Being an online influencer is a lucrative business, with the growth of the influencer marketing industry expected to reach a whopping $21.1 Billion in 2023. Lots of benefits come with being a social media influencer. You get an opportunity to share yourself, your creativity, and engage with customers around the world. You also get the flexibility of working from home and setting your schedule.
There are also many opportunities to make passive income through various brand collaborations and collaborations with other influencers. Be sure to check out some of these templates for influencer outreach before you reach out to anyone! Read on to learn how to set up your own influencer space to help you make money at home, including experts’ tips.
Table of contents
What to consider before getting started
Before starting your influencer journey, there are a few key things to consider.
What will be your niche?
Think about what you’re passionate about and your realm of expertise, whether it’s photography, modeling, vlogging, travel, food, or something else. Finding something you truly love and creating a brand identity will be the key to creating excellent content your viewers and fans will appreciate. Remember that you don’t necessarily need to be a complete expert in your niche. Some influencers earn their following by bringing their audience along on their growth journey. Regardless of how you focus, it’s important to be intentional about your plan.
How can a fitness influencer who just started differentiate themselves from other fitness influencers?
“The key to standing out from other fitness influencers is to find topics and audiences that other fitness influencers don’t touch or don’t touch often. For example, your niche can be bodybuilding, marathons, or yoga. When deciding your niche, think about what you can do better than other fitness influencers. That way, you get a great starting solid base that can grow with word of mouth or effective advertising.
When you’ve found your niche, make sure that your content is consistent and helpful to your audience. Some examples of content that works well for fitness influencers are sharing their journey and answering followers’ questions.
Lastly, be persistent. Once you start, keep working on getting better and adapting your content based on what’s working for you.”
– Arran Gimba from Oregon Sports News
What qualities does a fitness influencer need?
“Over the last few years, fitness influencers have drastically disrupted the health and wellness sector. People all over the world are turning to them for insights. Upfluence has looked at data on the fitness influencer industry and found the average fitness influencer on YouTube has an average of 326,863 followers.
However, the quality of a fitness influencer shouldn’t be determined by their follower count. Some popular influencers, such as Brittany Dawn Davis, have fallen from grace due to allegations that their plans failed.
If you want to benefit from following these personalities, it is vital that you do your due diligence and choose those that offer genuine wisdom. Here are some things to look for:
- Fitness influencers should know how to inspire you to stick with their programs. Fitness programs can be brutal at times, so you need someone who can assure you it is worth the effort.
- Some just want to hear the sound of their own voice, while others listen to and respond to their followers. You want to work with the latter. You also want to find an influencer that engages with their followers and supports them during the journey.
- You want to find an influencer with integrity. They should only endorse quality products and avoid opportunities to make a quick buck at their followers’ expense.
- They should be respectful in their engagements with customers. They should respond to negative views without being defensive or demeaning.
There are great fitness influencers that possess all these traits, so you should seek them out!”
– Shawn from HealthWorks Collective
Most important influencer marketing trends in 2023
The most important influential marketing trends in 2023 are:
- The rise of micro and nano influencers. Micro-influencers have between 10,000 and 100,000 followers, while nano-influencers have fewer than 10,000 followers. Brands increasingly turn to these smaller influencers because they have more engaged audiences and are more affordable.
- A focus on long-term partnerships. Brands are moving away from one-off influencer deals and towards more long-term partnerships. This allows brands to build deeper relationships with their chosen influencers and create more authentic content.
- The use of influencer marketing on new platforms. Influencer marketing is no longer just about Instagram and TikTok. Brands now work with influencers on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and LinkedIn. This allows them to reach a wider audience and connect with their target customers on the platforms where they are most active.
- A focus on performance-based deals. Brands are increasingly looking to work with influencers on a performance-based basis. This means influencers are only paid if they achieve certain results, such as driving sales or increasing brand awareness. This helps brands get the most out of their influencer marketing campaigns.
- An emphasis on authenticity. More than ever before, consumers are looking for authentic content from brands and influencers. Brands must be careful to partner with influencers who are a good fit for their brand and can create content that resonates with their target audience.
By staying ahead of these trends, brands can ensure that their influencer marketing campaigns are effective and engaging.
Read more about 2023 Influencer Marketing Trends.
– Emily Standley from Socialbuzzhive
Best tips for growing your audience in social media
Everyone tells you to post 3x a day, but they don’t tell you why. The reason quantity matters is not because there’s some magic number of posts that the platform wants you to hit before they boost your content. The real reason is that quantity gives you lots of data to improve the content. You can test what times work best to post, what opening hooks work best, what length of videos perform best, etc. When you combine all these pieces over time, you will be able to deliver quality content that goes viral and builds a ton of value for your target audience. Quality trumps quantity any day, but quantity is a necessary prerequisite to quantity!
