How to Become a Social Media Influencer 

Today, we are going to discuss one of the most prolific business models of these last decades. Many people wonder how to become a social media influencer, and this is certainly a more than legitimate interrogation. When done in the right way, being an influencer has the potential to function as a full-time and profitable job. 

In our article, we will first define what a social media influencer is. We will also give an overview of the different types of influencers. Then, we will be ready to explore the main strategies that one should implement in order to succeed in this digital business sector. Lastly, we will go through some platform-specific and niche-specific tips.  

What Is a Social Media Influencer? 

You are here because you want to know how to become a social media influencer, right? But what is an influencer to begin with? What kind of characteristics does this concept involve? 

The most minimalistic influencer definition would be to say that an influencer is a person who determines consumer habits. Nothing really new here. Most of us have heard or read about English potter Josiah Wedgwood and his famous tea set approved by the royal family in the 18th century. Many others followed him. For instance, the 20th century was extremely rich in that regard. From Coco Chanel to Michael Jordan, numerous names did act as trendsetters. And when finally the digital environment started gaining importance, mommy bloggers became the idols of many families worldwide.  

So, an influencer gives direction to a specific target audience according to their area of expertise. If the person has decided to specialize in fashion, then logically, they will have an impact on fashionistas. Or if the influencing person is knowledgeable about technology, they will be essentially followed by people from or interested in the technology sector and so on. Don’t forget to check to buy automatic Instagram followers service to improve your Instagram account.

What about social media influencers? These are simply doing the same thing via the social networking services such as Facebook and Instagram. Their main tool is the content they’re sharing through their posts. They provide online information and direction to people looking for credible role models in any niche. Credible is a keyword here. Indeed, serious influencers don’t get into all this just for the fun of it. And since they’re following this path for a living, they need to have a minimum of credibility and expertise. That’s how brands and companies will choose to work with them on a professional basis. That’s also what is likely to make the whole thing lucrative. We will get back to this point later on.  

Types of Social Media Influencers 

‘How to become a social media influencer?’ is certainly an accurate question here. It’s, however, somewhat incomplete. In effect, one should also decide on what kind of influencer they aim to become. Well, some other times, you don’t really get to decide. Influencer marketing has, indeed, its own set of categories you might be automatically falling under. Knowing about the related differences is crucial for setting up the right strategies.  

Micro vs Macro-Influencers 

How to become a social media influencer with the necessary dose of awareness regarding influencer marketing? There are a few things to note down, such as the difference between micro and macro-influencers.  

Micro-influencers typically have 500 to 10,000 followers (these averages may vary from one source to another, though). They are already considered experts in their industry and/or topic of interest. Their major strength comes from the fact that they usually generate more engagement than other types of influencers. Statistical studies show that their posts get likes more or less 5% of the time versus around 2% for macro influencers. There are various explanations for that tendency. Simply put, micro-influencers seem to be perceived as ‘still fresh’ and genuine leaders. Their followers tend to believe that their content is the reflection of an authentic interest and effort.  

Macro-influencers, on the other hand, are those who have 10,000 to 1 million influencers (beyond that threshold, they become mega-influencers). They are the perfect illustration of what we call ‘being Instagram famous.’ As well-established trendsetters, they are able to reach hundreds of thousands of users at a time, even through a single post. As you can guess, they represent a goldmine in the context of social media marketing. And obviously, they started their career as nano and micro-influencers and gained notoriety over time.  

Category-Based Influencers 

Social media – just like many other business environments – is undoubtedly a matter of priority. It’s pretty pointless to ask ‘how to become a social media influencer‘ without accepting the fact that you will need to make some choices. Which ones? Well, the first one that comes to mind is specialization. You will need to focus on certain categories and/or niches in order to stay organized and on point.  

So, what are the categories in question? Those who stand on the top of the ‘influencer mountain’ are, of course, celebrities. Their industry doesn’t matter much. It could be actors, musicians, professional footballers (at a ‘Messi-level,’ that is), politics… Namely, all the people who are already famous enough on a global scale and who don’t have much to prove anymore. So, regardless of what they do on social media, they are likely to draw massive attention effortlessly.  

