What is an influencer?

We’re living in an age dominated by social media, with platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube being used daily by millions of people. Some of those people have made a job out of using social media… they’re known as social media influencers.

So, what exactly is an influencer? Well, there is no set definition but essentially it is someone that uses social media to literally influence others. They promote products, services or a certain lifestyle to their followers, who will play close attention to their recommendations, trust their opinions and use them to inform their purchasing decisions.

Top influencers will be able to make money from it, while working with an influencer can help a company reach large audiences and increase brand awareness too.

Social media influencers can be defined in different ways depending on factors such as how many followers they have, what platforms they post on, or the type of content they produce.

People that are known as ‘content creators’ - streamers, tiktokers, bloggers, podcasters and YouTubers – can fall into the category of being an influencer too.

Influencers are sometimes categorised by the number of followers they have. That can range from mega-influencers, who typically have over 1 million followers, right down to nano-influencers, who may have up to 10,000 followers.

However, one of the easiest ways to distinguish between the types of influencer is by the things they post about. Influencers can be experts in almost anything, but some popular categories include lifestyle, books, gaming, food, travel, fashion, interior design, sport, wellbeing and beauty.

Animals can even become influencers too, with people setting up social media s that show off the lives of their pets!

Influencers don’t make a set amount of money and what they earn can vary depending on things like how many followers they have, brand deals and sponsorship, brand affiliation, what social media platforms they use and what sort of content they produce.

Their money can come from a number of places, for example:

Advertising

Influencers with large audiences and a certain amount of views can get money from adverts that are placed on their videos on platforms like YouTube. They’ll receive money when people watch the videos and might get more if people click on the adverts too.

Brand deals

Influencers can make deals with brands to promote certain products. For example, a beauty brand might ask someone to make a post using a certain make-up item. How much influencers can earn for this varies a lot… but influencers with a large following can earn thousands just for one post.

There are rules about promoting products and sponsored posts - influencers must highlight clearly when they are working with a company or being paid to post about something. This also includes when they run competitions and offer discount codes, and if they have been gifted free products or experiences.

Exclusive content

Some social media platforms will allow influencers to put extra content behind a paywall, meaning followers can pay to subscribe to content that’s not available to everyone.

In theory anyone can become an influencer… all you need is a camera, a social media to post on and something to talk about.

Sounds easy, right? Well, the reality is that it can be a lot more work than it looks! Successful influencers have to commit a lot of time to doing it. They have to dedicate many hours of work to planning content, filming/recording the content, editing it, posting it and then replying to comments and staying engaged with their audience.

If an influencer becomes really successful, they may end up employing staff to manage their social media channels or help with producing content. Or, they may decide to get a manager who can help them plan and take care of things like brand deals and bookings. Sometimes, influencers decide to set up a company in order to help organise their business.

Despite previously being dismissed and perhaps not being seen as a real job, influencing is starting to be viewed more than ever as a viable way to earn an income. With social media playing a bigger and bigger part of everyone’s lives, young people have come to trust influencers they see in their feed every day more than politicians with whom they feel less connection. That's a lot of power – and responsibility!

Although elements of it can be good fun, opening your life up to the world as an influencer may also come with its downsides. Online creators can often feel an expectation to be switched on 24/7 and ready to share everything all of the time. Even if you’re a naturally outgoing person, everyone needs some privacy! Influencers have commented on the pressure they have felt to be constantly ing content and chasing likes, views and comments… leading to stress and burnout.

Another hazard of the job, as it is for any public figure, is the possibility of scandal. Rumours spread quickly online and people don’t always stop to check the facts. Even an accusation of wrongdoing can rapidly lose influencers a large number of their followers. Sometimes, their reaction to these accusations make the situation worse if they are seen to have a bad attitude about it, or if they deny something that is later proven true.

Like any self-employed person, influencers have to motivate themselves, set their own schedules, handle business concerns like taxes by themselves (if they can’t afford to pay for help), and cover unexpected expenses out of their own money. It helps if you’re driven, self-motivated, organised and able to handle rapid changes, but ultimately, there is a lot of luck involved.

Want to know more about what it takes to be an influencer? Check out these articles and resources!

The pressures - and rewards - of being an influencer

Influencing can be a high-earning career. Why don't we take it seriously?