- – Derek Omori from Blerp
What are the best degree options for someone who wants to become an influencer?
“Social Media (which is its own degree now, offered by Grand Canyon and a few other universities). This degree program intentionally studies the world of social media influence, and part of the curriculum is to increase your followers through their coursework.
Outside of that, if you look at some of the new social media influencers, they’re largely creative types, such as musicians (so music production is a good degree option because it teaches musicianship and recording), graphic designers who can augment their video content with graphics (so graphic design and animation is a good option), and then in the realm of healthy living would be exercise science and/or nutrition as good degree options. The last degree option I would like to add is Journalism for news reporting and analysis, which is tremendously influential.”
– Jake Akins from Successful Student
Distinguish yourself as an influencer
“So, you want to become a brand influencer and join the growing community of individuals who have found success promoting products on social media. First, it’s important to distinguish between a brand ambassador and a brand influencer.
A brand ambassador is hired by a company to promote its products and often has an ongoing relationship with the brand. A brand ambassador typically partners with a company for longer-term campaigns and may even receive free products or compensation to promote the brand.
On the other hand, an influencer can work with multiple brands at once and may use different tactics, such as sponsored posts or discount codes, to promote products. A brand influencer uses their following to promote products, typically on a per-project basis.
To get started in this field, building your personal brand and gaining a solid social media following is crucial. This means having a consistent aesthetic and engaged followers. It also helps to specialize in a specific niche, such as fashion or beauty, to attract the attention of relevant brands.
Once you’ve gained some recognition in your niche, reach out to companies that align with your brand and offer to promote their products. It’s helpful to have metrics such as your number of followers and engagement rate available to share. Be sure to negotiate payment or free merchandise before agreeing to any campaigns, and always disclose when you are getting paid or receiving free products for promotional purposes.
Take good quality pictures, create unique content, interact with your followers, and use relevant hashtags to attract potential brands. Whether you choose to be an ambassador or an influencer (or both!), remember to stay authentic and only work with brands that align with your values. With hard work and dedication, you can become a successful brand influencer just like those who have come before you! Happy influencing!”
– Pam Wiselogel from WFH Adviser
Space
How much room will you need to create your influencer space? Will you need to remodel or build an addition to your home? Consider hiring an experienced professional contractor to help you come up with the best use for your new space.
Budget
To make money as an influencer, you’ll need to spend some money to invest in your new endeavors. Make sure you allocate your budget for materials, marketing, and equipment to take photos and make quality videos.
Set up your space
When setting up your influencer space, you’ll need a few essentials:
- Camera: Invest in a high-quality digital camera that records video, too. You want the photography and lighting to be as professional-looking as possible.
- Lighting: Look for bright, quality lighting, so your photos and videos are crystal clear and easy to see.
- Sound: A high-quality microphone and recording software are a must to make your content sound professional and clear.
- Laptop/computer: Every professional influencer needs a high-speed desktop or laptop for editing videos and recording.
- Storage: You may need extra storage for things like props and your excess recording equipment.
- Internet: A good and high speed internet connection is crucial for streaming live videos and uploading content.
Tips for streamers on desktop lighting
“There’s a common misconception that lighting equipment costs a lot and that you need some specific knowledge to set it up properly. But in reality, you don’t need to spend a fortune on soft boxes and other professional gear as much as you don’t need to learn the rocket science behind Hollywood lighting techniques to get a decent setup.
If you’re just starting streaming or content creation, the best option is to use a small desktop light that can be mounted on your camera, monitor, or a stand behind it. There are two desktop lighting types to consider: Ring lights and small desktop lights with mounts — even one of them can give you good results at a reasonable price. Some good examples are Elgato Ring Light and Logitech Litra Glow.
Here are some quick tips to improve your lighting setup even further:
- Stick to artificial light sources and eliminate natural lighting as much as possible — it is very unpredictable, and most of the time, you’ll get some bad-looking shadows in your shot.
- Make your background dark by completely turning off your room light and add some soft accents to it with a neon light, garland, or a cheap colored LED bulb that you can get for ten bucks from Amazon.”
– Yaroslav Melnyk from Kudos.tv
Best advice on lighting for video recording
“A few years into content creation, I was eager to upgrade to “professional” lighting. I couldn’t wait for my new lighting kit to arrive, as I believed it would immediately improve the quality of my videos. However, when I set up my new lights for an interview shoot, I was disappointed with the results. Strangely, the image looked worse with the professional lighting than before. Inspired by that experience, my team and I have learned a simple principle that can help any lighting setup pop on video.