That aside, there are categories for us mortals, too, so to speak. Nowadays, the most active categories that you may notice on major social media platforms are: 

• Fashion Influencers 
• Beauty Influencers 
• Music Influencers 
• Art and Entertainment Influencers 
• Lifestyle and Health Tips Influencers 
• Sports and Fitness Influencers 
• Gaming Influencers 
• Gastronomy (Food and Drink) Influencers 
• Parenting Influencers 
• Pets and Animals Influencers 
• Travel and Tourism Influencers 
• Technology Influencers 
• Virtual Influencers (Digital, Human-like Characters) 
• Real-Estate Influencers 

Please note that this isn’t an exhaustive list by any means. Many other industries are involved with influencers as a part of their social media activities.  

Essential Skills for a Succesful Social Media Influencer 

What is an influencer without the skills required for this very specific kind of activity? Nothing but an illusion, to be honest. Or let’s rather put it this way: How would one hope to have even the tiniest influence on others without the right skills? It’s not a secret that social media marketing is quite demanding, especially for influencers. So, how to become an influencer on social media and be successful? How should one deal with the unavoidable requirements, that is, all the skills needed?  

Don’t worry. We’ve simplified things for you and gathered the skills in question in three main categories. Let’s see which ones.  

Content Creation and Curation 

There is no doubt that content is the spinal cord of any social media undertaking. In order to come up with both good and effective content, you need to go through a few specific steps. The term good refers to the quality aspect, whereas effectiveness is more about the way you curate/organize and make your content circulate. Indeed, what’s the point of good content if it’s not capable of reaching out to the right place and people? The step-by-step process we’ve just hinted at should more or less look like this: 

• Choose Your Niche: Start by picking a niche or topic category (see the list in the previous section). Do this according to your level of expertise and personal affinities. Make sure to select a category (and thus target audience) you will feel comfortable working with.  
• Generate High-Quality and Varied Content: Get to know the different types of content formats available on the platforms you’re using. Pictures, videos, stories, text posts, live events, etc. Mix and match them while always keeping the whole relevant to your niche and goal. Finally, regardless of the content type, pay attention to the quality (language, resolution, proper editing, etc.).  
• Publish New Content on a Regular Basis: Influencers ought to constantly nurture their audiences through new publications. Create a calendar in order to keep an eye on your posting frequency. Don’t overdo it, but make sure to stay present, especially during peak hours and days.  
• Stay Organized: Apply a minimum of logic to your posts and the way you present them to the public. Optimize your profile and content according to your target audience’s needs and preferences. And, of course, always operate on the platforms that can be the most beneficial for your goals.  

Engaging with Your Audience 

How to become a social media influencer with whom target audiences can fully identify? Don’t forget that one of your objectives is to create proximity with people. You can’t expect to have an impact on them if you don’t build a certain connection, right? Here are a few useful tips: 

• Learn to Look Comfortable in Front of a Camera: Addressing your audience through videos is a must these days. Improve your acting and oratory skills as soon as possible. What acting means here is that you should remain appealing to watch no matter your mood of the day. Don’t hesitate to practice and work on several takes when necessary.  
• Interact with Your Followers Within Your Posts: Take the time to read and answer the comments left by your audience on your posts. Show genuine interest, dedication, and also gratitude to them. Let your followers also know that you’re available to provide them with further information when needed (through direct messages, etc.).  
• Adjust Your Strategies According to Your Audience Profile: How to become a social media influencer and get paid if you don’t know anything about your audience’s budget? So, aside from proposing the right products and services, you should also care for people’s budgets. Get informed about your audience’s economies and provide options for different budgets. Consider setting up giveaways and discounts, too, at least from time to time.  

Using Data Analytics to Grow Your Influence 

Knowing how to become a social media influencer is far from being enough. You should also be able to arrange your activity for the long run. Besides, you can’t rest on your laurels once you think you achieved a specific objective. If you don’t want to lose your hard-earned results, you need to keep up the good work constantly.  

Here’s an interesting fact to note down. Whenever one mentions analytics in the context of influencer marketing, most people think exclusively about brands working with influencers. But it also works the other way around. In other words, influencers should care about data analytics, too, almost as much as businesspeople collaborating with them.  

