Trying to become a social media influencer can be terrifying…
What will people think of me?
Will people watch my videos?
Will people read my blog post?
Will people engage in my content?
Can I actually make money as an influencer?

Trust me, I completely understand what you’re thinking and these questions are valid. Being an influencer is still relatively new and ever-changing. However, I’m here to tell you that it actually is profitable AND you can do it!

When you buy through links on my website, I may earn a commission.

You can create content that helps people and helps your bank account. I’m sharing 6 tips to help you become a social media influencer:

How to actually become a social media influencer

1. Capitalize off your uniqueness

What makes you special? What differentiates you from everyone else? What sets you apart?
Whatever that is don’t be afraid to capitalize on it. It’s okay to be different. Perhaps you’re a style blogger who is hilarious? Maybe you can create hairstyles that are simple yet quick? Whatever it is that sets you apart… don’t be afraid to do it!

At the core, an influencer is just someone who has built a community of like-minded people and get people to take action! This is how you become a social media influencer, you build an audience that connects with you.

2. Know who your audience is

Know your target market and their pain points. What kind of content do they like? What are they struggling with that you can help them with? Does your audience prefer videos or blog posts? What time are they usually online to see your content? Know who your audience is and how you can serve them.

For example, my audience is millennial women who enjoy simple beauty, style, and home decor. I also have an audience of women who create content (YouTubers, bloggers, and influencers or soon to be!) who want tips to monetize their influence online (like you!).

3. Serve over nerve

Being an influencer/content creator can be hard. Sometimes you will be excited about the content that doesn’t get a lot of traction. Sometimes you’ll get mean comments. Sometimes things just won’t go the way you planned.

It’s a part of the role and on those days, I operate in a “serve over nerve” mentality.

Yeah, my nerves are bad.
Perhaps I’m nervous.
Maybe something is getting on my nerves.
Throughout all of that, I was put on earth to SERVE.
Serve and impact individuals with my God-given gifts.

I remember that on the low days. I’m here to SERVE others and that’s way more important than my nerves.

4. Have high-quality content

If you want brands to spend their money with you, you will first have to spend money on yourself. Invest in a camera that takes high-quality photos (and a remote!) if you have to take your own photos. If that’s not your thing, pay for a photographer or see if you and a friend can take photos of each other.

Brands are looking for the best of the best to accurately and beautifully represent their products, services, and locations. With this said, brands are not likely to work with someone who struggles to capture quality images, so I highly recommend investing in high-quality photos and great content. I wrote a blog post sharing my top 9 tips for taking your own high quality-photos here.

To become a social media influencer, you have to create awesome content that your audience connects with

5. Treat it like a business, not a hobby

I truly started making money with Breonna Queen when I stopped treating it as a hobby and started looking at it as a business.

I post consistent content… not just when I feel like it.

I invest in my business because I know I will get a return on value.
I have systems and processes set in place because this is my livelihood and my dream.

This isn’t something I do to be popular, get free stuff, or because I need something to do. This is my business. I have a business account, I registered Breonna Queen as an LLC, I have business credit and I pay taxes.

6. Make yourself available for sponsorships

Make sure you have your email address listed on all of your social media bios. Be prepared to provide social stats to any brand that might reach out to you and be sure to include things like follower growth, engagement rate, clicks, and monthly website traffic.

Have a media kit that you can provide to brands and always keep it professional! If you want to become a social media influencer who gets paid, I highly recommend having a media kit and knowing your rates.

Are you ready to become a social media influencer? It doesn’t matter if your audience is small or large, there is a place for you and you can make money doing it!

Are you a current influencer or someone who wants to become a social media influencer soon? Share your tips or questions below!

In my next blog post, I’m sharing my 7 tips to email pitch to brands as an influencer