Throughout the next years, as my team and I looked at some of the most memorable movies and documentaries, we discovered that “professional” lighting was often the opposite of what we had initially thought. Rather than using a bunch of lights and focusing on shaping light, these artists were using fewer lights and focusing on shaping shadows resulting in more natural-looking and nuanced lighting.
Our main lighting for the majority of the work uses one light bounced off a nearby white surface – a white wall, foam core, or a white bedsheet – We then place the person we are filming at a 45-degree angle from the light source and film on the side of the face opposite of the light, the shadow side.
As with any aspect of video production, practice, and experimentation are key to improving your lighting skills. Try different angles with the reflected light or different materials to reflect the light off to see what works best for your scene and subject.
This minimalist approach paid off for my team and me. My advice for aspiring videographers is to remember that “less is more” and focus on using their equipment better rather than constantly seeking newer and better gear. As I put it, ‘We don’t need BETTER EQUIPMENT; we need to use our EQUIPMENT BETTER.’”
– Weston Childers from COMV
How do I choose my camera?
“When choosing a camera for vlogging, you should consider a few things, such as your budget, camera type, and image quality.
Keep in mind that the camera should be easy to use and not complicated, especially if you’re just getting started. Your main aim is to create videos. Once you grow (and your budget), you can always update your camera.
If you focus too much on camera settings rather than content, you will always be behind. So go with any good-quality DSLR, and you are good to go. A camera with image stabilization will allow for better focus and, therefore, better content.
Lastly, as you want a camera for vlogging, a microphone or external mic input is essential to boost sound quality.”
– Ali Raza from Aliraza.co
“Choosing a video camera can be a difficult task, but here are some factors to consider that can help you make the best decision:
- Purpose: Consider what you will be using the camera for. Will it be for personal or professional use?
- Budget: Video cameras come in a wide range of prices, so it’s important to set a budget and stick to it. Determine how much you’re willing to spend and look for cameras that fit within that price range.
- Resolution: Look for a camera that has a high resolution if you want to produce high-quality videos.
- Lens options: Check if the camera comes with interchangeable lenses or has a fixed lens. The type of lens you use can greatly affect the look and quality of your videos.
- Audio quality: A great video has good audio. Look for cameras with built-in microphones or the ability to attach external microphones.
- Size: Consider the size and weight of the camera. Will you plan on taking the camera with you on the go? A smaller, lightweight camera may be more convenient.
Overall, it’s important to do your research or to ask a professional when choosing a video camera. If you’re just getting started with shooting videos, opt for a camera that is easy to use.”
– Keith from Camera Groove
How do I choose my computer?
“Today, the market is flooded with a plethora of computer models, and the best computer brand has its unique selling point. By considering the features, functionality, portability, affordability, and several other factors, you can filter out the best options for you based on the type of vlogger that you are and the videos that you make.
Portability: Being a vlogger, you will need a laptop that allows you to easily pull it out from your bag and start editing and uploading your videos on the go.
Pre-Installed Software: Vloggers need software that allows them to manage multiple video files, edit videos, and then publish. Apple laptops come pre-installed with iMovie, a professional video editing software.
Audio System: Vloggers need a good speaker, and microphone setup on their laptops – travel vloggers, food vloggers, or design vloggers need to add audio to the travel guides or the tutorials they are preparing for their audience.
Storage Capacity: Storing all of your HD video files will require sufficient storage capacity. Vloggers should look for 512GB to 1TB of storage capacity. Look for an SSD (solid-state drive) instead of a hard drive, as it allows for faster processing of data and is considered fail-proof unless damaged severely.
Memory: As a vlogger, your computer must be equipped with sufficient Random Access Memory (RAM). When you have ample RAM, you don’t have to worry when downloading resource-eating apps on your laptop, as it will not affect your computer’s overall functionality.”
What should I look for in a webcam?
“One must first decide if the shooting will be recorded locally, part of a video meeting/stream, or both. Webcams inherently do not have storage capabilities, so they require either a stand-alone application to record or a platform with recording capabilities (such as Zoom, Teams, etc.). In either case, the webcam should have a high-quality integrated microphone and high-definition capabilities, with a minimum 720p resolution with 1080p desired.
If the video quality is critical, a 4K webcam should be used and paired with a recording application that supports this resolution. It is important to note that most video conferencing platforms restrict resolution to 720p for bandwidth considerations. To transform your video conferencing experience, one can try the auto-tracking camera for zoom, a user-friendly tool with features that allow for more control.
