Thanks to the beautiful world of social media, celebrities aren’t the only ones gaining partnerships with world-class brands and businesses. If you’re a college student, you can partner with some companies, such as Adidas and Sperry. Some of the perks that come with such a role include backstage VIP passes to events, traveling privileges, and of course, money.
In recent times, companies have opted to use more college students as influencers for their products. However, with the ever-growing number of influencers all around the world, you might be wondering if you even have a chance. Fret not: we’re here to help. Find below some tips to becoming the next high-demand influencer.
Know the basics.
Your ability to be on social media and give product reviews every day doesn’t mean you’ll be successful. To take up this role and get sponsorships and new customers, you need to be aware of all the work behind the scenes. It would help to learn all the fundamental aspects of social media, such as promoting content (whether on your Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter account, or YouTube channel), interpreting analytics, and tracking audience engagement.
Even if it means signing up for BS MD programs, that’s also a good idea. If you don’t know where to start, explore free guides on the internet. Make sure they’re as recent as possible since algorithms change and marketing techniques evolve all the time.
Identify your niche.
After learning about all the internal works of social media, it’s time to narrow down on the kind of influencer you want to be. To do this, you need to list all the things you’re most passionate about. Some earned media examples include tech, travel, fashion, food, auto, beauty, and lifestyle.
While it’s possible to be a multi-faceted influencer, growth in that aspect can get very tough, especially when working with brands.
Brands want to identify if you fall into their product categories and if you’ll be able to publicize them on your platforms. So choose your niche, and try not to hop between multiple types. It helps make your creative process easier while improving your marketability.
Create engaging content.
Authenticity and engagement—these two words are essential. One without the other can be detrimental to your brand and marketability. Creating content that appeals to your community is one of the most important aspects of being an influencer. When you create content, you attract a unique following outside of your friend circle. When creating content, be sure to keep it as original and authentic as possible. Your content should help evoke emotions that make your followers feel closer to you.
Start small.
You’ve learned all about social media, you know your niche, and you’ve started being consistent with posting authentic content on your page. Now, it’s time to take your influencing prowess a step further by working with brands. Once you have a decent following, you can try pitching to brands you know.
As much as possible, start small by looking into micro-brands and local brands around you. While you can land jaw-dropping deals with big companies, it’s sporadic. Starting small allows you to learn on the job and recover quickly from mistakes without dire consequences.
Use your support system.
You’re starting on this journey, and you need all the help you can get. Many social media platforms work with algorithms that change daily, but they center around one principle: shared content is visible content. As much as possible, ask your friends and family to share your content. If you’re a blogger, share your work on your Facebook profile and other social media pages where friends can see it.
Once your work is shared, it increases your visibility, which means more organic followers like, comment, and even further share your work. Using your support system is a great way to improve your networking skills as well. New followers might reach out in conversation about you or your content, which helps build your brand.
