The appeal to becoming an Instagram influencer is strong – one successful post can bring you fame and make you thousands of dollars.
That being said, influencing isn’t about the money or the fame (at least it shouldn’t be). It’s really about building a tribe that feels inspired by what you say, do and think, and then leveraging that audience to better the world.
Doing this isn’t a simple task. It requires hours upon hours of daily energy to build yourself from zero to something, and with the following 9-tip checklist, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an aspiring Instagram influencer.
1 – Pick A Niche
In order to stand out, you can’t be all over the place. Having a niche will allow the right people to find you and appreciate your work. For example, if you like to explore and love Canada, consider becoming a Canadian travel influencer.
2 – Get An Instagram Business Account
All influencers are business owners, and you need to understand this. In order to begin working with brands, you must be able to provide your insights and audience details. The only way to get these insights are through converting to a business account.
3 – Post Unique Content
Be unequivocally yourself – unique content is special in the sense that it comes from you, is made by you, and is expressed through your eyes.
4 – Be Consistent In Your Posting
Allow your audience to know when to expect unique content from you. You can do this by setting a specific day/time when your posts will come out. For example, decide to
post on Instagram on Monday to Saturday at 1:00pm Eastern time.
5 – Write Captions That Reflect Your Personality
Do not skimp on captions – consider these to be miniature blog posts that can send your viewers a message. If your brand’s personality is motivational, make your captions inspirational. If you like to ask your audience questions about their daily lives, talk about your daily life. You get the gist.
6 – Craft The Perfect Bio
Your bio is the first thing that any potential new audience member will come across. Describe yourself and your brand as narrowly as possible and make your overall message clear.is lets people know what to expect on your profile.
7 – Have An Aesthetic To Your Feed
Every successful influencer has a clear pattern to their feed – you can notice it in the outfits they post, the places they visit, the food they eat, color schemes etc.
8 – Engage With Your Followers
When you receive comments on your posts, answers to your polls on your stories, or any DMs, it’s imperative that you do your best to answer them. Showing your audience that you’re a true human is key to creating loyal relationships.
9 – Get In Touch With Brands
Approaching brands is a final step that you should wait to do until you have a distinct feed theme and a few thousand followers under your belt. The importance here is that you work with brands that you personally believe in; do not just do it for the money or fame.
I know that this might not be what you want to hear, but these 9 tips are only half the battle. Being consistent, fighting your own urge to give up, and discovering your voice are just a few of the battles you’ll face.
Stay confident, stay positive, and remember why you started this in the first place. You have all of the keys to succeed.