If the subject in the shooting will be moving around, such as an instructor writing on a whiteboard, then the camera should have a tracking or auto-framing feature. With auto-framing, the camera will keep the subject centered in the frame of the video, which is optimal for both short and long videos. The microphone range should also be at least 5 meters (15 ft) to allow the subject’s voice to be adequately captured.”
– Pat Cassella from VDO360
How do I choose a wireless microphone?
“There are many characteristics of a wireless microphone that will it determine its quality. That said, some features matter more than others. For instance, the frequency of a wireless microphone can impact the range, clarity, and latency of the audio, thus affecting its overall performance. Also, If you are working on a large production, the odds are good that other wireless tools will occupy similar frequencies. So, having a wireless microphone with a broad range will give you the flexibility to find the clearest frequency available.
In addition, if you travel internationally, some frequencies might be legal to use in one country but illegal in another. So, having a wide frequency range to work with is essential.
Cheaper microphones usually operate on the 2.4GHz band. While more affordable, this band has a shorter range and competes with wireless internet and microwaves. So if someone is microwaving a hot pocket or streaming their favorite show, your sound quality might suffer. Professional microphones usually occupy the 902-928GHz frequency band, which replaced the now illegal 566-698GHz and 700GHZ ranges. While often confusing and in a constant state of change, the frequency range of a wireless microphone can make or break a performance.”
– Travis Campbell from PrimeSound.org
How to capture good audio at home
Where you record matters
Rooms with bare walls and floors will make your audio sound echoey. That is something you want to avoid! Instead, pick a room with carpeting, curtains, and shelves to minimize the echo as much as possible.
If you have some money to spend and want to go that extra mile, you could look into acoustic panels to put on your walls. Acoustic foam help absorb sounds and minimize echo. Placing them in creative ways can turn them into decoration as well.
Get close to the microphone
Make sure to be around 2 to 12 inches away from your microphone. This ensures your voice is loud and clear when recording. But get too close, and you risk sounding “bassy.”
In addition, you should always use a pop filter when recording your voice close to the microphone. Pop filters minimize plosive sounds when speaking.
Combating noise in your audio
When the noise is caused by the microphone itself, you have two options to combat this;
- You get a better mic – studio-quality mics are less noisy but costly.
- The other option is adding a de-noise filter in post-production. Many editing and recording software like Premiere, OBS, or Audacity have great de-noise filters. This can help you get cleaner, crisper audio without breaking the bank.
- The tips above boost your content’s production value by improving audio quality. But remember that the most vital part is the content itself.”
– Paul from MediaEquipt
Best advice for troubleshooting a microphone
“Like any other device, microphones are no strangers to issues that can happen unexpectedly, such as audio errors, sound inconsistency, internal and connectivity issues, etc.
When something goes wrong with your microphone, I recommend you do the following to troubleshoot the issue:
Clean the microphone
If the microphone delivers a muffled sound, the issue could be sound interference. Microphones can easily build up dust particles so that a quick clean will do the trick.
Check for physical damage to the mic and wiring
Next, examine if the microphone has signs of physical damage that may interfere with its performance. Follow the mic’s wires and inspect if the connection has come off or is loose.
Tweak the settings
If you’re trying to connect your microphone to a computer, you need to make sure that the settings complement the microphone you’re intending to use. Check the following:
Volume settings: Perform a microphone audio test on your computer to diagnose and fix the connectivity issue.
App settings: Determine if the issue is only happening with a particular application or software. If it is, it’s likely a built-in setting that just needs to be altered.
Audio driver: Check that your audio driver settings are fully up to date. An outdated audio driver can cause sound issues on your microphone.
Most microphone issues I’ve encountered can be fixed with the steps mentioned above. If the issue persists, you might want to get it checked by a professional to avoid running the risk of a severe hardware breakdown.”
– Ash Burnett from Shout4Music
Automatic social media posting tips
“There is no surprise that marketing automation tools help businesses, agencies, or personal users achieve desired results on their pathway. So, we can’t imagine running a successful business without using automation tools.
As a software company, we prefer to save time and minimize our employees’ repetitive tasks to help prioritize their tasks using automation tools. Also, using automation tools helps to enhance team creativity, which makes them feel more engaged.
As scheduler tools, we use FS Poster and Planly to optimize and maximize our digital efforts on social media platforms. Also, we focus on scheduling our social media posts on unconventional social media platforms like Medium, Quora, and Reddit, which helps create a snowball effect to increase engagement and get more lead generation.
These tools also help us be informed about algorithm changes on social platforms, which helps to get better engagement and reach out to more potential audiences. Furthermore, accurate insights from scheduler tools help us to boost the effectiveness of further campaigns based on provided previous insights.”
