On the face of it, the life of a social media influencer may seem idyllic. You get paid by brands to promote their goods. You get free stuff sent to you on a daily basis. You’re afforded fame and adulation both online and in the real world. And best of all, you get to spend every day doing what you love. Whether you’re into fashion, makeup, videogames, movies, fitness, travel, food, or… anything else people online are interested in, you can make a lucrative living promoting, reviewing, and discussing brands and products with a following that adores you.
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But, of course, if it were easy… everyone would be doing it. You need to separate yourself from the chancers, the fakers, and the also-rans. Here are some things to remember that will help you get you started:
It’s a business, like any other
Tony Hsieh, the founder of Zappos, once said, “Don’t play games you don’t understand, even if you see lots of other people making money from them.” Truly understanding your industry is key to having success. Including influencer business services.
If you expect to make money through social media, you need to treat it like a business. And as with any other business, you need to turn up to work. You need to set aside time to create and post worthwhile and engaging content. What’s more, you need to make time to engage with brands and other influencers. If you just post and then expect people to flock to you, you may be disappointed. However, if you make yourself a part of an online community, engaging meaningfully with others’ posts you are much more likely to be embraced by followers.
My best tip for being noticed in micro-influencer communities? Give more than you’re asked. Google’s Larry Page encourages entrepreneurs to deliver more than customers expect. It’s a great way to get noticed in your industry and build a loyal following of advocates.
For me, this has included creating a free Canva end-of-campaign datasheet. Including hyperlinks, screenshots of Google Analytics for each designated campaign, and emailing campaign managers and public relations managers with any and all links pertaining to each campaign no longer than one-week post-submission. This allows publishers to quickly index and share your links with their clients while keeping your site, name, and expertise in the mind, and mouths, for agencies in your niche.
Brand Storytelling
Yes, people want to engage with your brand, your look, and your personality. But being a social media influencer isn’t necessarily about you. It’s about your audience. It’s about posting the kind of content that they want to see. So make sure you’re always asking them what they’d like to see more of, what interests them, and what they’d like to see you lend your unique vision to.
You want your readers, followers, and subscribers to be able to quickly access your work, understand your message, and to create a lasting emotional bond between your work, including any sponsored, commission, or linked branding. It’s all about getting your readers to understand your story by way of relating to their own life experiences. This is done by way of evergreen posting content and seamless weaving of promotion, nostalgia, and creativity. In order to create this marketing bond, each evergreen should include the following elements:
- Creating an authentic, relatable bond. This encourages readers to continue telling others their personal story, ties to a specific product and service, and your story as well. Long-term digital word of mouth sales funnels.
- Build your personal brand. Remember, the best stories are infused with personality.
- Be active on social media. Stories will spread through the power of social media. Syndicating your story via social media posting, live videos, infographics, branded video content, newsletters, and live video sessions. Matching brand-loyal readers and brands themselves. This is accomplished by encouraging your community to share your story far and wide.
Your income is taxable… but your expenses are tax-deductible!
The last thing you want is to fall afoul of the IRS while you’re trying to launch your social media empire. It’s vital that you remember that every cent you earn from promotions is taxable. Yes, even if you also have a day job.
But don’t worry, while your income may be taxable, your expenses are also tax-deductible. So you can claim against not just the products you discuss and review but cameras, editing software, and anything else that you employ to launch you to stardom. Check out our list of potential deductions for influencers.
It’s okay to need a helping hand to boost your following
Like any business, you need to establish a name for yourself online. But with so many others trying to get noticed alongside you, you’re likely to need a helping hand when it comes to getting noticed. Organic engagement is the gold standard, but as many small businesses find, it helps to get a helping hand to give your visibility a boost. Services like Trusy Social can help by getting you noticed on the platforms that matter to you.
With these codes from Coupons Collector, you can give your following a boost and get noticed online without the need to spend a small fortune. Likewise, paid ads may seem like throwing money into a vacuum, but depending on the platform you use, they can get your content noticed by the kind of people that are predisposed to engage with your content. When they like, comment on and share your posts, you will find that your reach grows organically. Just make sure you never take your following for granted and keep your focus squarely on creating quality content. Including a reputable video production company, including Angela Wei Milk Studios.
You’ll never get anywhere by being shy
Getting frustrated? Seeing your following grow every day, but still not getting noticed by brands? Shy folks get nothing! There’s absolutely no shame in emailing brands directly and asking to be considered for promotional items. Many brands are prepared to give smaller influencers a break, and if they like your content, they may even be able to help you grow your following.
If one brand politely declines, don’t be disheartened. Move on to another. And don’t feel that you can’t check back in with brands that have rejected you once you’ve grown your following a little.
Never give up!
This isn’t like a traditional career path. You need to create your own opportunities and hustle on a daily basis. You will have days where you lose followers. You will have days when your content barely gets any engagement. You will have days when you wonder “what’s the point?”. But you owe it to yourself to keep your foot on the gas pedal and never give up. The best things come to those who wait!
Being a successful entrepreneur takes a lot of work, a lot of vision and a lot of perseverance. The before-mentioned six tips will help you navigate the path much more easily.
Now I want to ask: What’s your favorite success tip for entrepreneurs? Share it below in the comments section below.
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