5 things you should know before becoming an influencer

Just a one-minute scroll down your Insta feed and at least one influencer living their best life will surely pop up. It will most certainly make you think what that would look like for you.

Awesome brand deals, luxurious items, scenic destinations, and super relaxed work-hours do seem super appealing. But, there’s more to the influencer life than meets the eye. 

It’s not all fun and games all the time. So, in order to help you figure out if the influencer career is right for you, we’ll break down the 5 most important things you should know before becoming an influencer. 

Are you influential

Sure, you could take a perfect photo, edit like a pro, and write a captivating caption. However, to actually consider a career as an influencer, you have to have real influence. How many people would take your advice, like your posts, engage with your content in any way? 

The harsh reality is in the numbers. Not the fake followers, generic comments, or likes, but the real engagement generated from real people that enjoy your content. Think about this, and work on improving your engagement rates before you DM your first brand for a collab. You can read more here on the most effective ways to get more comments on your IG posts. 

Picking a lane 

To succeed as an influencer in the oversaturated market, you can’t cut it as a jack of all trades. Sure, you could land some minor deals with diverse clients, but that’s not good for the long run. 

If you mean business, you have to show it. 

Pick what’s uniquely your passion, and work around that to get a signature angle. Don’t go for the beauty niche, just for the hype, if, in reality, you’re passionate about sustainable fashion. Building a niche profile will land you the most relevant brand deals. How? Your super-specific niche will attract a like-minded audience that would love to engage with your content. This is the single most important signal to brands looking for influencer collaborations — a perfect win-win scenario. 

Money issues

One thing rarely any successful influencer mentions about their beginnings is that becoming an influencer can be super expensive. To be able to influence others, you would need an excellent online presence. And this requires a lot of money. From the quality camera, equipment, website, domain, different software, to trendy lifestyle and appearance, it can get pricey. 

Be sure to secure a nice saving before you start this endeavour. Your investing capital will pay off once the brand deals start rolling in, but you have to be prepared for the early days’ expenses. 

It takes time

Contrary to popular belief, being a social media influencer takes a ton of patience. 

In the beginning, you need it to learn all there is to know about the tech, about your audience’s tastes, and about brand partnerships negotiation. 

Whichever platforms you decide to tackle, you need to prepare for a lot of trial and error before you experience significant growth. 

What’s more, there are always new algorithm changes you have to conquer to cut through the noise and the competition. 

Prepare to work hard, long hours, and always keep an eye out for the latest trends, optimization strategies, and hacks. 

The negativity

Not everyone will understand or respect your job. People will cross many lines, both online, and if they meet you in person. 

The general lack of understanding of the influencer lifestyle probably stems from the super-curated content many influencers in the past have been promoting. Showing perfect lifestyles and little relatable moments has led to many people feeling that their status is not deserved and that they don’t do any actual work.

Fortunately, this criticism has been taken seriously by most influencers. Moving forward, we will see more authenticity and relatability as a result of this. 

So the backlash may not be so harsh, yet it’s still important to understand that tastes vary and that you need to be prepared for some degree of negative comments.