– Aygul Mehdiyeva Digital PR of FS Poster and Booknetic
How can bloggers improve their content writing?
“One of the most important aspects of improving your content is sharing ideas that are uncommon in competing articles on similar subjects. It’s important because there’s a lot of noise today with “SEO” articles on the same old subjects, sharing the same kind of advice. So you want to come up with “fresh” angles that aren’t covered before. Then you want to share unique ideas that couldn’t be found elsewhere.
How do you do that? One, you need to be more thorough with your research. Using the same resources as others — like Google’s first page on your topic — will not be sufficient. You need to find more specific examples and insights. Second, you can get in touch with subject matter experts on your subject, interviewing them to uncover counterintuitive advice on your topic. This isn’t necessarily supposed to be a quote. You can even end up finding that their answers can serve as the guiding light for your entire article.
Putting in a little extra effort over other writers can ensure that every piece of the content you create stands out from the rest. It’s important to also understand that every piece of content you write won’t warrant such labor. Find the ones that are most important for your business, and go all in on making them stand out.”
– Chintan Zalani from On The Map Marketing
Tips for using a green screen at home
“I remember the first video I recorded with a ”green screen”. The room’s background was not the view I was looking for, so I needed an alternative. It was a DIY green screen that still does a decent job.
So, there’s a way to create a green screen and save cash, especially when you are just starting. Green screens usually cost up to $200, and I DIYed mine for less than $20.
I bought wholly green sheets and then some wooden poles to stretch the sheets onto. It worked, kind of, but it was difficult to remove the shade marks in After Effects. And only after several tries I figured out that the lighting was the tricky part, not the green screen.
The most important thing with a green screen is not to buy the most expensive one – it’s how you set up your lighting. The better the lighting, the easier your editing goes later.
Try to put at least 2 lights on 45 degrees from the subject, and point some lights to a green screen directly so the subject doesn’t cast a shadow from the two 45 degrees lights that are in front.
Of course, having a high-quality green screen won’t harm you, and there are some pretty cool ones that you can find on Amazon but bear in mind the lighting – that’s the key. Try to use as much daylight as possible, and combine it with your artificial lights.
- Never ignore the shadows because they’ll hunt you later.
- Make sure your subject has as much space between him/her and the green screen.
- Depth of field is highly important, and try to match the background and foreground footage.
- Use a tripod to make it stable.
- The most important tip for you: don’t wear anything ”green” or whatever color is your green screen.”
– Stefan Mitrovic from Stream Mentor
Best advice for designing your room for vlogging
“You’ll need a big ring light to shoot high-quality videos at home. You can find ring lights for as little as $6, while the more expensive ones cost around $189.
For a nice background when vlogging, choose a backdrop you won’t get sick of. Or you can select several backdrops that you can switch. Having more options is an excellent idea to create different vibes for your videos.
The price for backdrops ranges from $15 to $1200! It will mostly depend on the material and size. Before investing in an expensive backdrop, ensure it fits your image and will give your videos something extra.
There are also DIY methods to make your backdrop. If you’re creative, you can try doing it yourself.
Next, you will need a solid background stand. When choosing a background stand, consider the height. For example, if you vlog standing up, the background stand should be at least 8ft high.”
– Elaine Rau from LadyBossBlogger
Editing technology
The best way to create compelling content is through professionally edited videos or photos. Consider investing in editing software and other technologies to help make the process seamless. You can find free and paid versions of various editing software programs and apps.
Advice for removing video backgrounds
“There are many reasons why people need to remove video backgrounds. Maybe they want to add a new background, or maybe they just want to make the video look more professional. For example, if you wanted to add text or images to the video, you would need to clear the background first. Additionally, many online marketers use videos with transparent backgrounds to be easily placed on top of other website elements (such as their sales page).
SocialBook Video Background Remover is a great online tool that can be used to make any video’s background transparent. The process of removing the video background is very simple and only requires a few steps.
First, you’re going to visit SocialBook.io and navigate over to the Video Background Remover Tool or you can click the link here: https://socialbook.io/remove-video-background
Next, you’re going to upload the video you want to remove the background for and then just complete the CAPTCHA verification. Now, wait a moment, and you’re done! You can now download your removed background video and overlay other backgrounds to it or use it for other purposes.
This eliminates the need to purchase an expensive green screen which also takes up a ton of space. Or buying expensive video editing software and then having all the technical knowledge to do this tedious process. You can save money, time, and headaches just by using this tool!”
– Julian Martinez from Social Book
Editing advice for influencers
“As we all know, content is king in today’s social media world. If you’re an influencer, no matter if you consider yourself a macro or micro-influencer, it is crucial that you post high-quality content. For such reason, you can NEVER skip editing. That doesn’t mean you have to give up on the spontaneity of your content. You always want to look authentic.
