Chances are good—you’re on social media. Chances are also good that you follow some cool, interesting and/or entertaining people (aka influencers) who directly impact your buying decisions. Whether you identify with their brand, lifestyle, etc. or want to be like them, they’re a regular part of your life. Late night spending aside—in terms of popularity, influencers have absolutely blown up on social media. But what about you? Did you ever consider your own potential to influence others and grow your brand at the same time?
Log in to view the full article
Chances are good—you’re on social media. Chances are also good that you follow some cool, interesting and/or entertaining people (aka influencers) who directly impact your buying decisions. Whether you identify with their brand, lifestyle, etc. or want to be like them, they’re a regular part of your life. Late night spending aside—in terms of popularity, influencers have absolutely blown up on social media. But what about you? Did you ever consider your own potential to influence others and grow your brand at the same time?
Believe it or not, you don’t have to be a Kardashian or even have tons of followers on social media (yet). Whether you become a nano influencer (up to 10,000 followers), a micro influencer (10,000 to 50,000 followers) or a macro influencer (50,000 to 1 million plus followers), start where you are today and grow from there.
Content Creator vs. Influencer
A content creator on social media is someone who simply posts content, whether it’s written or visual (photographs and videos). An influencer, on the other hand, is someone who posts content which attempts to influence others’ buying decisions. While a content creator may inadvertently influence buying decisions, influencers do so intentionally by posting things that are:
- Educational or entertaining information (also known as edutainment)
- Niche or expertise knowledge
- Quality content (something of value to their followers)
Additionally, many influencers are paid to promote other business’ projects and services. More on that next.
Related: [Podcast] The Skinny on What Makes a Skinfluencer
Can I Make Money as an Influencer?
Yes! In 2021, Business Insider contacted about 25 Instagram influencers and found that they made anywhere from $100 to $1,000 per sponsored Instagram story. Granted, there is no guarantee regarding how much one can earn but if you have a large and significant social media following, you’ll undoubtedly gain the attention of potential sponsors.
Growing Your Audience
Just as the number of influencers has grown tremendously in recent years, so has the competition. But there are a few tips and tricks for standing apart from the crowd, including:
- Consistency—besides quality content, consistency rules. If you’re posting every day, some posts will invariably garner more engagement than others and that’s normal. Keep a close eye on what works and what doesn’t. But fantastic content that is posted rarely and sporadically will not help you gain a loyal audience.
- Curated content—this includes not just quality content but also content that is carefully curated to your audience. What do they want to see, feel and learn?
- Expertise—if, for example, your special sauce (niche) pertains to anti-aging facials, drill down on that through your social media posts. Include client testimonials, products you love/recommend and information about any advanced training you have received or are currently receiving.
- Technology—you don’t need to be a tech guru to become an influencer BUT do learn how to use the latest features of whatever social media platform(s) you’re using. That might include adding music, carousel photos, before and after pics/videos, text overlays, memes, gifs, jokes, emojis, etc. to enhance your posts. Most platforms are incredibly user-friendly, so keep trying out new things.
- Authenticity—this is also a big one. Your followers want to know you are a trusted voice within your field. For this reason—if you collaborate with paid sponsors, tell your followers you’re getting paid (no shame) to promote a particular product but also let them know why you like it so much.
- Vulnerability—while you don’t want to use your professional social media platform to air all of life’s grievances, it’s okay to occasionally let your audience know when things go astray—a delayed product/equipment delivery, staff shortage, bad weather etc. Everyone identifies with a “bad day” but more importantly, your audience wants to know how you handle it.
Now is the perfect time to use your social media platform(s) as an influencer. Not only can it help you grow your business, you might be surprised by how much fun (and money) you can gain by doing it.
Louis “The Laser Guy’s” Three Additional Tips for Being an Influencer:
- Going off the grid for vacation, etc.? No worries, but let your audience know why you won’t be posting for a while—and be sure to share pics/commentary with them when you return.
- Create a plan to become an influencer and write it down. Think about your desired audience—what is your brand, message, style, goal? Curate your content to match that demographic and output.
- Do your best to respond to follower comments and direct messages. If you’re lucky enough to have too many/not enough time to manage, enlist a friend or family member to help.
Louis “The Laser Guy” Silberman is CEO/Founder of National Laser Institute, a cosmetic laser and medical esthetic training institute. He is the owner of medical spas in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Dallas, Texas, and a nationally recognized author and motivational marketing speaker. Silberman created the 6th most visited online health site and was a semi-finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014. Most recently, he created “Louology, the science behind crushing it in aesthetics, in beauty and in life,” designed to help aesthetics and beauty pros stay connected and build thriving practices. He can be contacted at [email protected] and followed on Instagram @ louisthelaserguy.
