If you’re interested in making a name for yourself on the internet, chances are you want to become a big-time influencer. And that’s great! After all, being an influencer can be very rewarding. But even though it’s easy to get excited about the potential for fame, there’s more to being an influencer than just racking up crowds of followers. Especially when it comes to building a broad and capable reputation.
Real Influencers Have Reach:
Marketing Strategist/Author Shane Barker explains that, “The concept of influencer marketing is certainly not new. It’s been around for ages in the form of word-of-mouth marketing. A successful influencer is one who is able to inspire and motivate followers with their content. It takes months (even years) to gain a large number of dedicated followers organically. It can’t happen overnight.” Here are a few qualifications it takes to become a bona fide influencer:
1. A large social media following: For obvious reasons, this is the foremost requirement for anyone aspiring to become an influencer. Influencing doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
2. Expansive content creation: In addition to creating high-quality content, social media influencers should also have the capacity to produce vast amounts of content. New followers can only turn into years-long followers, if they have consistent material to consume from influencers.
3. A strong personal brand: To be an influencer, you’ll need to have more than just popularity. You’ll also need to have prestige. This means having a distinct voice and personality that comes through in your messaging. A voice that distinguishes you as a thought leader.
4. Follower accessibility: Being an influencer entails being completely relatable to your followers. Influencers are essentially ambassadors for both the audiences they reach out to, and the brands they partner with for commercial reasons.
5. Business instincts: Influencers are people who ultimately convert popularity into retail. Regardless of whether this commerce is self-serving, or altruistic. A lack of business knowledge can create problems or dilemmas when the time comes to engage in corporate activities.
6. Active networking within your niche: To be an influencer, you’ll need to be more than just a social media user. You’ll also need to be an industry-recognized public figure. This means doing things like attending events, and networking with other influencers or stakeholders in your field.
Conclusion:
So, what makes an influencer at the end of the day? The answer is, a combination of factors. While influencing is relative to each individual’s niche and audience, there are a few key standards that most successful influencers share. They have a substantial following (preferably in the tens of thousands), their persona is engaging, and they’re able to produce consistent content that resonates with their audience. If you want to be seen as a social media influencer, it’s important to systematically develop an image that’s both admired, and inspirational.