That said, having some resources to make your content stand out is handy. We would recommend the following:
- Always start off with decent equipment (taking good shots is half of the work)
- Use the most popular editing tools and edit directly on your phone. You can do it on the go, and it’s likely that you’ll be posting from your phone anyway.
- Keep your brand in mind. Refer to your color palette, and perhaps save a few filters that can be your go-to when editing videos/graphics. You can create an editing style that makes the photos feel unique and make people know your work
- Don’t overdo it! Put yourself in your followers’ shoes. When people see your content, and the first thing they notice is heavy editing, you might have gone too far.”
– Laura Minafo from eClincher
Find your platform and audience
If you want to create brand awareness to make money, you’ll need to choose a platform and a niche audience. Before getting started, define your goals. You might, for example, want to increase Instagram followers or the number of likes on your Facebook page.
Find the platform that works for you
Whether it’s YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or Tik Tok, choosing the platform or platforms you feel comfortable using is essential. Your niche audience will usually dictate which platforms offer the most views and the best, most loyal followers.
Social media marketing is a great way to reach a larger audience. Besides creating engaging content, there are many good uses for these platforms, such as:
- Collaborating with influencers: This is a great way to reach a wider audience and build credibility.
- Running targeted ads: This is a great way to reach people who are already interested in your niche. When creating the ads, be sure to target your audience based on their interests, demographics, and even location.
Engage with your audience
The most successful influencers take part in audience engagement. Answer questions, host contests, or simply talk to your audience rather than at them. The more you engage, the more excited your followers will be to hear from you.
Best advice for growing your online audience
“The best advice for growing your online audience is to be consistent, authentic, and helpful.
To be consistent, you must develop a plan, make a personal commitment to honor it, and invest in the resources to accomplish it.
To be authentic, you must develop your brand position, story, and personality.
To be helpful, you must stop one of the cardinal marketing/communications sins that most organizations and individuals violate consistently. Too often, organizations and individuals focus on themselves. They put themselves in the spotlight and make them the subject of their stories and messaging. Instead, they should put their customers in the spotlight and focus on their challenges, how you understand their situation and frustration, and how others have benefited from your products and services’ solutions.
Stop selling and start helping. Individuals and organizations do business with those they like, know, and trust. That’s because you must build awareness, understanding, trust, and consideration before you can do business together. That’s how smart organizations thrive. They understand that to build a strong brand and great reputation, you must earn it. You earn it by doing more listening and less talking, more helping and less selling, and more serving and less bosting.
As your credibly raise your visibility, individuals and organizations will start to know you, like you, trust you, and want to do business with you. Until you earn that trust, stop talking about yourself. You’re wasting your time and energy.”
– Jason Mudd from Axia Public Relations
What networking tips do you have for beauty influencers?
“Being a beauty influencer is a challenging and competitive field. From our experience and data via our women-driven FashionPotluck.com platform, we see each geographical region having content creators of reference. On the bottom, follow some general pointers:
- Attend networking events for creators or organize them yourself
- Don’t hesitate to reach out to other influencers in your niche for interesting collaborations or cross-promotions
- Keep an eye on any related events: beauty trade shows, marketing professional gatherings, and product launches. The more people in the field you know, the merrier. You never know where knowing a certain person will get you.
- Be authentic and authentically curious. Get to know people, get to know the brand, and build a relationship before even thinking of asking for something or offering something. It is a long-term game.
- Invest in the quality of your content. Be different, do not do it for the cash only, be the best, and overdeliver. 🙂
- Do not be snobbish. You might want to work with big companies but also pay attention to small brands, projects, and aspiring individuals. Time passes fast, and success can be unpredictable.
- Keep your ego down. Growing a following is important, but it does not give you a green light to charge exorbitant fees. Grow your partnerships based on values and points of interest.”
– Luis Galdamez Echeverria from FashionPotluck.com
Best advice for finding online communities to join
“There are a few key things to keep in mind when searching for online communities to join. First, consider what type of community you’re interested in joining. There are online communities for just about every interest and hobby, so it’s important to narrow your search down to find one that’s a good fit for you. Searching for the right community might mean searching for hashtags or keywords that match your interest on your favorite social media platforms. Once you’ve found a few potential communities, take some time to explore them and see which one feels like the best fit.
Another important thing to keep in mind is the size of the community. Some people prefer smaller, more intimate groups, while others prefer larger ones. There’s no right or wrong answer here, it’s simply a matter of preference. For example, if you’re a woman who’s interested in healthcare and technology, HIT Like a Girl Pod could be a great fit. Again, taking the time to explore each community will help you determine which one is the best fit for you.
