An influencer is someone who influences another, whether it be pushing a product or a lifestyle. But when it comes to social media, influencers have taken the world by storm, and sometimes it’s not always for the better.
Someone told me recently that I could be an influencer. They’re probably right, but I don’t participate in any of those “challenges” or “pranks” that have gone viral as of recent. Heck, I don’t even have a tweet or video that’s gone viral. Sometimes it’s as though these influencers are plucked from the dark, out of nowhere, and become “internet famous” overnight.
But what does it take to get noticed?
So many things are coming at us all the time. Content is flying around 24/7, and it’s incredibly easy to get lost in the shuffle. I don’t think there is a sure fire way to truly get noticed and make it big overnight, unless it’s through happenstance — like, someone from the right audience came across your post and shared it, causing your social channels to blow up with notifications. This can be either good or bad, depending on context.
Unfortunately, I feel it’s all up to luck. The YouTube creators I follow, for example, have stated over and over that they’ve been creating and sharing their content for six to ten years, depending on how you ask. I’ve been uploading to my YouTube channel for about two years now — albeit, not very consistently — and so far I’ve gained over 300 subscribers at the time of me writing this post. To me, that’s a victory. But it’s still a long, long way to monetization.
Post often and consistently. Try to show your best self; and if you’re struggling, don’t be afraid to say so. Viewers will typically notice if you’re trying to be upbeat but are instead masking a more sullen mood. But, most importantly, do it for fun. Do it for yourself. I put my content out there in the world because I feel I have a voice — and for some reason, people want to hear what I have to say. I’m not doing this for anyone else. And, personally, I’m having fun doing it.
So, what does it mean to be an influencer? The actual definition is above. Becoming one, however, is a completely different ballgame.