Here are a couple of things you should take the time to reflect on: 

• Conduct Thorough Audience Research: Keep an eye on your ‘audience performance.’ Analysis tools such as Modash and BuzzSumo can help you grasp many aspects related to your online influence. You can scrutinize overall reach, engagement rates, audience demographics (age, gender, location, etc.), and many other metrics.  
• Readjust Your Campaign Strategies According to Your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): KPIs matter not just for businesspeople who are working with influencers but also for the influencers themselves. Through data analytics, you can better understand essential variables such as the ROI (Return on Investment) your influencer activity brings. Discuss those with your business partners and readjust your campaign methods and goals when needed.  
• Determine Your Audience’s Favorite Formats: Data analytics will help you see which kinds of posts your audience prefers and which ones they most interact with. As an influencer, it’s your duty to keep an eye on those. This will allow you to design your content in accordance with your audience’s expectations and affinities.  

Choosing the Right Social Media Platforms 

Another critical question is, ‘How to become a social media influencer on the right platform(s)?’ In effect, despite some evident resemblances, no social media platform is ever the same as another one. Each of the available networking services comes with its specificities. So, before you learn to become a social media influencer, you need to know how each of those might serve your project and goals. That’s how you’ll make the best selection to implement your online activities.  

These social media platforms:

• Facebook
• YouTube
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Twitter (X)

An Overview of the Top Social Media Platforms 

Let’s see the main characteristics of the most popular platforms among the currently active ones. 

Facebook 

Launched in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and currently belonging to the company rebaptized as Meta, Facebook is still a big shot. With almost 3 billion monthly active users worldwide, it offers quasi-limitless potential in terms of networking. Long gone are the days when it used to be just a fancy online tool to reconnect with old friends from school years. Nowadays, it also acts as a trusted marketplace for many industries. E-commerce, gaming, arts and entertainment, automotive, technology, and various financial services are the first ones coming to mind. You can buy Facebook followers to achieve your dream easily!

YouTube 

Truth be told, many people asking how to become a social media influencer do it because of YouTube. What do we mean? Well, this platform, founded in 2005 by three former employees of PayPal and currently owned by Google, has one overkill asset. You probably guessed it: We’re referring to its unbeatable expertise when it comes to video content. More than 2 billion monthly active users worldwide make it a goldmine for influencers who wish to reach out to their audience with that method. Buy YouTube subscribers for your channel. The leading niches on YouTube are finances, digital marketing, education, technology, lifestyle, fashion, cooking, and gaming.  

Instagram 

Launched in 2010 and currently owned by Meta (just like Facebook), Instagram has 2 billion monthly active users worldwide. It’s still one of the globally favorite photo-sharing platforms to date. Over the last decade, it also managed to become a valuable support for affiliate marketing. Besides, we notice that it’s the headquarters of many fashion and beauty influencers. There are, however, many other niches that one can profitably exploit on the platform. Travel, health, fitness, lifestyle, music, and parenting are a few coming to mind. Buy Instagram likes to make your posts more visible on the platform! 

TikTok 

Launched in 2016 by the Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok is undoubtedly the most phenomenal social media platform of the last five years. The short-form video format, which is the essence of this service, has managed to seduce more than 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. You can buy TikTok views to promote your posts. Precision and fast consumption seem to be the mottos of TikTok. As for the leading niches, here again, we can cite fashion, beauty, and many others. Such as? Well, from dancing/choreography to other sports, from astrology to mental health, the choice is pretty vast.  

Twitter (X)

This microblogging platform has regained huge attention since its controversial acquisition by business magnate Elon Musk in late 2022. Launched in 2006, Twitter (X) attracts nearly 450 million monthly active users worldwide, including state leaders and big-time politicians. Its tweeting format is still remarkably efficient at delivering short and incisive messages. That being said, the platform packs other sharing options and is of interest to various sectors. We may cite major examples of business/entrepreneurship, technology/artificial intelligence (AI), sports, cryptocurrencies, health, fitness, and travel. You can buy Twitter (X) retweets to spread your tweets more!

Platform-Specific Strategies for Influencers 

Let’s be straightforward: How to become a social media influencer and make money? Because that’s kind of the point, right? There is no doubt that being an influencer is, first and foremost, a matter of personal passion. But why wouldn’t you turn the fun into something significantly profitable? Don’t forget that whenever the word influencer is mentioned somewhere, it’s also done so in terms of professional activity.  

