Do you have dreams of becoming an Instagram influencer, a superstar amongst your peers who produces content that is met with the adoration of a mob of raving digital fanboys? If so, you are not alone! It’s no wonder that so many are pursuing a digital following through social platforms like Instagram, the opportunity to take your day-to-day life and share with the world and influence others is an unprecedented opportunity. Additionally, the money incentive behind having a following that wants to know everything about you and be like you can be enormous.
So, how do you take your life (and the passions that fill it) and create a digital following that beacons to your every call? It turns out there are a few simple-to-follow steps that will have you building an audience in no time.
Here are the first steps to becoming an influencer and changing the world with your life story.
Commit To A Topic
The saying goes, “jack of all trades, master of none,” and this certainly rings true with social media. If you are already famous in some broad sense, you can get away with content that isn’t specific to a narrowed-down topic. For most of us, though, this isn’t the case. The first step to creating a following and becoming an influencer is to pick a topic or niche that you can center your content around. It can be as broad as weight loss or as specific as beekeeping, but having a subject you want to influence will give those interested a reason to follow.
Create Engaging Content
Once you’ve focused on a topic, the next step is to provide something worth paying attention to! By creating content that provides value to your audience and engages them, you give people a reason to stick around and pay attention. Remember, most people are spending time on social to engage with content that is valuable to them for one reason or another; your job is to provide that value!
Use Hashtags Wisely
Spending the time to include meaningful hashtags to your posts can have a dramatic effect on how many people see it. Target hashtags that you think your target audience will be searching for. Like a directory or index, hashtags are a tool people use to find new content. If you don’t do the groundwork to make sure your content appears in people’s feed, they will have a much harder time finding you.
Interact With Others
Just like hashtags, reaching out and engaging with other accounts is critical to your growth on a social platform. By commenting and adding value to other people’s posts who’s account is similar to yours, you allow yourself to be seen not only by that account but also by anyone looking at the comments. Replying to the comments of a potential follower is an extremely effective way of getting their attention!
Be Consistent
If you are building an audience from the ground up, one of the most important things to realize is that it will not happen overnight. Your growth will come slowest at first, so it’s essential to keep that in mind, or you risk getting discouraged. Put together a schedule for posting new content and interacting with others, then stick to it. Consistency is what matters here; the results will work themselves out over time if you put in the work.
In a world where we are increasingly looking at our phone screens for the connection we crave, social media platforms have become an incubator for those looking to grow their brand and influence. The beauty of it all is that there are truly people out there who share your same interests, whatever they are, and are looking for new content to consume. Put in the work consistently, and it could be you they are looking to as the authority figure!
