How to Become a Full Time Influencer

How to Become a Full Time Influencer

The blogging industry has continued to rapidly change over the years. These days, more people are interested in starting a career in social media. With the rise in video content thanks to TikTok and YouTube, anyone can sign up for an account on these platforms and post using a phone.

When I first started out as a blogger, I created an account on Blogger. During my college years, I spent time posing for photos in front of my tripod and uploaded weekly blog posts to Affordable by Amanda. Instagram gained traction in 2012 and from then on I also uploaded pictures to my Instagram account. From then on, I gradually opened up new social media accounts on Pinterest, Facebook, and TikTok.

These days I juggle all of my social media accounts on a daily basis. On Instagram and my blog I am collaborating with brands like Excedrin, Walmart, and Neutrogena. If you are also interested in becoming a full time influencer I suggest reading on as I share my personal experience in this industry.

1. Have Accounts On Social Media Platforms

Like I mentioned earlier, I have social media accounts that I juggle on a daily basis. To see success in the social media industry, you should open up accounts on all the major platforms.

The platforms to have social media accounts on include:

1. Instagram
2. Facebook
3. TikTok
4. Pinterest
5. Twitter (optional)
6. YouTube (optional)

To be successful in the social media industry it’s important to be consistent across these various platforms. You don’t have to necessarily post to every social media account every single day, but rather come up with a schedule that works for you.

For example, you can post to Instagram on Mondays and Fridays at a certain time. I have my Instagram linked to my business Facebook page so whenever I post to Instagram it automatically shares to Facebook.

2. Post Quality Images and Videos On Social Media

The phrase quality over quantity also applies to the social media industry. When I choose something to post to Instagram, I typically opt for a photo that looks crisp, bright, and airy. Posting quality images and videos to social media makes you look impressive and like you know what you’re doing even if you are just starting out!

Use Your Phone to Capture Content

You do not need a fancy camera to post high-quality images and videos to Instagram or TikTok. In fact, most iPhones have insane camera settings and can even shoot in 4K. All of my YouTube videos are shot in 4K on my iPhone 12! It’s important to play around with these features on your phone. Find your angles and always shoot in bright light to capture beautiful, high-quality images and videos.

For TikTok, I also use my iPhone 12. Most people rely on their phones to shoot short-form videos these days. Instead of spending $2,000 on a new camera that might be confusing to use, I suggest upgrading your phone for a newer model. Our phones are basically as great as expensive cameras anyway!

Hiring a Professional Photographer

In addition to photos from my iPhone 12, I also hire a photographer from time to time to capture outfits or sponsored content. I like to find a nice mix between in the moment photos from my iPhone and more thought-out imagery in partnership with a professional photographer.

Working with a professional photographer helps me curate my content across all of my social media platforms to look high-quality and neat. Of course, when you are just starting out, I recommend sticking to your iPhone to save money! However, once you can afford a session with a professional photographer, I think it’s smart to capture a few different looks to save up and post over time.

3. Grow Your Following By Sharing What You Love

As you start to post to your social media accounts I highly recommend finding your “niche” by sharing what you love. Your “brand pillars” can include areas like fashion, home decor, beauty, travel, or fitness. To narrow down your niche it’s best to pick three of these categories.

For my brand, Affordable by Amanda, I chose fashion, beauty, and blogging tips as my three brand pillars.

Post what feels authentic to YOU. You will grow your following over time if you stick to your brand pillars in everything you post online. I follow accounts that strictly focus on affordable fashion because that’s what I enjoy viewing on Instagram.

Share Video Content on TikTok

A lot of social media users have seen success on TikTok over the past few years. On TikTok, people recreate trending sounds and dances to share. It’s easy to grow on TikTok because so many people are on the app and enjoy scrolling every day. It would be a smart move to create your own TikTok account and focus on sharing your brand pillars on there.

For example, I have my TikTok account and I focus on sharing outfit ideas, style tips, and shop with me videos. Anyone who follows me will expect me to share these types of videos over and over again.

4. Sign Up For Affiliate Programs

Once you create your social media accounts you should apply for affiliate programs to earn commission from making sales. Every niche has the ability to become profitable!

Affiliate programs such as Amazon Associates, MagicLinks, Shop Links, and LTK (LIKEtoKNOW.it) are available as third party platforms to help you earn  sales on products you share with your audience.

As an Amazon Influencer, I earn commission on sales when someone orders through one of my affiliate links. I also have an Amazon Storefront where I upload shoppable photos and idea lists filled with items from Amazon that I recommend. You can apply to become an Amazon Influencer once you have a strong social media following on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.

Another way I suggest making money as an influencer: with Shop LTK (formerly known as LIKEtoKNOW.it). Shop LTK also gives influencers the ability to create links to products to share with his or her audience. When someone clicks on a Shop LTK link, the influencer receives a small commission.

