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A Brand Influencer is an individual who has a massive following on Social Media channels like Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc. He uses their popularity to influence his followers’ views or purchase decisions. A brand pays the Brand Influencer to generate a positive image of the brand in its followers’ minds and for recommending the brand.
Brand Influencers have become very popular since the advent of social media, and brands are actively seeking them as an alternative to paid advertising on traditional media platforms.
How does a Brand Influencer achieve widespread popularity and following?
The Brand Influencer may achieve a widespread following by being a public figure like an actor or actress, a sportsperson, a singer, a musician, a social activist, a model, a politician, etc. Often the brand influencers are popular because of the videos, photos, podcasts, or write-ups they post on social media channels and don’t have any other claim to popularity. Once they have a massive following running into a few hundred thousand or a few million, they can approach brands or are approached by brands to influence the decisions of their followers and are paid for their services. The brand influencers gain popularity by winning the trust of their audience. The demographics of the brand influencer’s followers depend on their profession and specialization and may vary from one brand influencer to another.
How to Become a Brand Influencer?
The brand influencers who don’t have a popularity for being famous personalities always have to start small. They can start by picking a niche that appeals to them and posting informative or entertaining videos or posts on social media. They need to post such videos and posts regularly to attract the attention of their audiences. Through regular posts on all facets of the niche, they can expect to become popular with their targeted audience. The would-be brand influencer needs to gain and retain the trust of his audience. Gradually as his followers increase, he can look forward to becoming a brand influencer. This may take as little as a few months to as much as a few years. The influencers must not give up and continue to work hard on their niche and make improvements whenever required. The would-be influencers must choose a place where they have an inherent interest because they will have to spend a lot of time curating content in that niche.
Brand Influencer: Do’s and Don’t
Brand influencers can choose from many social media channels depending on their niche and the target audience. It is essential that the influencer remains highly active on Social Media and engages with his audience. The influencer is expected to reply to comments and appreciate the likes and shares of his posts. It would help the influencer encourage his followers to engage with his posts and videos. Should the brand influencer engage in activities that undermine his credibility at no point in time?
Steps to Become a Brand Influencer
1. Select a Niche for yourself:
Select one or two niches in which you have a sincere interest. Choose the niche honestly because you will be spending a lot of time working on it, so you shouldn’t get bored of it, and you must be able to create good content in that niche.
2. Select your audience and social media channels for that audience:
Define the demographics of your target audience, and then decide which social media channels you will be using to reach out to that audience.
3. Create a good profile for yourself on the selected social media channels:
Prepare a detailed social media profile with a clear photo on the profile. Describe yourself and why you are an excellent fit to provide information and share expertise in your niche.
4. Study the topics that your audience may be interested in:
Do thorough research before creating content to identify the issues that your audience is interested in and provide complete information about those topics. Sharpen your expertise in your niche to maintain your superiority among your competitors.
5. Post your videos, photos, and write-ups regularly:
You have to post content regularly, often at predefined intervals, to gain maximum traction from your content. Try to cover as many facets as possible within your niche or expertise.
6. Engage with the audience:
Please pay attention to your audience. Encourage them to like, share, and comment on your posts. Reply to comments and keep them engaged. Take audience opinion while selecting topics for new content.
7. Do not associate with brands that may undermine your credibility:
While choosing brands to associate with, make sure that you act in your followers’ best interest and do not do anything that will make them lose faith in you.
8. Use Analytics:
Use audience analytic tools offered by social media platforms to understand the background of your audience. Optimise your content to get better responses from the targeted audience.
9. Reward your audience:
Reward your audience for engaging with your content and providing feedback. You can arrange contests and competitions for your audience and reward winners.
10. Be patient:
The influencer needs to continue to work hard despite the failure or limited success received by his campaigns. Patience and perseverance are of utmost importance. He must evaluate his performance from time to time and learn from his mistakes. At no point should he give up on his aspirations. It is ok to feel dejected but not ok to give up. Do not undermine the quality of your content after tasting success.
Final Words
Brand Influencers are becoming very popular in Social Media and Digital Marketing. They are compensated very well by brands and enjoy a fan following comparable to film stars and musicians. However, becoming a successful brand influencer can be a long one, and it may involve a lot of struggle and failure. People interested in becoming brand influencers must be sure of their goals and interests and be willing to lose everything if they fail. There are only 24 hours in a day, and there is only so much that a person can do in those 24 hours. Hence people interested in becoming brand influencers must identify their niche early and dedicate themselves entirely to the profession, just like a doctor dedicates himself to medicine or a lawyer entirely to law. They should not look at it as a calling that they would quit at the slightest taste of failure.
Also, check how to become a social media influencer.
