An influencer is someone with a loyal and larger than average social media following. Some influencers have as few as 3,000 followers! Influencers are paid by brands to create and post promotional content.
It's truly as simple as that. Whether you run a YouTube channel, a blog, or perhaps you're a photographer, graphic designer, hairstylist, interior decorator, writer, videographer, or a sustainable clothing advocate — if you're creating content for an audience, you are in fact an influencer.
Anyone with at least a few hundred followers on social media, whose posts get good engagement from their audience, can be considered an influencer. Also, their content should be focused on a specific topic which they build authority around. This way, their audience knows to trust their opinion on this specific topic.
Influencers are categorized based on the number of followers they have: Nano-influencers: 1,000 to 10,000 followers. Micro-influencers: 10,001 to 100,000 followers. Mid-tier influencers: 100,001 to 500,000 followers.
One of the most misunderstood aspects of UGC is the belief that you have to be the face of the brand. You don't. Brands are increasingly open to creators who can produce relatable, aesthetic, or informative content without being on camera.
Above 500 followers: Nano influencers, who have 500 to 10,000 followers, get paid between $10 - $100 per post. 10,000 followers: Micro influencers, who tend to have 10,000 to 50,000 followers earn about $100 - $500 per post.
On Instagram, influencers are not paid per view but instead are paid by brand collaborations - open in new window and affiliate programs. YouTube requires at least 1,000 subscribers - open in new window and 4,000 valid public watch hours in the past 12 months to get paid through advertisement.
Your first Instagram post is your chance to tell your audience who you are, what you do, and why they should follow you. It's a great opportunity to give your followers some background on your new business and how you can help solve a problem or pain point they have.
What is the real difference between creators and influencers?
Both roles create content, but their end goals differ — creators focus on content quality, while influencers focus on audience impact. Can someone be both a content creator and an influencer? Yes, many individuals embody both roles, and the line between them is often blurred.
How many followers do the different types of influencers have? Mega influencers have more than 1 million followers, macro influencers have between 100,000 to 1 million followers, micro-influencers have between 10,000 to 100,000 followers and nano influencers have between 1,000 to 10,000 followers.
"An influencer is an individual who has the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience." For example, James Charles is a beauty influencer with a significant following on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
While it depends on your niche, audience, and content quality, YouTube is typically regarded as the best-paying platform. It pays per ad view through the YouTube Partner Program and offers high monetization rates. Combined with brand deals and channel memberships, YouTube provides long-term income.
How many followers on Instagram to get a blue tick?
There is no specific number of followers required for verification. However, many people consider 10,000 to be a standard number for those submitting requests through the traditional application process.
Are influencers actually making money? Yes. There are many ways for influencers to make money, but the most common way is by charging brands to promote products in social media posts. They also make money through affiliate links, earning a commission for every sale they're responsible for.
Faceless influencers are creators who don't show their faces on social media. Faceless marketing has global, cross-demographic appeal because it's detached from personal identity. This trend lets brands tap into authentic, style-led content without relying on personality-driven influence.
Being an influencer can generate revenue. You need lots of followers and getting that takes years. On the flip side, it's easier and more scalable to build a business leveraging influencers versus being one yourself.
It's important to know that for many people, being an influencer isn't a full-time job. It might help bring in a little money on the side or be purely for fun. While it's very difficult to make it big, the most successful influencers can earn a lot of money!
