From Twitch streamers to TikTok sensations, becoming an influencer is a dream for people across all walks of life. It\u2019s natural to want to share your passions with the world, and being an influencer allows you to do just that \u2013 as well as make money doing it.<\/p>\n\n
From content creation to regulatory bodies, here\u2019s everything you need to know about how to be an influencer.<\/p>\n\n
An influencer is someone who uses social media to make money \u2013 usually by \u2018influencing\u2019 their audience to make purchases. Depending on your success, this can be a part time or full time gig.<\/p>\n\n
Influencers make money in lots of different ways; from affiliate links<\/a>, brand deals, and advertising. But it\u2019s important to remember that influencers generally find success by being authentic. If your audience thinks you\u2019re only trying to sell them things, you\u2019ll be less likely to succeed.<\/p>\n\n The most successful influencers build a meaningful and engaging relationship with their audience. This can come from sharing your life, being aspirational, or from good humour. So if you want to make money as an influencer, you\u2019ll need to focus on these things first.<\/p>\n\n But how many followers do you need to become an influencer? The answer varies.<\/p>\n\n A micro-influencer is an influencer with a follower count of between 10,000 to 100,000. Whilst they don\u2019t have the most followers and views around, what makes micro-influencers special is their sense of authenticity.<\/p>\n\n The smaller follower count makes them more personable and relatable to their audience, meaning they\u2019re often more successful at influencing their audience\u2019s behaviour \u2013 and purchases.<\/p>\n\n Brands are aware of this and will often choose to work with micro-influencers rather than those with higher follower counts as they\u2019ll see a better pay off.<\/p>\n\n Micro-influencers\u2019 followers tend to be more engaged and their content is often more niche \u2013 allowing brands to choose the perfect influencer to work with. For example, a publisher may choose to send a newly-released book to a micro-influencer whose content focuses on young adult fantasy novels, as they know this will be of interest to their audience. <\/p>\n\n A macro-influencer has between 100,000 and one million followers. As a macro-influencer, you\u2019ll sit somewhere between having the higher engagement rates of a micro-influencer and the awareness and reach of a traditional celebrity.<\/p>\n\n While you may have a slightly lower engagement rate, macro-influencers show evidence of a consistent growth in followers. This is attractive to bigger and more well-known brands because any collaborations or brand deals will have a higher reach.<\/p>\n\n One of the most important things you need to know as an influencer is how to follow the ASA guidelines. The ASA, or Advertising Standards Authority, regulates every advertisement in the UK to make sure it\u2019s following a certain set of rules and standards. This also includes ads from influencers.<\/p>\n\n As an influencer, you need to make sure that any payment or incentive you\u2019ve received from a brand is clearly stated.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n This doesn\u2019t just include monetary payments though. Any incentive you\u2019ve received from a brand \u2013 such as free gifts or working as a brand ambassador \u2013 needs to be as clear as possible.<\/p>\n\n To avoid any problems, the ASA say the easiest way to disclose something as an ad is to \u201cinclude a clear and prominent \u2018Ad\u2019 label upfront before people view the rest of the content.\u201d This means using this label at the start of your caption.<\/p>\n\n Acceptable ad labels according to the ASA include:<\/p>\n\n Just tagging the brand or even using the classics #spon or #gift aren\u2019t recommended. The clearer you are about your relationship with the brand, the better.<\/p>\n\n The ASA revealed that there were 5,318 complaints made against influencers in 2022<\/a>. High profile cases include Charlotte Dawson failing to disclose an advertisement for her own tanning line \u2013 leading her to be included on the ASA\u2019s list of non-compliant social media influencers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n You can read the full ASA guidelines for influencers<\/a> here. This covers everything from what content needs to be disclosed to affiliate links and relationship definitions.<\/p>\n\n Instagram was one of the first social media platforms that really took off for influencers. Instagram stories, which disappear after 24 hours, allow influencers to show a sneak peak into their personal lives, while permanent grid posts and Reels are a perfect place for brand deals and sponsorships.<\/p>\n\n If you’re looking to find success on Instagram, these steps can help you get started.<\/p>\n\n Content creation is the most important part of any influencer\u2019s job. Not only do you need to make sure you\u2019re creating content you\u2019re passionate about, but it will need a hook to make people follow you.<\/p>\n\n Maybe you\u2019re into sustainable fashion and post your second hand and thrifted finds to inspire others. Or perhaps you\u2019re fixing up your first property and want to share your progress with the world.