Finally, don’t be afraid to reach out and introduce yourself. Most online communities are very welcoming and are always happy to have new members. So go ahead and take the plunge; you might just find your new favorite online community!”
– Joy Rios from HIT Like a Girl Pod
What mistakes do new influencers usually make?
“Here are some of the common mistakes that new influencers usually make so you know what not to do when beginning your influencer marketing journey!
- Accepting Any Brand That Comes to You and Saying “Yes”
You have spent the time necessary to choose a niche in which you are really engaged and enthusiastic as an influencer. Additionally, you’ve put a lot of effort into creating a community of engaged and devoted fans by continuously providing them with high-quality content.
- Bad Use of Hashtags
One of the most crucial elements of expanding your social network and enhancing your personal brand on Instagram is the use of hashtags. They promote audience participation in addition to making your material discoverable.
- Buying Fake Followers and Engagement
New influencers frequently buy likes and followers on Instagram and other social media platforms. They have hundreds of followers, yet they never interact with their postings because they lack curiosity.
- Sharing Irrelevant Content
Choosing a topic or concept within a certain niche that you are passionate about is the first step for anyone wishing to become an influencer. Additionally, your page’s content needs to be consistent with your topic in order to avoid confusing your viewers.”
– Paulina from Homelovr.com
Why is it important to use hashtags?
“Hashtags are a great way to expand your audience and get more reach organically.
Hashtags tag your content with keywords allowing the social network to categorize content and for social media users to search for posts that are relevant to their interests and interact with profiles and content that share those interests by joining the conversation about a certain hashtag. Adding these “keywords” to your social media content leads to the content being indexed by the social network, making it searchable by other users. When this hashtag is clicked on, the social network will take the user to a page that lists all of the posts with the same hashtag in real-time.
Utilizing appropriate hashtags in your content enables it to be found by your desired target audience and helps drive relevant traffic to your content so that you can increase the performance of your content. Using hashtags lands your content in front of a broader audience pool, allowing you to raise awareness for your brand or cause and leverage trending topics to your advantage.
Depending on the social network utilized, posts and content that use hashtags are likely to see more engagement and traffic than those that don’t.”
– Hugh Mitchell from Ruby Digital
How to use YouTube for Marketing your Fitness Studio
“Online videos are a great way to keep your customers engaged with your fitness business. Fitness is one area where people would probably prefer learning through a video over an article. It’s an opportunity all fitness influencers must seize to connect with a wider audience. Now the real question is, how do you harness the power of video-based quality content for your fitness business?
- Set up your YouTube Channel Content Matters
- Focus on building a buyer persona to grow your channel
- Content Variety and Consistency
- YouTube Affiliate Marketing Bond with your Audience Content Distribution”
– Omnify
Make money as an influencer
Once you have great content and gain more followers, you can make a good living as an influencer. Here are some ways to bring income in.
Tips for new influencers
If you’re just starting out, try these tips:
- Look for sponsorships: Many brands love to partner with influencers, and you’ll get free products in exchange as well as potential income.
- Affiliate marketing: Collaborating and doing influencer affiliate marketing is an easy way to make residual income as an influencer.
- Offer to coach: If you have a decent-sized audience, offer coaching or online classes in your niche for a fee.
Tips for influencers who want to work with brands
“The biggest tip I have for influencers is going to seem counterintuitive — and that is to focus on cultivating a strong relationship with your audience long before you focus on working with brands. In our 15+ years of experience at The Outloud Group, we see that the most in-demand and well-compensated creators are those who value the relationship they have with their audience and work to protect it.
The creators that are the most discerning with brand partnerships tend to perform the best. This often means turning down deals with brands that creators aren’t legitimately excited about or don’t think fit with their audience’s interests. Beyond that, it’s essential to develop strong business skills. This most often means creators need to understand their worth, negotiate, hit deadlines, and collaborate creatively (while still advocating for their strengths).
Finally, I’d advise new influencers who want to work with brands to consider working for a modest discount for the first few campaigns. This can be a great way to demonstrate your effectiveness and value early on and in no way limits you from increasing your rate once they recognize that value. In fact, it shows that you’re willing to meet the brand halfway and pursue a win-win arrangement.”
– Bradley Hoos from The Outloud Group
Why does influencer marketing work?
“There are lots of benefits that businesses can experience when they choose to partner with influencers. The following are some of the top reasons why influencer marketing works:
- Increased Brand Awareness: A social media influencer expands reach and grows audiences.
