If you’ve spent time on a social media platform like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, you’ve probably seen people who seem to make a living with their content. Depending on their niche, the content could be about their life, the latest trends in a specific industry, helpful tips on in-demand topics, etc. But, what does a social media influencer do exactly? In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the process of becoming a social media influencer, what they do all day, and why brands work with them to promote their products. Let’s dive in.
Who is a Social Media Influencer?
A social media influencer is someone who has built a sizeable following on one or more social media platforms. People who follow influencers trust their word, paving the way for lucrative business partnerships with brands. Influencers can be divided based on the number of followers into the following types:
- Nano influencers: Less than 10,000 followers
- Micro-influencers: 10,000 to 50,000 followers
- Macro influencers: 50,000 to 1 million followers
- Mega influencers: Over 1 million followers
Note that the value of an influencer doesn’t only depend on their follower count. It also depends heavily on the niche and how engaging their content is.
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What Does a Social Media Influencer Do?
Here’s what a social media influencer typically does on a regular basis:
Content Creation
Probably the biggest task for an influencer is to create content that adds value to the lives of their audience. Consistent content creation is the only way they can build trust and attract brand deals. They have to come up with new ideas for posts, videos, and Reels depending on the platform and the target audience. Plus, it’s not just about snapping a picture or shooting a video; influencers need to edit and polish their content before hitting the publish button.
Engaging with Followers
Publishing content on a regular basis is only part of the process. To build trust, you need to engage with them directly by replying to messages, comments, and hosting Q&A sessions.
Collaborating with Brands
When an influencer reaches a certain amount of followers and a degree of engagement, they start getting sponsorship deals. Collaborating with brands takes up a decent amount of time for influencers with a sizeable following.
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Affiliate Marketing
Depending on the topic of their social media accounts, influencers can also make money by promoting affiliate offers. For instance, a digital marketing influencer could make commissions by promoting web hosting services in their videos. Affiliate marketing is a great way to maximize your income as an affiliate marketer.
Why Do Brands Hire Social Media Influencers?
Traditional advertising doesn’t work as well as it used to; consumers know when they see an ad and they don’t like to be sold to. This is where influencer marketing can stand out. It leverages trust. Brands work with influencers for the following reasons.
To Access to a High-Quality Audience
Influencers spend their time and effort to build an audience around a particular topic or industry. As a result, people trust their word. This lets brands put their products in front of a high-quality audience that’s more likely to take action.
To Generate More Leads and Sales
When an influencer endorses a product, the likelihood of a lead converting into a customer increases multiple times. Influencers can also help you generate leads by sending their audience to your optin forms.
What Skills Do Social Media Influencers Need?
Being a successful influencer requires a particular set of skills. Some important ones are:
Creativity: As an influencer, you need to consistently come up with great content. Whether it’s an update on the upcoming video or coming up with an attracting deal to get more attention, creativity is key.
Knowledge of Social Media Platforms: Every social media platform is unique. You need to understand their rules and algorithms to grow your account.
Communication: You need to have effective communication skills to create helpful and engaging content. It’s the number one skill you need to collaborate with brands as well.
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How Do You Become a Social Media Influencer?
Here’s how you can become an influencer step-by-step.
Pick a Niche
Start by selecting a particular niche. It could be business, health, productivity, etc. This helps you build trust, create quality content, and focus on a particular audience, improving your chances of success.
Create Content Consistently and Engage with the Audience
A major part of an influencer’s working day goes into coming up with content ideas, creating content, and engaging with the audience. Unless they’ve hired someone to manage all these aspects of their business.
Collaborate with Brands
Communicating with potential and existing business partners is another important part of an influencer’s job. Sometimes, you’ll have to reach out to potential businesses. Other times, you’ll be approached by businesses with inquiries.
What Does a Social Media Influencer Do: FAQs
Let’s address some frequently asked questions about the job of a social media influencer.
Do Social Media Influencers Get Paid?
Yes, social media influencers get paid through sponsored posts, long-term brand partnerships, and affiliate marketing.
What Do Social Media Influencers Do All Day?
Social media influencers come up with content ideas, create content, engage with their audience, and collaborate with influencers.
What is the Purpose of a Social Influencer?
The purpose of a social influencer is to showcase a brand or its product to a niche audience. For instance, fitness influencers work with supplement brands.
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Conclusion
Social media influencers are marketers with a niche following. They come up with content ideas, create content, engage with their audience, and collaborate with brands. Skills needed to be a successful influencer marketer is creativity and a deep understanding of social media platforms. To become a social media influencer, start by selecting a niche. Then, consistently create content based on your target audience’s pain points and desires. To monetize your following, you’ll publish sponsored posts for brands and promote affiliate products. Consistency in content creation and understanding what works for a particular social media platform is crucial for long-term growth.