How to Become a Social Media Influencer

Does the idea of discovering things you love, sharing them with friends, and getting paid, appeal to you? For many, this is extremely exciting. That’s why becoming a social media influencer is so coveted—especially since it is also very lucrative. Beauty guru Michelle Phan, for example, reportedly earns $3.5 million annually. Moreover, given the increasing importance of influencer marketing, local, national and international brands are all seeking social media influencers.
So how do you become a social media influencer? Here are five key steps to help you raise your profile and become a social media influencer:

#1. Focus on Content and Visibility

Quality content that is visible is important in establishing a prominent social media presence. This means providing informative, insightful, edifying and entertaining content. By providing inspiring, useful and actionable steps, you give people a reason to follow and interact with you.

The more content you produce—and the greater number of platforms you use to distribute this content—the higher your visibility. This means publishing frequently and optimizing your content for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Periscope, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest and more.

#2. Establish an Authentic Voice

Owning your niche is the ultimate goal of any influencer. You want to be the first stop and the go-to authority for your expertise. Authenticity and authority are what makes your audience view you as credible and trustworthy.

Brands know the extraordinary power of word-of-mouth recommendations, and this is one reason why influencer marketing is so lucrative. Once you have established yourself as a niche authority and cultivate an audience, brands will seek you out to forge mutually-beneficial partnerships.

#3. Go Beyond Social

People with a wealth of offline accomplishments can gain social media traction very quickly. For example, famous authors who have an existing audience can move their audience over to the social realm almost as soon as they open a new account.

The formula is simple: The more prominent and influential you become in the non-digital world, the easier it will be to gain a following online. By writing articles and books, making media appearances, and speaking at conferences and events, you will be able to vastly expand your social reach.

#4. Value Shareable Content

In just a few years, Buzzfeed was able to build a powerful and influential news organization. How? By tapping into the incredible power of viral content.

You will exponentially increase your social media profile if you can understand the psychology of why people share content and then tailor your material as needed. Personalizing content makes it more appealing to share, allowing for the potential of engaging with thousands of new fans who are able to relate to what you are selling or promoting.

#5. Cultivate Relationships

Becoming an influencer doesn’t happen overnight. But this can occur a lot faster if you get help from those who have already succeeded in this realm.

Find the top influencers in your niche and follow them. Interact with them when you have something to say. If your content strikes a chord, it will likely get a retweet, a like, a comment, a mention or some other form of validation. The right endorsement from the right influencer can raise your profile and give you a vast new audience.

The Next Step

Social media influencers have gained notoriety with their powerful networks and followers. Many brands seek social media influencers to take them to the next level. One word or endorsement from a top influencer can generate extraordinary buzz and sales.

Contact me today to learn more about the power of social media influencers and how to make your business thrive.