How to Build a Successful Career as an Influencer and Content Creator!
The creator economy has seen a rapid rise over the last few years as social media platforms evolve.
This surge has also created space for what we call influencers and content creators, whether by means of creating a niche following base or gaining popularity based on one’s taste, stature, or career. This phenomenon has taken the world by storm in its ability to shape the perspectives, actions, and, significantly, the purchasing decisions of their followers.
Despite this exponential growth, the pursuit of becoming a monetarily successful content creator or influencer remains an elusive goal for many aspiring individuals.
The value of influencer marketing was a staggering $16.4 billion in 2022, and Sibu Mabena, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of the Duma Collective, an event production and sponsorship acquisition agency, shared how to become a successful influencer and make a few extra bucks along the way, addressing the crowd at the Momentum Science of Success Festival held in Johannesburg recently.
Becoming a social media influencer has proved to be extremely lucrative, whether you are a celebrity or a previously unknown personality who has carved out a niche for themselves by promoting sponsors’ products and services.
Defined as an online persona or brand, an influencer needs first and foremost to stand for something.
“Go on a journey of self-discovery. Find what you like and what you want to be known for,” Mabena said while addressing her master class on ‘How to Be a Money-Making Influencer’.
Adding to the conversation, Executive Head of Digital, Content, and PR for Momentum Metropolitan Holdings Limited, Natalie Druion, shares that the metaphorical “cake” of the content creation industry is vast and continually expanding, with countless niches, platforms, audiences, and business opportunities.
“However, it’s important to recognize that while there’s room for many content creators, not everyone will achieve the same level of success or reach. Factors such as market saturation, audience demand, platform algorithms, and individual talent all play a role.
“In essence, while the cake is large and there’s space for many creators, not everyone will get an equal slice. Success often requires a combination of talent, hard work, strategy, who you know, and luck,” adds Druion.
Druion also highlights that there is a clear distinction between a content creator and an influencer.
“Content creators may focus solely on creating content without necessarily aiming to influence their audience or monetize their platform. Influencers, on the other hand, actively cultivate their audience and aim to leverage their influence for various purposes, such as promoting products and engaging with followers to sway decisions.
“Consistency is key to attracting a following, with regular posting and engagement being crucial; that’s the only way to beat the algorithm.”
Below is Mabena’s toolkit for influencers—all the food for thought and information needed for anyone looking to launch their online careers.
How many followers does an influencer need?
– Influencers are tiered as:
– Nano with one to ten thousand followers
– Micro, who has 10 to 100 thousand followers
– Macro with one hundred thousand up to one million followers and
– Mega with one million or more followers but are measured by the amount of engagement and not simply the number of followers they have, with as few as one thousand potentially qualifying them to represent a brand.
Know your audience.
– Knowing your target audience, demographics, and the most appropriate platform to reach them is essential when establishing yourself as a social media influencer, as well as being able to provide analytics from each platform.
– WhatsApp is the most used social media platform, with 93% usage.
– Facebook 83% – This is where you get to know your audience and create a community.
– Instagram 70.5% – For stories and paid promotions
– TikTok 60.3% – “Don’t be pressured into becoming a Tik-Toker if you’re not comfortable with this medium. X is a place simply to ‘post and go’ and is more conversational than visual. Being an influencer is a business,” says Mabena, “requiring as much thought as any other.”
What do you need to portray and convey as an influencer?
– Being authentic and representing values to which followers can relate will solidify your position as a brand representative with a product whose values align with your own.
– Keep your bio short, but tell your story.
– Use your real name somewhere, not just your social media handle.
– Don’t be afraid to use emojis.
– Have a call to action and a link to your website.
The Pitch
– Most brands prefer you to have a business profile rather than a personal account profile, so make sure you have a professional email address.
– Research the brand you are pitching to and ensure that what you represent aligns with their messaging.
– Make sure your pitch is flawless and has no typos or spelling mistakes.
– Set your rates and be realistic about expected engagement levels, impressions, click-throughs, and ultimate conversion rates, which will give the client the maximum return on their investment (ROI).
– Becoming a money-making influencer is within the realm of possibility for anyone who puts in the effort, creates a credible biography and brand identity of their own, produces quality content with excellent visuals, and can prepare a professional pitch or proposal. “Success is a science for which there is a formula when it comes to social media influencers,” concluded Mabena.
