Influencer marketing is a popular topic of conversations among marketers as well as consumers who are under its direct influence. Despite initial skepticism, it has become “a mainstream marketing tactic”. Agencies of different sizes have been actively exploring its potential. It has been observed that practically any industry has experienced a rise of influencers. Brands have been leveraging them more than ever. As a result, there is considerable interest in becoming an influencer. There is a number of steps to follow:
Step 1: Choose a niche. First you need to pick a niche you are passionate about. It has to reflect your personality. You need to have basic knowledge of it and be ready to study it deeper. If your niche is not your passion, someone else will take over. Make sure that you communicate stuff you are truly interested in. Do not just follow something that is trending. If you do so, you risk being invisible in the flow of content on social media. Your content should stand out and offer value to your followers.
Step 2: Understand your audience. Before creating any content and posting it on social media, you need to get to know your audience better. Successful influencers can build a strong connection with their followers because they target a specific niche with similar interests. First, you need to analyze your current followers to better respond to their interests. Most social media platforms have built-in analytics. Use this tool to gain insights into your current followers’ profiles. This information will help better target your content.
Step 3: Build a content strategy. To establish your presence, you need to provide high-quality, relevant content to your target audience. The content should present you as an expert and as a go-to source for valuable information. You can use a few platforms for different types of content. For example, you can use one platform for sharing visual content, and another platform for written content. To come up with topic ideas, you can get inspiration from follower feedback. You also need to choose the voice your content will take: whether it is informative, more personal or a mixture of the two.
Step 4: Collaborate with brands. If you ever wonder how to approach brands re potential collaboration, the answer is simple: very often they will contact you if your online activity matches their needs. In any case, you need to have a media kit ready to share. It should be no more than 2 pages long and present key statistics, audience insights, demographics and geographical reach. It is also beneficial to add case studies of previous cooperation with brands and mention received awards. Some influencers also include their work rates.
Step 5: Use the right hashtags. To excel at influencing, you need to make sure that your content reaches the right people. The simplest way to achieve it is by using suitable hashtags. This is a cost-effective way to increase the visibility of your content. First, you need to identify the most relevant hashtags in your niche. Then you need to simply use them. This helps ensure that you reach a broader audience that might be interested in your content. Make sure not to overload your posts with hashtags. Only use those that align with your public image.
Read How to Become an Influencer (Part II).
References: Werner Geyser, influencermarketinghub.com | Shanoon Cox, filmora.wondershare.com | indeed.com | epidemicsound.com | Shane Barker, shanebarker.com