We live in a world where social media is the most common way that people stay in touch with each other. Whereas 20 years ago, people connected mostly by telephone calls and even handwritten letters, today, social media has totally transformed the way we connect. This is why the age of the influencer is on the rise.
For people looking to monetize off of their online network, there’s never been a better moment. You can build your own personal brand and connect with audiences of all types. Whether your target audience is living in assisted living facilities, or they’re in high school, there is an influencer for every demographic. The question is, what kind of influencer are you? If you’re looking to dive into the world of influencing, here are some of the best tips to help get you started.
Know Who Your Audience Is
Unfortunately, there’s not a one-size-fits-all influencer for everyone. Each influencer has a unique influence over a certain group of people. In other words, who do you appeal to? Why do you think you would work with a specific target audience? The more you can pinpoint exactly who you’re trying to reach, and how you plan on reaching them, the sooner you can get started monetizing off of attracting a dedicated audience.
If you’re not sure who your audience is, it’s as simple as looking at your analytics. Are you appealing mostly to women? Maybe you have a primarily male audience. Get to know who’s watching and who’s reacting to your post so you can start tailoring your content to exactly what they want. Once that happens, then you can start pitching your services to brands that resonate with that audience.
“Up” Your Quality
Nowadays, influencers are getting more and more talented at what they create. You need to “up” your quality as much as possible if you hope to stand out in a sea of competition. That means having great ideas and tools to carry them out. In other words, an outdated camera will never do. Failing to have the right lighting isn’t acceptable. Yet, most of all, the most important thing you need to do is keep up to date with what is “hot.”
What strategies are people using, and what is trending? The more you know the answer to this, the more the quality of your content will increase.
Network
When it comes to the world of influencing, networking is critical. You need to network with as many brands as possible, and reach out to people who may be able to help serve as a stepping stone.
Perhaps most importantly is building genuine relationships with as many people around you as possible. The more people you know, the more opportunities you’ll have as an influencer. And when you do team up with brands, you want to make sure that you’re doing it for the right reasons. In other words, you want to make sure that they align with your same values. If you team up with a brand, remember, you’re associating yourself with what they stand for. So, choose carefully, otherwise, you could find yourself in a mismatched partnership that ultimately hurts your influencing career.