PRO TIP: Learn More About LTK In This Blog Post

Affiliate programs allow creators to make money by creating links. On my YouTube channel, I include affiliate links in my description box to provide people with info on what I am sharing in my videos. By clicking on my affiliate links, I earn a small commission for each sale made. The affiliate links on my blog are also another way I earn commission sales.

How to Become a Full Time Influencer: More Tips and Tricks to Follow

5. Pitch to Brands In Your Niche

Even small creator accounts can score big brand deals with nationally recognized brands. Back in the day, I always felt nervous pitching myself to brands. My insecurities held me back from reaching out to brands and landing deals with them.

You truly never know until you try. Creators with under 1,000 followers on Instagram have landed huge brand deals in the past. Do not let your follower size keep you from pitching yourself to a brand. If you want tips on what to write in a e-mail, check out my pitching tips and free template.

6. Stay Consistent

To grow your brand on social media, you must stay consistent. Pick a few key platforms to post content on a schedule. For example, you can post an Instagram photo in the morning and post a TikTok video at night.

Determine your own schedule and stick to it. As someone who needs to write things down, I keep a planner with me to document my social media posts month after month. Of course, if you are tech savvy, there are plenty of apps you can download to keep track of your posts.

Consistent posting to your social media channels will increase your following and social media “influence” over time. Unless you go viral, slow and steady consistency really makes a difference to become a full-time influencer. Keep yourself on track and on schedule to see the best results.

Apps to Help You Stay Organized + Consistent

1. Planoly
2. Tailwind (for Pinterest)

7. Engage With Your Audience

Whenever I post a new photo or Reel to Instagram I stay on the app to reply to all comments left my post. On YouTube, I also spend time replying to every single comment left on my video. Not only does responding to comments post your overall engagement on your post, but it also makes the person on the other end of the comment realize that you are a real person.

Engaging with your audience plays a huge role in becoming a full-time influencer. How else can you say you have “influence” if you don’t have an engaged audience, right? These days, you do not need a huge audience to collaborate with brands, but rather a trusting and authentic audience.

8. Create a Media Kit

Once you have a solid foundation where your social media platforms have a few hundred followers you should create a media kit. You can create a media kit on Canva on your own or purchase a template. I have a feminine media kit template on my Gumroad store for you to check out.

Check out my complete guide to creating a media kit in this blog post, too.

What should be on your media kit?

1. Your name (or blog name) and a short bio
2. Audience sizes across social media platforms (how many followers on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, etc)
3. Audience demographics (age ranges of your followers and where they predominately live)
4. Examples of sponsored posts you’ve done (if you have any recent collabs)

Create a separate media kit and media rate sheet to send to brands. On your media rate sheet is where you need to list out how much you charge for sponsored posts. Include your rates for a static (in-feed) Instagram post, Instagram stories, Instagram reel, YouTube video, TikTok video, and whatever else you need to charge for.

9. Determine Your Rates for Sponsored Content

Speaking of figuring out what to charge for content, once you establish yourself on social media, you need to determine your rates for posting on behalf of brands. There are many ways to partner with brands with third-party platforms, but you can also e-mail a brand directly to pitch an idea.

Setting your rates can feel like an overwhelming task. Trust me, it’s easier than you think! Most brands recognize that influencers will charge a fee to create content in 2021. No longer are content creators working hours on a project for free. You should always charge for sponsored content.

To determine your rates for sponsored content consider these factors:

1. How much time will the project take you?
2. Are you hiring a professional photographer to capture your photos?
3. Do you need to purchase props for the project?
4. Do you need to travel far to capture your photos or videos for the project?
5. Are you buying a new outfit for the project?

You need to take into consideration all of the factors I listed out above and add those to your rate. For Instagram Posts, it’s a good idea to charge a couple hundred dollars per every thousand followers you have. Do not limit yourself when you determine your rates!

Brands have marketing budgets in mind to pay influencers in 2021. For a ballpark amount, if you have 5,000 followers on Instagram, I would charge around $300-$500 per Instagram photo. Obviously this is my opinion and you can easily go up or down accordingly.

For Instagram Reels, be sure to charge even more! Video content takes more time and energy and you should be paid a fair wage in return. Instagram Reels should run in the thousands.

10. Do Online Research to Learn More About Influencing

Back in the early days of blogging, there wasn’t too much information on the industry. Thankfully, with more people joining the influencer industry in 2021, there’s more helpful information on this type of job.

Even though I’ve had an influencer job for years, I still take time to learn more about how to improve on my craft. I turn to YouTube videos, influencer masterminds, podcasts, and simple Google searches to learn more about influencing.

How I Continue To Learn About Influencing

1. I watch YouTube videos on blogging and the influencer industry. Austen Tosone, a New York blogger, shares weekly tips on the influencer industry.
2. A few podcasts to listen to about the influencer industry are: The Influencer Podcast, The Goal Digger Podcast, and 6 Figure Influencer.
3. I follow creators like Emma from Emma’s Edition who shares her behind-the-scenes realities of influencer life.
4. I attend free webinars from LTK when they are available to learn more about affiliate sales.