Step 3 to Being an Influencer: Researching Your Field

Today I’m wrapping up my series on “3 steps to being an influencer”, which provides information that I believe to be valuable if you’re looking to enter into this industry.

But before I dive into my final piece of advice, let’s summarize what we’ve covered thus far:

STEP 1: HOUSING YOUR CONTENT 

• Influencers need to choose which is the right primary platform(YouTube, Instagram, etc.) to post your content regularly.
• Influencers who want to establish themselves as a brand should have a central site or portfolio/ micro-site for their brand.
• Influencers will need to select a domain and should consider a more unique identifier like, .ONLINE. It’s easily understood in most languages which is great for building a global brand, especially for those looking to build and grow their influence “online.”  It’s also easy to remember, unique and trend-setting. Furthermore, .ONLINE is not only popular, it’s also treated equal to .com, .org, etc in its organic search ranking by Google.

To help you get started, I recently found an amazing company that lets you get a domain for .online instead of .com. As a business owner, I know how it feels to be overwhelmed by startup costs, so I even have a discount code to save you some money. Head to www.get.online and use the code “CHELSEA” at checkout to get 90% off (yes, 90!) for your first year!

STEP 2: KNOW YOUR NICHE 

• Influencers should remember they can’t do everything and establish a niche, or specific area of expertise.
• Influencers should focus their content to a topic that they already are passionate about.
• Influencers should solve a problem or find some other way to serve and provide value to their audience.
• Influencers should establish what they do and don’t cover in order to get clear on their brand

So now that we’ve covered the first two steps, let’s dive into the final one: researching your field and becoming an expert.

RESEARCH NECESSARY EQUIPMENT

If you’re starting a podcast, you’ll want to invest in a microphone. If you’re creating a YouTube channel you’ll want a camera that can take great video. If you’re focusing on Instagram, you’ll likely want to invest in a camera or photo editing software like Lightroom. Whichever path you’re on, it’s imperative to research the necessary equipment you’ll need to successfully create the kind of content you desire. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to buy the most expensive tools, you just need to learn about all your options that are on the market and which sounds like the best fit for you.

RESEARCH INFLUENCERS IN YOUR WHEELHOUSE

You also want to research other influencers who are doing what you do. This includes influencers who are in your niche and on your platform. For example, if you’re aspiring to be a fashion influencer on Instagram, this means you should familiarize yourself with other Instagram influencers, other fashion influencers, and other fashion influencers on Instagram. The more familiar you are with other people in the market, the more you’ll be able to see what attributes are consistent among those who are successful as well as what attributes you think you can bring into the mix to set yourself apart.

RESEARCH BRANDS IN YOUR NICHE

While you’re researching other influencers, you’re likely to notice some of the brands that they’re working with. This is another important item for you to look into as a large portion of an influencers (eventual!) income comes from brand collaborations. Once again, think about the brands that make sense for your niche. If you’re becoming a cooking influencer, think about household names specific to the kitchen. If you’re a fashion influencer, think about the brands that align with your style and price point. A great way to think about this category is to make a list of brands you’re already loyal to and using now as a consumer! The more that you see what brands are out there, which ones align with your content, and which ones you feel you can promote authentically, the more prepared you’ll feel to start negotiating collaborations.

RESEARCH YOUR NEXT STEPS

Part of being an influencer means your platform is ever-evolving. You don’t simply “arrive” one day… there is always more work to be done! Even if you feel 10 steps away from building a monthly newsletter, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be researching! Staying privy to industry best practices and thoughtful growth strategies is how you ensure that you can continue to grow, develop, and evolve for your audience. Pay close attention to any successful influencer and you’re sure to notice how they’ve continued to build and grow over time instead of just always doing the same thing again and again. Listen to podcasts on the influencer industry, read articles that talk about predictions and try to engage in conversation with other people in your field. Doing your research to know not just what you should be doing now, but also what you should strive for in the future is a surefire way to end up farther ahead than just coasting along mindlessly.

I so hope that you have found these tips have been helpful! I’m a big believer that if you have enough passion and tenacity, you’re going to be successful no matter what you do. Just follow these steps and remember to keep working toward your goals and you’ll be there before you know it!

*This post was written by me through an activation with HireInfluence on behalf of .Online. Although I received compensation for participating in the campaign, all thoughts and opinions are my own.