• Good News: You have many alternatives at your disposal. The only obligation is to choose the right platform(s). Yes, plural, since you can work with more than one at a time. However, you should avoid being unrealistically greedy and stay focused on a few. Plus, in order to be effective, you need to know about certain particularities of each platform.  

Facebook 

So, how to become a social media influencer on Facebook and make the best of the tools proposed by the platform? There are actually many tricks that will also depend on your niche and personal style. However, the following combo is quite a must: 

• Videos: Be ready to turn your camera into your best friend. Show off some ‘action in motion’ to your target audience as well as potential business partners. There are many types of video content that you may film to serve your goals: tutorials, guided tours, short docuseries, etc. Make sure to use captions since many people nowadays tend to watch content via the app on silent mode.  
• Live: Regardless of the product, service, project, or whatever you’re promoting, direct engagement is always important. Connect with your audience in real-time. Trust us; there are many users on the platform who are almost only interested in the ‘here and now.’ Live events are also an effective way to create a more authentic relationship with your audience. Plus, it’s an opportunity to answer possible questions and requests right away instead of putting them on hold. A bonus for customer satisfaction. 
• Stories: An undeniably great advertising tool for influencers. You may use Facebook stories to give a short foretaste of your regular content. Indeed, well-crafted stories are likely to keep your audience interested for 20 seconds or so and make them want more. So, using only high-quality material for your stories is absolutely mandatory. Their content should also be straight to the point or at least intriguing enough.  
• Groups: How to become a social media influencer without any contact, right? That sounds pretty absurd, to say the least. Expand your business network thanks to Facebook groups. These are a robust way to consolidate the relationship between your influencer brand and customers. Indeed, they act as a meeting place for people who have common or similar interests. So, they can be extremely useful to keep in touch with both your followers and anyone likely to do business with you (e.g., sponsor companies). 

YouTube 

It’s hard to dissociate digital marketing from video content nowadays. One has to admit that YouTube is still the leading platform in that regard. Influencers can benefit from an already available giant audience if they apply the right strategies. 

• Channel Settings: Needless to say, this is the most foundational part. You need to create a channel specifically tailored to your niche as well as your ‘branding style.’ Be crystal clear while describing the purpose of your channel in the ‘About’ section. You should also go for both an aesthetic and informative attitude while designing your icon and banner. Indeed, these should not only attract but also give a first idea about the overall mission of your channel. And, of course, when it comes to your videos per se, don’t forget a few basics here, either. Relevant hashtags, SEO (Search Engine Optimization)-friendly descriptions, catchy thumbnails, in-video like/subscription buttons, and high resolution, to name a few.  
• Affiliate Programs: Remember when we briefly mentioned affiliate marketing? Well, YouTube is probably the most suited place for conducting it. Start by subscribing to an affiliate marketing platform like ShareASale or Rakuten Marketing. Once you get approved by your target brands, you’re ready to promote their links on YouTube. To do so, you also need to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). That’s it. Now, thanks to you, you can start receiving your percentage from the sales generated by your partner. Keep in mind, though, that you will need around 20,000 subscribers before making tangible profits.  
• Live Stream: Here again, real-time engagement with your audience is crucial for your future success. It’s a way to connect with your followers and potential business partners that feels much more natural. Not to mention, livestream advertisements can usually ‘hit’ a greater number of people. So, do your best to organize live events regularly to increase and measure your impact on consumers.  

Instagram 

So, how to become a social media influencer on Instagram? We mean, for real, with a serious career plan. Here are some tips to help you out on the platform: 

• Tags: It may sound way too simple, but as a matter of fact, tags can skyrocket your area of influence. More precisely, what you should do is tag brands and creators that might be of interest to your goals. So, pick those from your niche (or at least from somehow connected niches). It’s a great way to start collaboration and expand your business network. Tagged brands and creators will get notified. Then, they may share your posts and even hire you as their influencer.  
• Stories: We’ve already mentioned the importance of stories. That’s even more obvious when it comes to Instagram due to the platform’s format. Stories allow you to share short and temporary (for 24 hours) content (e.g., behind the scenes of a particular day). Make use of them in order to show your presence and dedication while drawing additional attention in real-time. You may also include links in your stories.  
• Reels: Let’s face it. Static posts and photos are has-beens nowadays. If you want to keep your audience’s interest constantly alive, you should consider using Reels. You can promote many things through these short, full-screen video clips. Say, you could tell a specific product range’s ‘story’ and progress. Or why not a tutorial to guide your followers and help them learn how to better use X or Y products? 

