Influencer Agency Guides

How To Become A Brand Influencer

Mar 1, 2023 | By Chris Jacks

Looking for how to become a brand influencer? It’s not as simple as it might seem. You won’t become an influencer overnight, and building a dedicated and engaged following takes time, effort, and strategy.

But, if you have the determination, creativity, and a little bit of business savvy, it’s entirely possible to become a brand influencer.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about becoming a brand influencer.

Why Do You Want To Become An Influencer?

First, it’s important to identify WHY you want to become an influencer. Are you interested in becoming an influencer for the right reasons?

Is there something you’re passionate about that you want to share with the world?

Do you have a lot of skills and knowledge in a specific area that you could teach your follower base?

Are you interested in doing and trying new things and want to share your experiences?

Be sure that your reasons for wanting to become an influencer are good ones. Being an influencer comes with a lot of responsibility. After all, your job as an influencer is to influence people.

Brand Influencer: a Lucrative Career Choice

It’s important to note that being an influencer is a career choice, and if you look into starting a career as an influencer, you must look at it as a business endeavor. 

And, if you manage your career correctly, you can make good money as an influencer.

How Much Do You Earn as an Influencer?

There is no “standard” amount of money a brand influencer makes. As an  influencer, your earnings depend on your niche, the brands with which you work, the caliber of your influencer, how engaged your followers are, and the scope of the projects you take on.

Some influencers make a few hundred dollars per month. 

Others make hundreds of thousands per post.

It all depends on how you strategize and manage your career.

How Much Does it Cost to Become an Influencer?

It does take some overhead to become an influencer. Depending on the niche you choose and the type of content you create, your overhead can range from a shoestring budget to four and five figures per month. 

But, if you’re just getting started, here are some of the basics of what you need to launch your influencer career:

  • A smartphone with data or internet access
  • A good camera (if your phone camera isn’t high quality)
  • Photo/video editing software (there are many free tools in the app store)
  • An email address (for communicating with brands)
  • Social media accounts and/or a blog

This beginner’s influencer checklist is the minimum for what you need to get your career as an influencer started.

Do Brands Pay Influencers?

Some brands pay influencers, and some offer free products or services in exchange for the influencer’s reach (if you’ve ever seen a post that includes “#gifted”, that’s what that means).

How Do Brand Influencers Get Paid?

Influencers might get paid by the campaign or paid by the post, depending on the scope of the project and what the influencer charges. 

Some influencers work directly with brands to get paid, but as your career progresses, you might choose to work with an influencer marketing agency so that your income is more streamlined and deals are negotiated on your behalf.

Can You Make 6-Figures Being an Influencer?

It is absolutely possible to make six figures (and even multiple six figures) as an influencer. Many brands are willing to pay top-dollar for specific influencers depending on the demographic of their audience, their reach, and their engagement rate.

Can You Make a Million Dollars Being an Influencer?

Yes, it’s true that some influencers make a million dollars or more per year. These influencers are usually mega or macro influencers with significant followings, great engagement, and a consistent personal brand.

It is not out of the realm of possibilities that you might make a million dollars as an influencer.

How Do You Become A Brand Influencer?

So, now that we’ve nailed down the basics of being a brand influencer, let’s take a look at how to become one. 

Remember that list above of the minimum you need to get started as an influencer? Once you have all of those things, you’re ready to start strategizing.

Decide WHO You Want to Influence

An influencer isn’t an influencer without a following, no matter the size. You need to first decide on a niche, meaning what specific area of interest you’d like to focus on. 

You might choose something more popular like food, beauty, gaming, or travel.

Or, you might niche down even further to something more specialized, like Indian food, natural beauty products, a specific genre of gaming, or RV travel.

Remember: the more popular the niche, the more competition there is. Niching down to something more specific can help you land brand deals for companies in that niche, but you might not amass as large of a following.

It all depends on what you want. At the end of the day, it’s important to choose something you’re passionate about that you won’t mind spending all day doing.

Study Other Influencers

What are other influencers––inside and outside of your niche––doing that’s working? Figure out what they’re doing that makes them successful and make it your own. 

And, it’s important to note: taking inspiration from other influencers doesn’t mean copying what they do. It’s YOUR personality and YOUR perspective that people are going to want to follow.

Start Creating Content

You need some base content on your accounts before you start pitching yourself to brands. After all, why would a brand hire you if you don’t have any content––or any followers?

Begin by creating content related to your niche. Keep all of your posts on topic as you grow your account. Once you’ve established your base content and remain consistent (and begin to attract followers), you can start reaching out to brands for potential partnerships.

And, this isn’t going to happen overnight. Creating content and building your accounts takes time.

Create a Press Kit

Getting your first gig as a brand influencer usually isn’t as easy as simply sending an email asking to work on a campaign. 

To gain the attention of brands––especially those who are willing to pay––you need to be perceived as professional and you need to approach it like a business transaction.

Create a press kit with information about yourself, demographic information about your followers, and details on your engagement rates, whether that’s comments on your posts, shares, likes, or even engagement within non-public facing areas like Instagram story responses.

