Influencers are everywhere! With new technology connecting more people every day, it’s nearly impossible to escape the enormous bubble of influence popping out of unexpected places. To older generations, the role of an influencer may seem unnecessary. But that’s only because words have changed over time. If we put a “Big Movie Star” in a commercial, everyone would understand why. Those big stars had massive pull when it came to influencing people’s personal choices. But times change and now there are unexpected people popping up with thousands and millions of friends…followers…and rabid fans in almost every country. Interested in becoming a value-driven influencer or hoping to work with one for your brand? Keep reading!
This post was sponsored by Intellifluence. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view. Learn more.
What is an Influencer?
As Werner Geyser simply puts it in his article, What is an Influencer, “an influencer is someone who has: the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of his or her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his or her audience.”
While I absolutely agree with that definition, and believe that EVERYONE is an influencer (parents…am I right?!) in the world of influencer brand marketing, numbers matter.
While a mom and dad certainly are affecting the trajectory of their children’s life, brands are not looking to affect the purchasing decision of just a few.
Brands want a larger, faster return on investment (ROI).
How I Grew Influence
I learned this the traditional way growing my own social media platforms.
I started in 2017 at the same time I began to take my writing career seriously.
And hear me when I say this, there is NO better place to connect with other writers in the #writingcommunity than on Twitter!
Growth was slow as most of you can attest.
I remember when I hit my first big milestone – 5,000 followers on Twitter! That felt good.
And then I hit 10,000. That felt even better!
Around that time, I wondered if I could earn any play money through sponsorship opportunities.
I found myself on a platform called SponsoredTweets and got a few gigs where brands would pay me $10-$15 for a single Tweet about their brand or company. Pretty cool, eh?
As a value-driven influencer though, I felt it was my duty to only accept projects I believed in because I know what you put on the internet lasts forever.
A Value-Driven Influencer is Selective
I passed on a LOT of projects and that made it hard for me to find sponsored content worth my time. Not only was it taking me longer to vet a brand and tailor a unique message for them that aligned with my beliefs and goals, I was still only making a few bucks.
Some brands simply asked for too much and offered to pay too little.
Other brands asked influencers to do things they weren’t comfortable with or hide disclaimer notices that are required legally and to maintain a high level of trust between content creator and content consumer.
But what I learned, and what these mega influencers (people with over 1 million followers on any platform) learned, is that the larger your reach becomes, the more opportunities you have.
While 10,000 followers sounds big, it simply isn’t big enough.
Influencer Payouts Increase as Reach Increases
I first noticed this when I sailed past 15,000 followers on Twitter. The price I could get for Tweets and blog posts shot up.
This 2021 Influencer Compensation Report by Curata details what influencers expect to earn on various social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram.
The numbers are pretty realistic from my personal experience (except the lower level follower tiers). You’ll see the key trend though: more followers = more earnings.
I saw another notable increase in offers and pay at 20,000 followers. And let me remind you, working with a brand as an influencer is more like being an ambassador than a salesman.
We can’t control buying decision, we can only affect it which puts us into a long-term relationship offering our personal view towards a brand’s service or product. Also, with many options to choose from, value-driven influencers can be highly selective.
I pass on many opportunities repeatedly because the brand simply isn’t one I can stand behind.
If you’re a brand interested in working with influencers, this Influencer Marketing article by Joe Sinkwitz is a great start.
More Time, More Influencers
The role of influencers is only going up, as any influencer and certainly value-driven influencers have had a key role in the marketplace since the beginning of, well, the marketplace!
With constant evolutions in technology, the ability for anyone to build trust and rapport with hundreds, thousands, and millions of people is getting easier – which creates an environment for wonderful opportunity.
It does take hard work, consistent effort, and time – but it’s worth it. Literally.
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