Becoming a social media influencer may not mean that you are ready to compete against the likes of the Kardashians or Hailey Bieber on Instagram, but you can create a community of loyal followers to promote your individual brand.
Small social media influencers, or micro-influencers as they are called, are unlikely to make a living through their digital presence. However, they are crucial members of the digital social-economic sphere and can contribute to the growth of local businesses and communities. In other words, you may be small, but it doesn’t mean you can’t make money through your passion. However, you want to make sure you are equipped to build your presence safely and successfully.
Social media platforms aren’t enough; you need a website
It’s a no-brainer. While social media platforms can help you reach out to a broad audience and can be part of your sponsoring activities, your blog will serve as your online resume. The good news is that you can start a blog from scratch without breaking the bank, and you can secure a functioning and responsive website on WordPress for $20 or less! However, you will need to utilize your blog smartly to promote your influencer career.
What should you publish on your blog:
- A brief resume of your relevant expertise, interests, and skills
- Blog articles to introduce future sponsoring activities
- Articles introducing some of your social media photos
- Contact data for people to get in touch
- The kind of partnership you are looking for
Who controls your online brand?
When you work as a social media influencer, you are your brand. It is a good idea to build a private personal profile for friends and relatives on social media. Keep your influencer profile public, as it will be your brand identity. Managing negative comments and stories about your brand can be tough when things are getting personal. Therefore, it can be a good idea to protect yourself by working with an online reputation management company, which can analyze your profile, provide promotional activities, and protect you from harmful activities. Additionally, a reputation management partner can also make your influencer profile more valuable to businesses.
The art of taking great quality photos
Smartphones have become smarter and more capable. So, everyone can take amazing photos using only a phone camera. However, just because the camera has all the features you need for quality, it doesn’t mean the results will be positive. It is essential to develop your composition skills specifically for the platform. Instagram, for example, displays photos in 2080 by 1920 pixels. Shooting with this format in mind means you are less likely to lose fine details once you upload the photo. It can be useful as well to invest in an editing tool. You can’t rely on the Instagram editing tool to create beautiful, attention-grabbing images. Using a tool such as Adobe Photoshop Lightroom or Snapseed can give you more control over the look and feel of your images.
Are you ready to stand out as a social media influencer? Influencers can build a reliable source of secondary income through their digital presence. It may not replace your full-time job just yet, but it could pay for your next family holiday, so it’s worth making sure you can do it right!