Micro-influencers are those who don't have millions of followers but have a loyal following of people who are interested in their content and might be willing to buy something they recommend. The rise of micro-influencers is a phenomenon that has been happening for the past several years.
The growth in popularity of micro-influencers is because they are more approachable and real. They also offer authenticity and relatability which is lacking in many other influencer marketing campaigns.
If social media is your passion and you want to make money out of it, this article will show you how to become a micro-influencer in just ten easy steps.
How To Become A Micro Influencer In Ten Easy Steps:
Micro-influencers have a smaller following on social media but in general, have a high engagement rate with their followers. This means that they are more likely to be noticed by brands and companies who want to promote their product or service. That is why becoming a micro-influencer is a lucrative option today.
Here are the ten steps to becoming a micro-influencer:
1) Find Your Niche
The first step to becoming a micro-influencer is to identify your niche. Only then can you target the audience on social media with the content they will appreciate.
Find what you are passionate about and then start posting content about it on your social media account.
Gradually, you will develop a following of people who are interested in what you have to say and then build a brand around this.
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2) Decide On Your Social Media Platform
Decide on the social media platform where your potential followers are hanging out.
Are your audiences mainly on Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram? Or do they mostly hang out on Twitter or Pinterest? Or is their online forum of choice YouTube?
Figure out where your audiences are and focus on one or two platforms initially. Do not try to grow followers on all the social media platforms available at the same time.
3) Study The Social Media Platform
Once you decide on the social media platform, the next step is to do a basic study on the chosen platform. In doing so, answering these questions will give you a better picture:
Should your content be in the form of blog posts, videos, or images?
Do you need to follow an SEO strategy to get noticed?
What are the best times of day to post your content?
How long should your posts be?
What is the community like on this platform?
How can you interact with them effectively or engage them in a meaningful way?
4) Create An Impressive Profile
Creating an impressive social media profile is the next step to becoming a micro influencer. For this, you need a consistently updated, attractive, and engaging bio.
A well-written bio will show people what they are getting into when they follow your account. Your display picture must also be attractive enough to create enthusiasm among your audience.
5) Create Your Content Strategy
The fifth step to becoming a micro influencer is to create content that will gain traction with your audience. You need to create quality content that will evoke interest in your audience.
Every social media is a search engine by itself. Hence, you need to learn and follow the SEO practices specific to your social media platform. Only then your audiences can find you.
You should design your content in such a way that it will get your audience involved and share the post. This can lead to more engagement, likes, and comments and in turn get you more followers.
6) Create Content Consistently
As a micro influencer, you need to be regular with posting. Creating engaging content constantly is crucial because consistent and fresh content is key to social media success.
Regular posting is what will keep the attention of your followers. Pick a schedule that works best for you and your followers and stick to it. The more consistent you are, the more likely they are to be drawn into what you're doing and want more of it.
You can also make use of social media tool kits such as Hootsuite, SocialOomph, Buffer, or Agorapulse. These tools will help you in planning, scheduling, and publishing content.
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7) Communicate With Your Audience
A micro influencer's reach is determined not only by how many followers the micro-influencer has but also by how many readers his/her posts reach.
That is why it is important to communicate with your audiences by replying to their comments. It helps them feel involved in your work, which gives them a sense of belonging.
Engage in social media every day or several times per day, for at least 30 minutes per day. Focus on creating relationships with your audience as opposed to sales or business growth.
This will the impression that you really want to help your followers and are not trying to push products in their faces.
8) Collaborate With Similar Influencers
To grow your following, you will want to engage with other people in the same niche.
Collaborate with other micro-influencers in your niche once in a while. This shows people that you are an emerging micro-influencer in the industry and have other supporters behind you. This also helps 'steal' audiences from other influencers in your niche.
9) Tag Brands And Add Relevant Hashtags
The next step towards becoming a micro-influencer is to tag brands relevant to your posts. Tagging helps brands discover you and your work. This is the basis when starting to look for paid brand partnerships.
You must also add relevant hashtags to your posts. This is highly important because hashtags are a searchable way for people to find ideas and interests.
Adding relevant hashtags will make it easier for people to find your posts in their searches and potentially follow you as well.
10) Sign Up For Influencer Networks & Affiliate Networks
The next step towards becoming a micro-influencer is to form partnerships with companies or organizations in your niche.
Many brands prefer micro-influencers since micro-influencers have a higher engagement rate than those with over 100,000 followers.
Sign up for various influencer networks to get brand deals. These influencer platforms help you find sponsors for your social media content. Many brands on these platforms work with micro-influencers as well.
With more sponsored posts, you will start making a steady flow of income. Some popular influencer networks are:
Affiliate marketing is another easy way for micro-influencers to make money. Here are some popular affiliate networks you can sign up for:
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Now that you learned how to become a micro-influencer, let's get some of the common questions answered:
How many followers to be a micro-influencer?
Influencers having a following of 10,000 to 50,000 followers are categorized as micro-influencers. It is however important to note that this range is not set in stone.
How often should I post on Instagram as a micro-influencer?
Persistence and consistency are the most important factors to be a successful micro-influencer. Aim to post at least once a day to grow your followers. Post at least thrice a week to boost your engagement rates.
How much money do micro-influencers make?
As per this Shopify influencer pricing article, there are many factors that determine how much micro-influencers can charge. For example - their engagement rates, the platforms they are on, and the type of brand-influencer partnership. The mode of payment varies depending on the social media platform and the sponsoring brand.
Books on how to be an influencer:
Want to read books to enhance your social media strategies? Here is an article to help you pick the best books on how to be an influencer:
Final Thoughts on How To Become A Micro Influencer:
In a nutshell, to become a successful micro-influencer, you need to:
invest time and effort in your chosen platform
post unique content consistently that resonates with your audience
build your network by following other people and engaging in conversations
use hashtags that are relevant to your niche or industry
tag brands related to your content
The above steps will help you gain the trust of your audience gradually as they feel connected to you and your content.
Hope this article provided you with insights on how to become a micro-influencer and helped you in your influencing journey!