If you have more questions about Facebook and Instagram, check the Meta Help Center for a wide section.

TikTok 

If you wonder how to become a social media influencer on this viral platform, take a look at the following: 

• Duet: This side-by-side video content posting feature can come in handy for influencers. For example, let’s suppose you create a video alongside another one that belongs to the brand you’re representing as an ambassador. That would be a great way to provide complementary information about the brand in question. You could add your personal experiences, perceptions, suggestions, tutorials, etc.  
• Stitch: A similar mindset is applicable to the Stitch feature. You can create further collaboration opportunities by combining your videos with those from your target/affiliate brands. Plus, let’s not forget that presenting references in your posts is always essential in order to enhance your public credibility.  
• Challenges: These are not only the flagship of the platform but also a fruitful way to increase brand awareness. So, just pick a topic, preferably after having consulted with your partner brands, and let the game begin. Simple but effective as can be.

Twitter (X)

Compared to the other platforms, Twitter (X) can look more subtle to master in terms of influencer marketing and related tricks. But at the end of the day, nothing’s impossible for a determined mind. Judge it for yourself: 

• Chats: Don’t forget that being an influencer means being a public figure. Hence, the necessity of nurturing connections and relationships on a constant basis. Chats are among the oldest but still among the most effective ways to actively participate in online communities. So keep in touch with your prospects while promoting ideas and products in real time.  
• Hashtags: No possible debate here. Hashtags are still the middle name of Twitter. Their role is probably more perceptible here than in any other platform. So, take the time to discover and study industry-specific hashtags. Then, incorporate them into your posts to enhance your professionalism. In effect, hashtags act as a second language in online environments. Using them in the right way will show others that you know what you’re talking about.  
• User-Generated Content: According to various statistical studies, this type of content tends to work very well on Twitter. How so? As an influencer, you are expected to act as an example and inspire others. So when people (encouraged by you) follow your instructions and create something based on that, it’s your duty to show it up. This is not only proof of your appreciation but also another authentic, real-life type of promotion.  

You can always check the Twitter (X) Help Center for more!

The Role of Niches in Influencer Marketing 

How to become a social media influencer capable of awareness and intuition? What does that question even mean? In fact, it’s all about accepting that here, as almost anywhere else, things usually work according to specificities. Among those, niches deserve a particular deal of attention.  

Let’s get a little more straightforward and remind you that you need to pick a niche of specialization. This choice will depend on your skills, knowledge, interest, and access potential regarding a certain field or topic. People you will want to ‘influence’ online will basically be those connected to that field or topic in question. In sum, the path of any influencer should start with selecting a specialty to stick with in the long run.  

Let’s imagine for a while that you want to become a social media influencer for a store. It seems pretty logical that your primary focus should then be the niche within which this store operates, right? So, if it’s a clothes store, this will automatically turn you into a fashion influencer one way or the other. You will need to get familiarized both with the products sold in such a store and the latest trends in the related industry.  

All in all, every niche helps determine the type of content and tactics that one should prioritize. The most successful campaigns are those that are able to remain targeted and straightforward. It’s about knowing what exactly you’re promoting and whose expectations you’re aiming to satisfy.  

Ready to Give It a Try 

Now that you know the basics about how to become a social media influencer, it’s time to launch your project. Right now, the least you can do is to ‘re-introspect’ yourself and confirm your passion for the X or Y field. That’s indeed what will provide you with essential information regarding the main direction to follow. You will build all the rest on that, so be attentive. Once your initial choice is made, you may start looking at the characteristics of your target audience. For instance, you should try and determine on which platform they’re the most active. From there, you can initiate a plan and apply the tips given in our article step by step.   

Maybe you’re also interested in the topic How to Become a Social Media Consultant.