Content creators. Photographers. Activists. Fashionistas. Authors. Comedians. Designers. Vloggers. Foodies. Make up Artists. Trend Setters. These are just a fraction of the words that come to mind when I think of social media influencers. Are they celebrities? Not quite. If you ask me, they’re better. Rachel David said it best, “…the difference between a celebrity and an influencer…it’s really just one word… relatability.”
WHAT IS A SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER
There is no true definition for what an SMI is, but it is widely accepted that they shape audience attitudes using various forms of media. Through creative content, they give advice, make brand recommendations, and simply keep all of us at home entertained! In this current age of social media, everyone is an influencer to a degree. Your followers are friends, family members, and likely even some admirers from afar who care about what’s going on in your life. As long as you’re posting, you’re influencing, regardless of follower count or monetary reimbursement.
BECOMONG A SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER
If you’re interested in growing your influence (and bank account), there are concrete steps you can take. Arguably the most important of those steps is finding your niche. There are billions of people around the world on social media, and if you don’t define your interests, it will be almost impossible to grow your brand. Picking a niche seems easy enough, but it carries a lot of weight as your interest of choice will likely become your career. So pick something you LOVE. Pick something you want to share every day and relate with people on.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?
Like any job, there are positives and negatives. It’s great to be able to work from anywhere, creating content that is specific to your interests in life. However, posting frequently can be draining, especially when combined with the pressure of upping-the-ante every post. There are long hours involved and no defined ‘stopping’ point. My aunt Rhoda created her personal brand, Southern Hospitality, in 2007. What started as a small blog and hobby grew to be a following of 23.9K on Instagram with over 246K likes on Facebook. All of these years and magazine articles later, she is still posting daily content!
This is my Aunt Rhoda! Check her out if you love design and DIY @southernrhoda