What you should know about Influencer Marketing

Times have changed over the past few decades and so has social media. Social media can be a nightmare but it can also be incredible! Its constant evolution give people like you and me more and better opportunities. Think of your social media accounts like your own personal network. You share original content, repost popular content, and promoting brands -like your favorite items, vacations, or goals. Its full of stories about people, places and things. There’s a handful of people who have learned the power of social media, have grown their influence, and are now making six-figure salaries while enjoying their lives.

There are over 1.8 billion active Facebook users, 600 million active Instagram users, 300 million active Twitter users, and 150 million active Pinterest users. (Smart Insights) In 2017, 71 percent of internet users were social network users and these figures are expected to grow. (Statista) In 2019, it is estimated that there will be around 2.77 billion social media users around the globe, up from 2.46 billion in 2017. (Statista)

More than $1 Billion is Projected to be Spent on Instagram Influencers This Year. (Source)

Social media influencers have understood the growth in the market, penetrated a loyal following on these various platforms, and a large percentage of them are now making over $100,000 per year!

Not everyone can make six-figures from their social media, but many people are using social media as a side hustle or part-time job. From lifestyle and travel bloggers to normal people and star vloggers. Social media has revolutionized the way visual storytellers (photographers, travellers, foodies, fitness junkies, yogis, fashion icons, actors, folks with interesting lives, etc) showcase their talents, make friends, get fans and earn money.

I am by far no celebrity but have managed to grow my social media to over 90k supporters. My channels include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube. Growing my following has taken years. I’ve been fortunate enough to make a side hustle income from it working with some major brands including, Olay, Coca Cola, Disney and tons more. How? Read my post on how I have made over $1,000 in a month.

Rise of Influencer Marketing: Future predictions.

Influencer marketing is a form of marketing in which influencers creates content for a brand, either through a photo, video, blog post, etc and are expected to spread the word about the brand thru their social media channels.

Influencer marketing has become a powerful strategy and advertising platform for brands who want to reach potential buyers in a non-pushy, non-promotional way. 92% of people trust recommendations from individuals, friends and family, above all other forms of advertising. (Source) In addition, about 74% of consumers rely on social networks to guide purchase decisions. (Source) In fact, 60% of Instagram users Ssy they have learned about a product or service on Instagram. (Source)

Because influencers are able to reach millions of consumers through their social channels and blogs, influencer marketing is experiencing rapid growth. Hundreds of millions of dollars are invested and set aside just in advertising budgets just for social media marketing.

Will social media marketing surpass commercial advertising?

I don’t know, but it is possible with the way technology is moving. Social media influencer marketing is a $500 million industry today, and corporate muscle will bolster that to $5 billion to $10 billion by 2020, according to Mediakix estimates.

In 2015, influencer marketing yielded at least $6.85 for every $1 spent in paid media campaigns. (Source)

Influencer marketing has grown and is continuing to grow. According to Google, the trend on influencer marketing is drastically increasing.

What is an Influencer?

A social media influencer is a savvy marketer with the ability to craft relevant messaging, create inspirational content promoting a brand, and engage an audience on different social media platforms. A misconception is that you have to be a big time celebrity to be an influencer. THAT IS COMPLETELY WRONG! An influencer is someone who uses their social media power to inspire and ‘influence’ their audience. They are active on social media, blogs, and video platforms and serve as brand advocates & niche promoters giving word of mouth recommendations and criticisms. So once a brand has paid you to influence your audience, you are now an influencer.

It doesn’t take a million followers to start making money on Instagram or any social media platform. Interestingly enough social media influencers are more believable than traditional celebrities because people can relate to them. That is the advantage, authenticity. Thus, brands will always hire micro influencers (users with less than 250,000 followers) because they are more appealing than big time celebrities due to loyalty and interaction with their fans. According to Rebecca Alexander, cofounder of Socialyte,

“Influencers reach hundreds, thousands, even millions of customers via their collective social channels. Their followers want their lives, want to eat what they eat, wear what they wear—which means that they have a huge impact on decisions their audiences make when it comes to travel, restaurants, fashion, and beauty. They’re the reality-TV stars of the Millennial generation. Billions of dollars’ worth of product has been sold due to influencers.” (marieclaire.com)

Your favorite brands are rushing to get products into the hands of real people with a great influencer over their audience. That’s the power of influence and that’s what an Influencer does. What to learn how to become an Influencer? Read this post.

I also have a blog, which is what you are reading. Blogs are also a great way to share information. If you are interested in starting a blog of your own, I created a tutorial that will help you start a blog of your own for cheap, starting at only $3.95 per month. This is a special price Negotiated with Bluehost for my readers. You will get a FREE domain and great customer service! Check out the step-by-step tutorial here.

How to leverage your influence?

Social media influencers exist on all the primary social media and video platforms from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat to Youtube. Influencing your audience comes from personal branding. Once you have a personal brand, you can start grabbing people’s attention and gaining followers. This opens doors of opportunity as well as creates value in your brand. Learn more on Tips to growing your social media.

How to get your Influence paid for?

So you want to know how to become an influencer and get paid? Learn how I made over $1,000 in a month from Social Media. I also wrote a post about the common ways influencer get paid here.

Want some tips to growing your social media followers? Read this.

Want some Instagram hacks to building your Instagram following? Check out this post.

Are you unsure how to brand and grow your social media? Are you unsure about the direction you want to take? Do you want feedback on your social media content, photography use, how to grow? If you want an HONEST review, I am auditing social media pages and giving informative recommendations. Check it out here.