You know you’ve made it on Instagram when people start calling you an influencer. This means that you’ve developed a strong enough following and brand credibility in order to be looked at as an example and competition in your niche.
Influencer marketing is one of the most successful forms of marketing, thanks to the power of word of mouth. Research shows that about 82 percent of customers on Instagram use the words and reviews of trusted brands in their purchasing decisions.
But how do you achieve influencer status? It’s certainly not something that happens overnight, but you shouldn’t have to wait too long if you have the right strategy in place. Here are some things you can do to become an Instagram influencer.
Build Your Following Quickly
First and foremost, you can’t reach influencer status without a healthy following. This might seem like a daunting task, but you don’t have as far to go as you might think. You can become an influencer in certain circles with as little as 1,000 followers! This is what’s known as a micro influencer, and it’s one of the most important groups on Instagram.
Don’t stop there, though—reach for 10,000 followers and beyond. To get to that point, one of your best strategies will be relying on automation.
Automation tools are designed to make your life easier while quickly increasing your followers. Using bots and analytics, the tool will scour the social platform, commenting on, liking, and otherwise engaging with posts to get more attention for your brand. They can also help you buy real followers to jumpstart your growth.
You can gain more than 10,000 followers in as little as a month with the right automation strategy, but make sure you’re using the right tool. A low-quality tool will make your brand look spammy and increase the risk of your account getting suspended, while a high-quality one like Plixi will provide incredible results.
Focus on Long-Term Engagement
Another essential strategy for increasing your followers is focusing on long-term engagement strategies. It’s not enough to get followers to interact with your content once. If you want to provide the best value as an influencer for future clients, you’ll need to show a pattern of heavy engagement, and that begins with multiple engagements for each follower.
To accomplish this, craft a re-engagement campaign. “Identify your least engaged followers and reignite the spark in your relationship,” says James Shamsi, CEO of The Connect Collective. “Be sure to also reward your most loyal followers engagement by liking and replying to their comments. Doing this helps to maintain these relationships, and thus retains a long-term engaged following for you.”
Connect with Other Influencers
If you want to become an influencer yourself, you need to know the right people. Networking is an essential first step in your growth strategy because brands aren’t likely to use you for their influencer needs if they can’t recognize you as an authority in the industry.
In your efforts to make connections with the other great brands out there, James Barry of Likeable advises, “Respect is key in creating these connections. You’re trying to make this brand like you and use you to promote their own brand…People love to be imitated—it’s flattery, after all. So take notes from the best. Mimic those who you respect the most and earn their respect in return.”
Most influencers truly want to see other brands succeed as well as their own, so they’re more than happy to join a network of individuals working towards similar goals.
One more best way to find relevant influencers is to make a use of hashtags search on Instagram. Later on, to grow you should also use unique and most searched hashtags to reach the right audience. You can use Instagram hashtag generator tools too, they help you find relevant hashtags according to your given query.
Let Your Bio Do the Talking
Whether you’re trying to gain more followers, or you want to stand out as an influencer, your bio is an essential component that deserves your attention. If you’re doing your job right, most of your posts, videos, and Instagram Stories will direct individuals to your bio to learn more. Don’t disappoint them when they get there!
“It should talk about your story in a way that engages people,” writes Shane Barker of Medium. “Remember, it’s one of the first things that a brand or a potential follower sees on your account. So, if you want to become an Instagram influencer, make it noteworthy.”
Tell your story in a few words, post a great profile picture, use a strong link to your website, and always remain true to your brand.
Be Bold and Unique
According to blogger and Instagram success story Alex Tooby, being bold and unique are two of your biggest assets in attracting influencer campaigns. She used these strategies herself to become an influencer.
“In a sea of…Instagram users it’s important that you set yourself apart,” she says. “Find that uniqueness and FOCUS on it! It may be uncomfortable at first but it’ll be worth it.”
She also stresses the importance of connecting with your audience, and sometimes that means stepping out of your comfort zone. “Being an Instagram influencer is all about your relationship with your audience,” she continues. “…So, by showing the deepest, darkest sides of you and not being shy about it, you create a safe space for people to connect to you, relate to you, and build those impactful relationships needed to be successful in this career.”
Consider the Compensation
When you become an instagram influencer, you need a strategy for compensation. Setting up your rates ahead of time will make you appear more professional and experienced, enticing brands to use your endorsement services.
Consider what other influencers have done for compensation. In some cases, an influencer will only ask for mutual shout outs or another trade of services. However, most influencers want a financial incentive for their efforts. Some brands even make an entire living out of paid influencer gigs.
Probably the easiest way to work out compensation is to go through a third-party app or service that specializes in connecting brands with influencers. It may cost a small fee, although there are free services available. These platforms will help you find brands in need of your services quickly while handling all the payment processing and legal work. It relieves a huge headache for you so that you can focus on your Instagram account.