Pitch Yourself

Once your press kit is ready, you’re ready to pitch yourself to brands. Research brands in your niche. See which ones are already working with influencers (these are the brands most likely to want to work with influencers again). 

If the brands you want to work with aren’t yet working with influencers, don’t be afraid to reach out anyway. With the ever-growing popularity of influencer marketing, there’s a good chance they will in the future. 

Another way to start getting brand deals is to work with an influencer marketing agency. These agencies work directly with brands, and are often looking for influencers of all sizes and niches.

And Pitch Yourself Again!

It can’t be reiterated enough: becoming a brand influencer doesn’t happen overnight. 

You WILL get rejected.

You WILL get left on “read.”

You WILL have brand deals fall through.

Don’t give up! It’s all part of the process/

And remember, every successful influencer was once where you are now.

How To Be a Successful Brand Influencer

Successful Brand Influencer

It’s not enough to just become a brand influencer. If you want to maintain a career as an influencer, you need to do what it takes to become successful.

Let’s look at a few ways to make your brand influencer career as successful as possible:

Adapt Your Pricing

As your influence grows, your pricing will change. The more in-demand you become, the higher your rates should be. Influencer marketing is powerful, and brands know it. Don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth.

Get Your Legal Necessities in Order

As a content creator, it’s important that you protect yourself. Make sure your contracts are legally enforceable and that you are fully protected. Work with an attorney that specializes in influencer marketing. 

Stay Organized

As business grows and you pick up more clients, you’ll need to stay organized so that you’re delivering on your contractual obligations to brands and making sure nothing slips through the cracks. A project management software and a calendar are key to keeping yourself organized.

Deliver an Amazing Client Experience––Every Time

The influencer marketing industry is as small as it is large. Delivering an exceptional experience to brands you work with is crucial to maintaining your reputation. 

And as a brand influencer, your reputation is what your career is built on.

Becoming an Influencer: Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s knock out some of the most frequently asked questions about becoming a brand influencer.

How Do I Become a Brand Influencer for My Favorite Brands?

Even if you’re just starting out as a micro-influencer, you can still work with your favorite brands. 

By building your personal brand as an influencer, creating consistent, appealing content, and cultivating an engaged audience, you will position yourself as a credible and desirable influencer.

Don’t be afraid to just go for it and pitch yourself to your favorite brands. You never know what campaigns they’re working on behind the scenes that could use an influencer exactly like you.

What is the Meaning Of Brand Influencer?

A brand influencer is someone who partners with a brand to advertise their products or services through content marketing. 

A brand influencer might review a product, take photos or create videos of them using a product, create unboxing videos, or even host giveaways for the brand.

Brand influencers are part of a larger marketing strategy wherein the brand gets in front of a targeted audience using the power of someone else’s influence.

Is Being a Brand Influencer a Good Career?

If you treat being a brand influencer like a business, it can become an actual long term career. Brand influencers have the potential to make very good money doing what they love and promoting brands that they’re passionate about.

How Long Does an Influencer Career Last?

Although “influencers” as we know them today are still relatively new, it’s quite possible that an influencer career can last as long as you want it to.

If you’re savvy with marketing, stay on top of industry trends, and develop business acumen, your influencer career could span decades.

Can Influencers Retire?

Many influencers make a good deal of money and decide to retire from the industry––some of them even fairly young! 

Being a brand influencer is a career, and if you do well, you can retire from your career.

How Many Followers Do You Need to Be an Influencer?

There’s no set amount of followers that make someone an influence. Your audience could be 500, 5000, or 500,000. What matters is the kind of content you create, the kind of community you build, and the kind of influence you have over your audience.

That’s why there’s a difference between large meme accounts, celebrity accounts, and brand influencer accounts. The key differences are the purpose of your account and the pull you have with your followers.

Should I Work With an Influencer Marketing Agency as an Influencer?

Working with a company that specializes in influencer marketing services can make your job–and your life– easier. An influencer marketing agency sources brand deals and influencers, constructs campaigns, and manages them end-to-end. This streamlines everything for everyone involved.

Should I Become a Brand Influencer?

Becoming a brand influencer is an exciting and often lucrative career choice. Being a brand influencer isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you’ve got the creativity, drive, know how to create a sense of community, and are willing to put in the work, becoming a brand influencer might be the best choice for you.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris Jacks is an influencer marketing professional with over a decade of experience in the digital marketing sphere. As the Director of Growth Strategy, Chris oversees and drives strategic initiatives to fuel business expansion. With a keen eye for market trends and opportunities, Chris develops comprehensive growth plans and aligns business objectives across cross-functional teams. With a strong focus on crafting impactful, ROI-driven influencer campaigns across multiple sectors, Chris utilizes his expertise to enhance market positioning and maximize results.

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Brands we’ve worked with
target
adidas
honda
coke
wb
mtv
oreo
ebay
ricola
mcdonalds
microsoft
nfl
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