HOW TO MAKE IT AS A CONTENT CREATOR
There is usually an aspirational element to most influencer content, but you don’t have to spend long on social media to notice the next level of luxury. Weekly designer unboxing, constant international travel and invitations to sample sales and fashion shows have been a normal part of social platforms for the past few years (at least until recently).
Indeed, it can feel like a self-fulfilling prophesy:
Influencer posts their new [insert Name of High Fashion House here] bag which they bought themselves in Cannes/Bondi/Mykonos
The brands in question takes note, gifts their products to the influencer in question, engages them for paid campaigns, and invites them on press trips and to new launches
Influencer continues to buy from the brand as well as work with them
This raises questions around what it takes to create true influence – the kind that generates brand awareness, sells products and forms trust – and whether you need to be independently wealthy to catch the attention of social media users and gain a following. It goes without saying that featuring big brands can be eye-catching, but what does it do for an influencer’s credibility? Undeniably there are creators building communities and relationships in the luxury space that have longevity, but it also produces the impression that designer goods are non-negotiable. For your average person, a bag costing thousands (or even hundreds) of pounds is an unattainable reality, so what does that mean for the hierarchy of the influencer universe?
We’re here to remind you there are no gatekeepers on social media, no bouncer on the door checking your shoes and refusing entry, no essay you have to write before gaining access. But if it’s not about the money, what skills and resources are vital? Anyone can call themselves an influencer, but we want to shout about all of the hard work and learning that really goes into it. If you’ve heard that buying a Birkin or Kelly means years of investment and dedication, then you might be interested to consider the true outlay it takes to be a content creator.
How to Build an Influencer
It goes without saying that this varies from talent-to-talent, but this is our overview of just some of the skills that content creators consider a part of their daily grind.
Creative
Finding inspiration. We know that social media algorithms like Instagram’s work intuitively, based on past behaviour on similar content. This means that the machine learning (based on the interaction history, type of post and timeliness) will push posts up in a follower’s feed ranking. While Instagram claim that posts are now seen by 50% more followers than in the chronological feed (source :@creators) this does place influencers in a tricky position. The challenge is staying inspired, constantly creating and innovating while still serving good content.
Collaboration. The most effective influencers are co-creatives that collaborate with brands and produce compelling narratives, whether well-taken photos, highly crafted testimonials or tutorials. This means building a team around you or arming yourself with the skills to do it yourself. From taking photos, editing, web design and styling, the list goes on and on. In many cases, the learning is never done so it’s a constant evolution.
Resilience. Not every type of post will work and not every brand will accept your pitch. Hearing ‘no’ is incredibly hard but will provide opportunities to re-evaluate and figure out what values you want to carry forward.
Practical
Social media platforms and affiliate networks. A familiarity with the platforms and networks that can support and fuel and influencer’s earnings is essential. There’s too much to cover here but check out our guide here to learn all about an influencer’s best friend, the affiliate link.
Knowledge of audience. Brands now look to an influencer to share insights of their followers when planning a campaign, so the more you can bring to the table about when audiences are engaged the better.
An awareness of the broader industry. Not to mention the ability to make your own market and cultivate relationships within the industry.
Dedication and investment of time. Planning for cohesion, regular posting, responding to questions – it all takes time. There’s really no quick fix to growing a channel but sustained effort is generally the best way to create a community that will bring you opportunities.
The kit – this is a big one. One of the questions most frequently asked to influencers is what equipment they use to shoot their photos. This leads to some names gently reminding their followers that just having the same kit doesn’t mean you’ll be able to take the same images. Doubtless, lenses and lighting rigs can help, but it’s the skills honed over time that give an influencer’s images the edge – which can’t be bought. The Michalaks might use eight cameras, tripods and a drone to create their silky montages but production values are called that for a reason: they can’t compensate for narrative, voice and creativity.
As photographer, model and beauty blogger Emma Hoareau shared on her Instagram “I’m so so happy to share my kit but please remember that I have spent 20 years taking photos and being virtually obsessed. I know when I get asked this all the time it’s a compliment to my work – which I am so happy you all like – but it is not just my camera that makes it good … I’ve had lots of different ‘styles’ of photography before I ended up where I am now and it’s something that’s always evolving.” We couldn’t possibly put it better than that.
Specialism
Expertise and personal skills. This could be a life-long career transposed into a pivot as an influencer (like Nadine Baggott or Caroline Hirons) or self-honed as a side-hustle. Traditional media and journalists have found new spaces online to share their decades of learned knowledge; stylists have turned their sartorial eye inwards, using their own outfits as a portfolio and leveraging it into other opportunities to work with brands that never would have been available had they stayed behind the scenes. Expertise means that influencers can effectively share brand messaging while placing it within the wider context of their specific vision so don’t hesitate to share your specific viewpoint.
Education and advocacy. Getting attention, building an audience and being able to sell yourself are all interdependent facets of working as an influencer. An engaged community will look to a creator to reciprocate the trust they put in – this intimacy is the greatest reward but also a responsibility.
Balancing selling with creating a community. A honed money mindset to help you build a well-rounded, sustainable platform, allowing you to spot opportunities, and know your worth while capitalising on them. Check out our article HOW TO MAKE MONEY AS AN INFLUENCER for opportunities to inspire growth.
Ethical and Cerebral
Creating a code of ethics. We’re beyond the days when audiences would follow an influencer just because they have good style – expectations are now far higher, and more substantial ideals are essential. Using your channels as a force for good (rather than just for personal gain) has never been more important and what brands and initiatives you align yourself with doesn’t go unnoticed. Casual clicktivism won’t cut it: audiences need to see more substantial alignment with the causes and social movements going on outside of the social media landscape.
Value your personal brand. It’s a much wider value structure that ‘just’ an Instagram or a blog – and don’t let anyone suggest otherwise. It’s an eco-system that could take you anywhere, and the possibilities are literally endless (which can be exhausting in itself).
Self-promotion. This is the ability to self-promote and share all of the factors listed here that you bring to your audiences. If you want to build a career online, then self-promotion is an essential aspect of getting there. Getting attention means engagement, passion and even sales – it isn’t bragging (humble or otherwise). Check our article here for indispensable advice on pitching brands and attracting new clients.
How to say no. On the flip side of self-promotion is knowing when to turn down opportunities if they don’t fit with your wider vision. This decision-making process is hard to put in place, but you can’t be afraid of scepticism – awareness of boundaries is so important to cultivating your career. Just remember that when you’re doing well it’s very visible to others so of course you will be in demand: this doesn’t mean you have to compromise.
The value of failure. It’s a less glamorous factor of what it takes to be an influencer and another experience that money cannot replicate. As uncomfortable as the prospect can make us, particularly when it comes to work and career failures, it’s an indispensable aspect of learning and long-term success. This means forging your own distinctive path and journey as an influencer can only happen with some missteps along the way. Not everything you produce will resonate with your audiences, but it’s part of the process. After all, failure gets you to where you needed to be, just quicker.
All that is all to say, it really comes down to the individual. You don’t have to tick every box in the lists above to earn your living online – far from it. But capitalising on your own personal offering, voice and previous experiences (whether social or career-led) means you can craft a distinctive and sustainable career for yourself. Ultimately, money doesn't buy legitimate engagement, but consistently investing emotionally in yourself as a creator with continue to pay dividends.