The rise of social media has given birth to a whole new industry of individuals who are paid directly by brands and companies instead of publications for promotional photography work. Now, influencers can earn thousands of dollars per day by promoting products as Internet celebrities.
An influencer, or social media influencer, is an individual who holds the power to change the purchase decisions of others through endorsement. These individuals can be bloggers, vloggers, Instagrammers, and other social media personalities who influence people through their content creation. Influencers have a huge effect on what products brands sell because they create a sense of trust with their followers.
The Types of Influencers
Mega-Influencers: These are people who have millions of followers on one or a few social media platforms. These influencers typically earn between $10,000 to $100,000 per post because their followers will do anything to see what they are doing in their daily life.
Micro-Influencers: These influencers have anywhere from 10,000 to 1,000,000 followers but are not nearly as frequently active on social media as the mega-influencers. They tend to be people with a niche following who aren’t necessarily models or celebrities but are more relatable to their followers.
Nano-Influencers: These influencers have somewhere in the range of 1000 to 10,000 followers. These individuals tend to be bloggers who began their journey on a small platform such as Instagram and were able to brand themselves well enough to make their way into other social media platforms.
How Influencers Help Brands
Social media influencers help brands by endorsing products through their platforms. When people see that someone they look up to or admire is using a certain product, they feel a sense of trust and are more likely to purchase the same product if it’s within their budget.
It also helps that these influencers provide information about the company, behind-the-scenes footage, and other tidbits that make the brand seem more human. The end goal is to help the audience understand how these products fit into their lifestyle while creating a sense of exclusivity at the same time.
Do you have what it takes to become the next major online influencer? Keep learning more about influencers and give it a shot. You have nothing to lose (except a follower or two)!