- Increased Credibility: When people see someone they know and trust promoting a product or service on their social media platform, they will believe that product or service is one worth using.
- Improved Lead Generation: Social media marketing, in general, plays an important role in lead generation. Influencer marketing, specifically, does a great job of helping to catch people’s attention and get them interested in learning more.”
Best tips for beginners on how to make money on Twitch
“If you’re just starting on Twitch, it’s important to remember that creating great content is far more valuable than focusing on income.
Stay consistent with your schedule and network with other creators; the money will eventually follow. Remember that success on Twitch takes time, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results overnight. Just enjoy the process of creating content and building your audience, and the rest will fall into place.”
– Chris Grayson, Founder at Streamscheme
Best way to pay new content creators
“There are several options for ensuring compensation matches the value received when paying content creators. Popular models include product gifting, pay-per-post, commission-based, and revenue-sharing models. Our research shows that attitudes and preferences surrounding creator compensation are changing.
In the early days of influencer marketing, product seeding or gifting was the primary compensation method. Increasingly, creators are requesting flat fees mixed with a performance-based payment for creating content or cash remuneration in addition to free products rather than gifts alone.
Building trust between brands and creators can take time, and some brands may be reluctant to pay cash for content if they don’t have an established history of success with a creator. This is where a performance-based payment model makes the most sense. Today’s marketers must show ROI, and there is no better way to guarantee that than to only pay when the desired action is taken. Commissioning influencers for the sales they drive is an option many brands utilize.
Flexibility is key when it comes to payment models for influencer marketing, so look for an influencer platform with various options. And keep researching the topic because, with anything technology-related, trends can change very fast.”
– Cristy Ebert Garcia from impact.com
Why is having a media kit important?
“A media kit is important so that when you pitch to a company, they are able to see all your metrics from your social media channels, demographics of your followers, and also provide an overview of the look and feel of your brand.
On top of that, it makes you look more professional versus the other guys who failed to provide a media kit.
I’ve created a media kit guide that shows you what’s in a media kit and have created a media kit template for you to download.”
– Henry Wu from This Life Of Travel
“As a creative, having a media kit representing you as your brand is crucial. This media kit is how brands and companies determine if they would like to work with you. Every brand has a “target audience,” and as an influencer working with brands, it is essential that your “target audiences” line up; a media kit is one way to ensure that. Certain brands will only work with creators/influencers who have a certain number of followers and engagement rates. Including analytics like these in your media kit is essential to landing deals with brands who care about these things.
A social media management tool like Vista Social can help brands and creators go beyond 30-day metrics to provide accurate analytics for a media kit. Creating brand awareness for you as a brand is another important aspect that needs to be included in your media kit. Brand awareness can be things such as your “vibe” and your “aesthetic” keeping things consistent with your brand is how you continue to build brand awareness. Therefore you come off as a better collaboration opportunity for companies to work with since your audience knows exactly what to expect from you and are probably following for a particular reason. Think of a media kit as your portfolio. It shows what you’ve done in the past and are capable of in the future with brand collaborations.”
– Alexus Brittain, Social Media Manager at Vista Social
Is Blue Yeti a good option for streaming and content creation beginners?
“I would recommend the Blue Yeti for beginners and even intermediate streamers. Yeti has numerous benefits to improve the quality of your content.
A few of its benefits are:
- It is the most well-rounded streaming mic.
- It doesn’t need a mixer or any other devices to make it work.
- It plugs directly into your PC and is very easy to use.
- The sound is excellent for its price and simple features.
Whether you want to begin a podcast or start streaming, the Blue Yeti is suited for both.”
– Moe Soloff from Leads Rating
What trends do you foresee in the streaming space that could impact how influencers approach content creation at home?
The streaming space is changing quickly, and influencers need to adapt their content creation at home. Here are some trends to watch:
- Increased Use of AI: Influencers will likely use AI tools to help with video editing and content ideas. This makes it easier to create high-quality videos from home.
- Focus on Authenticity: Viewers want genuine content. Influencers may share more behind-the-scenes moments and personal stories to connect with their audience on a deeper level.
- Long-Form Content: There is a trend toward longer videos that provide more in-depth information. Influencers might start creating detailed tutorials or discussions, which can be done easily from home.
- Community Engagement: Building a community is crucial. Influencers will focus on engaging with their followers through live streams and Q&A sessions to create a more interactive experience.
Hanan Naeem, CEO of OneStream Live
Once you have your space set up, you can start a career as a successful influencer. Remember to get the right equipment, define your buyer persona, engage with your audience, and choose the platforms that work best for you. With these tips in mind, you can start your journey as an influencer for a fun, exciting career.
