching out to them and the second is them reaching out to you. When you are ready to contact brands, be sure that your pitch is appealing and that you talk about the benefits the brand will have if they collaborate with you. Remember to reach out to brands that fit your niche and try not to go out of it. For example, if you are all about makeup and skincare then your followers will not be interested in gaming or anime brands. Stay in your lane! 

8. Build your network, Stay engaged.
Once you’ve followed the steps above it is now time to focus on connecting with the rest of the influencer community. Building your network can determine future opportunities for collaborations, which can potentially increase your following and profits. Ensure that you are engaging with others who have a similar niche and invite them to collaborate with you. This can be by creating a video together, posting photos, or hanging out and posting about it. The people you know are always a factor in your success no matter what career you’re in, so be sure you make great connections early on. 

9.Grow!
The state of influencer marketing is constantly growing and it has been determined that there will be more and more social media influencers making an impact. This is your time to prepare, learn and begin your social media career! However, remember that this is a slow process and it takes time to build followers and also to arrange your content, so being patient is key! Give yourself time to grow and to earn followers. 

While this can be a fun and flexible career, it can also be mentally draining and exhausting. If you plan on starting this career be sure that you build mental breaks in your schedule. There are many opportunities for you as a social media influencer and these will continue to grow, so take your time to prepare effectively.

For more tips and tricks on how to become a social media influencer, be sure to follow prominent influencers who are now experts in their fields such as Bretman Rock, Daisy Marquez, or David Dobrik .

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