<\/p>\n\n What makes you different from every other influencer out there? Why should your audience follow you?<\/p>\n\n If you want people to follow you, you better make it worth their while. You\u2019ll need to invest a lot of time and energy if you want to grow your following. One way to do this is to produce visually appealing and engaging content.<\/p>\n\n We have a whole guide on how to get followers on Instagram<\/a> \u2013 but ultimately it comes down to being personable, authentic, and the quality of the posts you put out.<\/p>\n\n\n No one wants a one-sided relationship with the people they follow online, so build a community by engaging with your audience. Reply to comments and show your gratitude towards those who support you.<\/p>\n\n Your followers are more likely to stick around if they feel you appreciate them \u2013 and brands will take notice of this high engagement rate when considering you for partnership deals.<\/p>\n\n Don\u2019t forget about other influencers. If there are creators who produce content similar to yours, collaborating with them can be mutually beneficial.<\/p>\n\n Creating content together can allow you to share an audience and build a community around what you both love.<\/p>\n\n TikTok is one of the fastest growing social networks around. Thanks to its unique algorithm, users are fed content outside of those they follow \u2013 giving you more of a chance to appear on someone\u2019s feed if they enjoy similar content to yours.<\/p>\n\n Follow these steps in order to grow your following and make money on TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n TikTok content is usually less polished than content on other platforms. Videos are often spontaneous, leading to a more authentic approach to content creation. Showcase your personality and let the algorithm do what it does best.<\/p>\n\n TikTok is famous for its quickly passing trends. This can be trending sounds, video formats, or challenges. By participating in popular trends, you can increase your visibility on the algorithm and attract new followers.<\/p>\n\n It\u2019s important to jump on these trends whilst they\u2019re still relevant, so make sure you\u2019re keeping up with what\u2019s currently popular on the app.<\/p>\n\n If one of your TikToks gets a lot of views, it\u2019s important to stay relevant. Keep a consistent posting schedule in order to remain in your followers\u2019 feeds. This will help keep your audience engaged and keep your content relevant.<\/p>\n\n Not only can you like and reply to comments on TikTok, you can respond in video format. You can also easily collaborate with other TikTok influencers (regardless of their popularity) by using the duet or stitch features.<\/p>\n\n Duetting allows you to \u2018interact\u2019 with another creator\u2019s video by displaying both videos next to each other \u2013 which is perfect for musicians and other creatives. Stitching a video is a great way to join in a conversation and build on another creator\u2019s points \u2013 perhaps you have a book recommendation for them or an answer to a question they posed.<\/p>\n\n How much money an influencer makes will depend on their following and what social platforms they use. Some influencers earn money from the likes of affiliate links, where you get a cut of the money when someone buys something you promote. Many are part of a dedicated creator programme, getting money for each view they receive.<\/p>\n\n But a large part of any influencer\u2019s income is through brand deals and partnerships. This is where you collaborate with a brand and create content that promotes a certain product.<\/p>\n\n As a freelancer<\/a>, you can set your own rates when working with brands \u2013 but how much you charge will depend on your views, follower count, and engagement rate. And the more popular you are, the more you can charge.<\/p>\n\n One way to secure brand deals and free products to promote is to get on a brand\u2019s PR list. When looking for influencers and creators to work with, brands and PR companies will look for:<\/p>\n\n Joining a talent or influencer marketing agency can also help you to receive PR packages, as they\u2019ll negotiate on your behalf.<\/p>\n\n Not sure if social media influencing is for you? Find out more about how to make money on YouTube<\/a> instead. <\/p>\n\n Looking for freelance insurance<\/a>? Build a policy that includes public liability insurance<\/a> and professional indemnity insurance<\/a>, as well as other covers that suit your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\tMicro-influencer<\/h3>\n\n
Macro-influencer<\/h3>\n\n
ASA guidelines<\/h2>\n\n
How to become an influencer on Instagram<\/h2>\n\n
1. Define what makes you different<\/h3>\n\n
2. Create quality content<\/h3>\n\n
3. Engage with your audience<\/h3>\n\n
4. Network with others<\/h3>\n\n
How to become an influencer on TikTok<\/h2>\n\n
1. Be authentic<\/h3>\n\n
2. Pay attention to trends<\/h3>\n\n
3. Be consistent<\/h3>\n\n
4. Engage with the community<\/h3>\n\n
How much does an influencer make?<\/h2>\n\n
How to get on a PR list<\/h3>\n\n
More guides for working in social media<\/h3>\n\n
Get a quote for freelance insurance<\/h3>\n\n