Being a social media influencer isn’t quite the romantic fairytale that many might have made it out to be. The hours can be long and grueling, there can be a huge amount of abuse thrown at you, and work isn’t always certain thanks to what can feel like a fickle and changeable industry.
Despite these negatives, many influencers love their jobs and say that deciding to become an influencer is the best choice they’ve ever made. Why is that? Well, alongside being intense and emotionally draining, being an influencer can also be hugely rewarding and addictive. There’s no special recipe for influencer success, but there are things you can do to help you on your way. Here are 9 tips for becoming a professional influencer in 2022.
1. Build up your numbers
One of the most important things you can do as a social media influencer is to build up your numbers. You might see your follower and like counts on platforms like TikTok or Instagram referred to as “vanity metrics”, and while there’s some truth to this, they can also dictate whether brands see you as a viable collaboration partner or not. That’s why it’s a good idea to look at platforms like www.profilefollower.com, which can help you to boost your social media accounts naturally and organically, giving you a crucial edge in the influencer race.
2. Keep to a regular content schedule
Consistency is key when it comes to being a social media influencer. If you can’t post content multiple times a day, then at least try to make sure that you’re posting something every day of the week. Social media is an incredibly fast-moving industry in which not seizing your opportunity could result in watching it slip away, which is why you need to make sure your presence is constantly felt. Upload content – whether it be an Instagram pic, a TikTok video, or a tweet – every day.
3. Talk to other influencers
There’s absolutely no harm in discussing your influencer journey with other successful influencers. Whether this takes the form of an interview asking for tips or just a chat about the ins and outs of social media work, make sure you’re reaching out to as many other influencers as you can. Building a network is critical for success; that way, everyone can prop each other up when things are difficult, and share in success when everything is going smoothly. Collaboration is also a good idea!
4. Reach out to brands
When you want to achieve influencer success, you’ve got to be proactive. You can’t sit around all day waiting for brands to contact you; while some will, the chances are that the big collaborations, the ones that will break you into the industry, aren’t going to arrive by chance. Doing this isn’t always easy; there’s a method and a process for making sure you get it right. Study the brand carefully, make sure you know everything you can about it, and then pitch the brand on why it should work with you.
5. Don’t burn yourself out
At the end of the day, influencer success can be shaped by your actions, but it won’t happen entirely due to what you do. With that in mind, make sure that you don’t burn yourself out when it comes to working towards your dream. You don’t need to post content multiple times per day if it doesn’t suit your schedule or your energy levels; you can grow your presence as an influencer at whatever pace suits you. Keeping your mental and physical health up is more important than social media success.
6. Love what you do
Of course, there will be days when you don’t love the work that being an influencer brings. On those days, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking a break (if you’re feeling insecure, you can inform your followers that there won’t be any content today because you’re feeling a little tired or stressed). Putting genuine love, passion, and heart into what you do won’t guarantee you influencer success – as we’ve said, nothing can do that – but it will give you a boost when success arrives.
7. Know your niche
Every social media influencer has a particular niche that they work within. You can determine what your niche might be by thinking about what kind of content you create. Are you focused around beauty? Do you love gaming? Whatever you happen to create content about, your niche will make itself clear through comments and platform analytics, so be sure to check the statistics on apps like TikTok and Instagram. You might be surprised by what you find!
8. Stay adaptable
If you sign up for a brand new, unproven platform and it doesn’t pan out, then you’ve lost absolutely nothing into the bargain. On the other hand, if you sign up early for an app and it takes off, then as an early adopter, you get to reap the benefits. It pays to stay adaptable when you’re an influencer. Always be on the lookout for the next big social media hit. Whatever app is popular right now, something else will come along in a few years and knock it off its perch.
9. Stick to your principles
While influencer success might come if you constantly switch up your content strategy to create new things, you should also make sure that you’ve got a mission in mind as an influencer. Why did you get into social media work? If it’s just to become famous and earn a lot of money, you’re going to find that you don’t build a dedicated core of followers, which could hurt you in the long run. Always keep your mission statement in mind, whether it’s education, entertainment, or anything else that’s close to your heart.
