One aspect of YouTube that many are aware of is the influencer culture that the platform has. Influencers, big and small, can affect the products we buy and the businesses we associate with. But what are influencers, how did they come to be, and how do they affect people? If you wish to be an influencer, read this article to get the gist of who they are, and then buy real YouTube likes to boost your profile.
1 What is an Influencer?
You probably know what an influencer is, but you may not know the exact definition. In short, an influencer is someone on YouTube or other social media platforms with knowledge and expertise in specific niches. Their audiences trust them, and their words can influence, hence the name, the purchasing decision of influencers. Many brands wish to collaborate with influencers to get their name out, which is why influencer marketing has become so popular.
When thinking of an influencer, they may picture someone with millions of followers. But the beauty of influencers is that anyone of any size can be one. Some nano-influencers have under 1,000 followers, but they cover a particular niche, and their audience still trusts them. These micro niches might not seem like much, but for certain subjects, you can have a very large sway in the overall shape of things as long as you have a niche that’s hot and people are invested in it.
2 The History of Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is nothing new. As long as humans have been around, there has been someone they trust to influence their purchasing decisions. Expert craftspeople worked with royalty; when the royalty loved the product, they would promote it to the public. Traditional advertisers have used many celebrities, including fictional ones, to promote their products. The first influencer people can think of in the modern sense is Coco Chanel, whose fashion choices affected people’s decisions in the 1920s.
And influencer marketing has existed in some form on the Internet for as long as we’ve been online. However, the early 2010s were when the genre became extremely popular. As more people had access to phones and social media, more influencer marketing celebrities emerged.
3 Are Influencers Effective?
Some people, especially those not in influencer culture, may not think influencers are that effective at their job. However, influencer marketing is quickly becoming a big way for people to decide what products they should purchase.
About 49% of consumers use influencer marketing to decide which products to buy. Right now, that’s nearly half of the population, and it will only grow from here. Influencer marketing, for most, is an evolved form of advertising.
4 Why Do People Follow Influencers?
Some people wonder why we follow influencers in the first place, especially as people who usually hate being advertised to. Everyone has their reasons for doing so, but it boils down to several reasons:
Authenticity
Many people hate traditional ads because they do not seem genuine. They come from a corporation that only wants you to buy their product and nothing else. Meanwhile, an influencer feels relatable, and often, they will communicate to their fans and be an open book.
This makes the products they promote seem more genuine. You may feel an influencer loves the product they are promoting, even if they are paid to do so. If you trust the influencer, you are likelier to try whatever product they’re discussing.
Of course, with any influencer, one should be mindful of the parasocial relationship that can come from influencer culture, so be sure you’re following them with the mindset that they are not your friends.
Consumerism
People love to spend money. We live in a world where if you don’t have the hottest product, it can look bad on you. Influencer culture takes advantage of the consumerism that many people have.
Creative Inspiration
Influencers can inspire creativity. For example, if you follow a makeup influencer, they may have some makeup tips that you may try. Often, these can lead to you having your own creative twist on them.
Envy
Finally, one reason that people like influencers is because they envy them. They want to be significant influencers themselves and believe that by following influencers, they can one day be on top.
5 Being an Influencer Yourself
If you wish to become an influencer, here are some essential tips.
Find a Niche and a Platform
What is something you’re interested in or have expertise in, and can you make it as specific as possible? By narrowing your niche, you can find an audience easier, as there is less competition. As a reminder, you don’t need millions of followers to be an influencer; some successful people only have a few thousand followers.
In addition, what is the platform of choice? Do you want to be on Instagram? YouTube? TikTok? A combination of several platforms?
Have an Idea for Content
Do you want to make vlogs? Photography? Tutorial videos? Having an idea of what content you want to post as an influencer can help you create a consistent brand that will find its audience. Ideally, you will want to upload content a few times a week for the best results.
Engage With Your Audience and Be Yourself
An influencer is someone the audience feels as though they can connect with, so you should engage with your audience as much as possible. Answer comments, address criticisms, and respond to messages whenever possible. You don’t need to interact with your audience 24/7 but show that you care.
In addition, you should be as true to yourself as possible. People who feel your personality is fake are less likely to engage with you.
Final Thoughts
Influencer culture is growing in popularity and will continue to grow as time goes on. If you feel like you’re too late to be one, don’t be. Influencers come and go, and if you find a niche, you can cultivate an audience, big or small, who will love to hear what you have to say.
