How much do influencers make and can I become one?

Are you influenced by influencers? Are you wondering what they’re all about, how they possibly make money, and even if you should become one? We have all (well, at least some) of the answers here, so read on to become an influencer expert.

What are influencers?

Great question. Simply put, influencers are individuals who have the ability and resources to persuade others to make purchasing decisions. In other words, influencers are the reason you bought a new brand of yogurt during your last grocery store trip. Influencers use their relationships, usually cultivated through social media, to sway their followers into backing a product or service. The company that provides the product or service pays the influencer to mention or promote their products, which in turn gains the company more business.

Where can I find influencers?

If you have any type of social media platform, odds are good that you’ve run across an influencer or two. Instagram and TikTok are both popular places for influencers to cultivate a following and tell them about the company they represent. Typically, influencers are part of or representing a very specific niche—like bloggers who target young working moms between the ages of 25 and 35 as their audience. Scroll through your Instagram feed today, and you will probably see a video in your feed from someone you don’t follow who is talking about your favorite brand of socks.

Is this a real job?

As crazy as it sounds, some people make very a great living as an influencer. If they can partner with a big brand and have the time it takes to create the right kind of social media presence required to affect potential consumers, they can earn some decent money. It’s probably a good idea to note that, while more and more people are calling themselves influencers, the ones who actually have success in the field are few and far between.

What kind of money are we talking about?

One recent report suggests that influencers with an average following can make between $30,000 and $100,000 a year. If they gain a large following, as in over a million people, they can even make up to $250,000 a year. While this money does sound pretty good, it’s also important to note that the average range is very wide, and that’s assuming you can even make it to that point.

Should I do this?

We understand the appeal that being an influencer can have. But before you decide to quit your job and download the Instagram app to start your new career, you should consider a few things first:

You need a following. You might have a lot of Facebook friends, and that’s awesome. But it takes more than a couple thousand online friends to have success as an influencer. You need to work up to hundreds, and then thousands, of followers, not just friends, before you can make it into the influencer world.

You need a niche. Why would someone buy a product because you recommend it? Is it because you’ve established that you’re a part of the target community this product was made for? If not, you may need to develop your social media presence a little more if you hope to convince someone that buying a product or service is a good idea. Think about what you know and who you are—how can you use those things to influence others?

You need another job. We’re being completely serious—becoming an influencer that makes a livable wage will take time. Don’t quit your job and assume that you will find success overnight. Instead, keep your job and develop your influencer persona on the side. Eventually, you may find that you can make enough as an influencer to support yourself—then you can reconsider the other job.

You need social media expertise. Social media has a lot of ups and downs, and navigating different platforms is tricky. Throw in the fact that most of these platforms undergo changes and updates on a regular basis and you’ll find that there is a learning curve to achieving a following. Even if you are a seasoned TikTok user who makes videos every day, doing it for your job requires a different set of skills.

Influencers are becoming more and more prevalent, so if you think you want to jump on this train, go ahead. Just be sure to remember that for every successful influencer you come across on Twitter, there are probably 50 others who just couldn’t make it happen. We don’t want to discourage you—we want you to succeed! Do your research, put in the time, and work towards becoming the type of influencer that everyone just can’t stop talking about—and keep your existing job for now.