Is Being A Social Media Influencer A Real Career?
Influencers are those individuals who have essentially established credibility in a specific area or industry GETTY
Chances are even if you don’t “follow” a social media influencer or even totally understand what they do you’re likely to understand the concept. Influencers are those individuals who have essentially established credibility in a specific area or industry. To be successful they need to have access to an audience, preferably a large audience – hence their “influence.”
Apparently a lot of people not only appreciate what an influencer does, but a majority of social media consumers actually want to become influencers!
According to a recent survey conducted by IZEA Worldwide, an online marketplace that connects brands and publishers with influential content creators, many social media consumers actually see the benefits of influencers with 56% of respondents saying they made a purchase based on a sponsored/paid social media post from an influencer.
Moreover, 63% said they find the content created by such influencers to actually be more compelling than scripted advertising. That could explain why 67% of social media consumers even said they’d like to be a paid social media influencer for their favorite product or brand – and 30% said they consider themselves to be an influencer.
The Next Big Influencer
We’ve seen many famous people – even those who are in essence “famous for being famous” become influencers, but is celebrity a requirement?
“With time and commitment, and consistent effort, it is possible for an average person to become a successful influencer,” said Sinead Norenius-Raniere, vice president, influencer marketing & paid social at Valassis.
“Most start blogging or sharing on YouTube as a passion project or side hustle,” said Norenius-Raniere. “Success does not happen overnight. You must build enough content and this process can sometimes take years in order for your platforms to support you financially. But it is totally possible for it to lead to a full-time career.”
