So you want to be an Instagram influencer? Well, it’s certainly easy to see why. Over the last decade, we have seen a rise in social media influencers around the globe. It is reported that in the next 2 years, influencer marketing will become a $15 billion industry thanks to the increasing success of Instagram influencers.
One of the most important aspects of becoming a well known Instagram influencer is trust. If you cannot gain the trust of your audience, then your campaign will be pointless. People rarely tend to buy into something they don’t believe in.
If you’ve got the goal but need the know-how, never fear. With these tried and true tips, you can join the ranks of trusted influencers across the country.
1. Have Social Proof
Anyone marketing on Instagram today knows the importance of having social proof to back up your brand. Social proof comes first and foremost from how many followers you have. The more followers you already have, the more likely you are to get new ones. This is because people are more likely to trust an influencer with 10,000 followers than they are to trust an influencer with only 100 followers.
If your goal is to become the next big thing in Instagram marketing but you lack the social proof to back it up, never fear. There are a few ways you can fake social proof while you grow your brand and get your name out there.
The easiest way to gain social proof is to buy Instagram followers. This trick is already being used by many mega influencers on Instagram today. And as long as you purchase followers from a reputable source, meaning they use real profiles instead of bot accounts, you won’t run the risk of violating Instagram’s terms of use.
2. Make Your Profile Aesthetically Appealing
No one enjoys looking at clutter. It’s a simple fact of life that can be easily applied to your Instagram profile. If you look at the top influencers on Instagram today, it is clear to see that they all have one thing in common; their profiles are pristine. But having an aesthetically pleasing profile is about more than just removing the clutter.
It is also important to make sure that your photos flow well together on your profile. The best way to achieve this is to choose a photo style and stick with it. This sounds complicated, but it’s actually quite simple to achieve. Forgo the idea that you need to use all of Instagram’s filters when uploading, and instead opt to stick to one or two favorites that give your photos a consistent feel.
3. Don’t Overdo It With The Hashtags
It’s easy to get carried away, adding hashtag after hashtag, thinking that it will push your profile to the maximum amount of people and generate more engagement on your profile. This couldn’t be further from the truth, and it’s actually where a lot of budding influencers struggle.
Studies have shown that there is little connection between the number of hashtags in a post and engagement on that post. If anything, posts with higher engagement actually use fewer hashtags, with the average sitting at about 5 or 6 hashtags per post.
Too many hashtags can actually make your post seem crowded and too long to grab the attention of your followers. We recommend sticking to the average number of hashtags per post and choosing the most relevant ones to your post and your brand in general. This will paint a more accurate portrait of what your brand stands for. You can also buy Instagram likes, so your hashtags are more visible on Instagram’s search engine.
4. Interact With Your Followers
A good influencer is the one who interacts will their fan base. People are more likely to trust you and your brand when they see you interacting with everyday Instagrammers like themselves. This is largely due to the fact that interacting with your followers shows that you care about them. And when followers can see that you care about them individually, they are more likely to trust you.
We suggest replying to as many comments on your posts as you can. Be sure to make each response as unique as possible and try to avoid copying the same response to each comment. The more original responses you make, the more it reminds your followers that you are a real person with real ambition.
5. Collaborate With Other Influencers
Have you ever bought from a specific brand because one of your favorite celebrities endorsed them? Well, Instagram works in a similar way. When you partner up with an established influencer, they are telling their followers that you can be trusted.
This doesn’t mean you should partner up with any old influencer that will have you. You should only collaborate with other influencers that represent the same values you want your brand to speak to.
Collaborations work best when all parties have something to benefit from the partnership. Do not approach any potential collaboration without having something to offer to it. Even if you’re just starting out, figure out what it is that you bring to the table and how to sell it to your new potential partner and you’ll be in great shape.
6. Pick A Niche
The most important thing for any Instagram influencer to have is a niche. While it falls last on our list, picking a niche is one of the first steps any aspiring influencer should take. Picking a niche doesn’t have to be a complicated process. Just focus on the things you are passionate about.
Once you have a few ideas of what you’re passionate about and want to endorse, do a bit of research to see if that is a profitable niche. Picking the wrong niche can lead to disastrous results and no profits, so it’s important to make sure that you choose something that will give you the financial results you’re looking for.
Becoming a trusted influencer isn’t something that happens overnight. With time, dedication, and our trusty list of tips, you can make your dreams of becoming the next big Instagram influencer a reality.
