By Elora Hanawa
Do you have an account on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or any other social media platform? Do you post on them? If your answer is yes, you already are an influencer, you just don’t know it yet. Don’t believe me? Let me tell you why and let me give you some tips on how to up your game.
When modern day social media was first introduced, in the early 2000s the perception of brands and strategies of marketing and public relations communications changed forever. The new platforms created new ways for brands to show their identity and gain visibility successfully.
As time goes on, brands have turned to influencers as a hugely successful brand marketing media channel. Influencers have gained huge attention because of their success in brand endorsements for companies.
Let’s start with the basics:
Influencers are individuals that have the power to affect purchasing decisions of others because of their authority, position, and/or the relationship they have with their audience. They are often seen as a role model or an inspiring, likeable figure to others who value the opinions of the influencer.
Now, let’s talk about you…
Everytime you post something on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter, whatever it may be, you are contributing to your overall brand as an individual. Everytime you post something that suggests an opinion that you have about something, or a picture of you in front of a business, wearing branded clothing, etc. you are showing your viewers/followers what you believe in, what you support, what you associate yourself with and your personality.
When people relate and identify with you, they tend to be more interested in what you have to say, what you wear, etc. For example, one incredibly successful influencer is Kim Kardashian. She is somebody who is known to be one of the most powerful influencers in the world. Although she did first gain popularity from the TV show “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” and from dating rapper Ray-J, she has grown her brand and her social media following has sky-rocketed. The show gave her an opportunity to show her audience who she was, which overtime led to her popularity and fame.
You may now be thinking: “but I don’t have a TV show and I’m not dating a famous rapper, how am I supposed to become an influencer?” The answer is simple.
Your followers you have right now are individuals that identify with you and like you and the content you create. You are already influencing your audience that follows you, without you knowing. But, if you want to grow your audience more, you need to show more of who you are, your passions, style, etc. By putting yourself and your brand out there into the world and showing your individuality, you will attract more individuals to your account that find an interest in the way you live and what you have to say. There are other fundamental tips depending on the platform you are working with, but in short you need to:
Know your platform
Know your audience
Be yourself
Now go out (digitally) and show the world what makes you unique!
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