How Did Our Guys Next Door Become Insta Stars?
Before we jump to the much-awaited hack—how to become an Instagram Influencer—let me burst the bubble. There are no ‘easy’ 5 steps. It’s a tough job indeed! Let’s start with one step at a time. Instagram soon transformed from an aesthetic photo-posting platform to a business platform! A few identified the potential of the platform and took the opportunity to build personal and business brands.
To understand the potential of this platform, let me share some quick numbers. Cristiano Ronaldo has 636 million followers on Instagram. According to CNN, Cristiano Ronaldo earns $3.23 million per post on Instagram. A micro-influencer can earn anywhere between $100 to $500. To reach this level, having a good number of followers is not enough. In this blog, I am going to share some tips to become an Instagram Influencer.
How To Become A Nano Instagram Influencer And Start Earning?
There are two categories on IG: Content Creator and Influencer. A Content Creator produces content that engages and entertains the audience. It can be acting, dancing, singing, etc. Meanwhile, an Instagram Influencer adds value and makes an impact on the lives of followers. The focus on engagement and community-building plays an important role in growing as an Instagram Influencer. Let’s decode the secret mantra of becoming a powerful Instagram Influencer.
1. How To Become A Nano Instagram Influencer- Identify Your Strengths
It is important to select a niche. The first step would be to sit alone and brainstorm different topics that interest you. Why? Because you can build your Instagram brand accordingly. If you select a niche and decide to create informative content around that niche, you can focus on one topic.
For instance, if you are great at math, you can literally start your online tuition by simply giving away free math tips in the beginning. Later, you can start online math teaching webinars, collaborate with educational institutes, or even start your own online math classes.
While selecting a niche, it is immensely important to understand the psychology of Instagram users. What is the age group, what are their likes and dislikes, what content has been declared as the most engaging type of content by IG stats, and what role can you play in this? There are some types of niches with a higher ratio of success like fashion, health tips, diet recipes, travel, language learning, art, dance teaching, singing teaching, music instrument teaching, parenthood tips, etc.
If you understand SEO, you would know EEAT. E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Google is trusted by millions of users, and any information published on Google is considered a measure of authentic information. Hence, to make sure that any blog published shares correct information, Google has added E-E-A-T. But, on social media, things work a bit differently. Here, the audience can make or break your game. Any misinformation shared through your reels can be exposed by followers.
Hence, having a complete understanding of the niche is important. Do your homework, make sure it engages you so that you can engage your audience, and be ahead of other similar influencers in sharing any insights.
2. How To Become A Nano Instagram Influencer- Set A Unique Style To Make It Interesting
Whatever niche you select, adding your solid punch and style is very important. It is important that your followers remember your content and you as well. Add some humour—it always works! The way you start your video or simply the depth of knowledge you are sharing can also work.
This is, in fact, a great opportunity for you to build your personal brand. Along with sharing knowledge, make sure you add your perspective to whatever you post. For instance, Sanjay Appan is a popular Instagram influencer who is, by profession, a teacher. He teaches management subjects to his students. Sitting in a small classroom with a bunch of students, Sanjay established his personal brand as a smart and quirky teacher who uses real-life and relevant examples. His puns and witty humour are the cherry on the cake. In a very short span of time, he has successfully gained 3 lakh+ followers.
Another good example of a Nano Influencer is Arey Pata Hai, a team of 3 young Indians showering knowledge in a unique way. Their quizzes and riddles are fun to solve. Their unique style of appreciating winners and teasing for each wrong answer is a treat to watch. Boosting knowledge through fun quiz videos is definitely a unique style.
3. How To Become A Nano Instagram Influencer- Add A Highly Engaging Hook
An engaging hook is like a movie trailer. It has to be short, crisp, intuitive, and relatable. Though images and carousels work well, the real hero is the Reel. Reels were a revolutionary form of content where influencers get 60 seconds to influence!
Thanks to the 60-second reel habit, users’ attention spans have drastically reduced. They scan a 60-second reel in the first 10 seconds and decide whether to continue watching or not. You can see the importance of a solid hook.
Asking a question or dropping a fact can work best. Since becoming a Nano Influencer is one of the most difficult journeys for any Instagram Influencer, it is important to pay attention to the quality of content.
Just as you focus on the hook, make sure you end your reel with a perfect CTA. You can simply ask users to follow you, or you can end with a question. You can ask users to comment on their POV. While engaging your audience, make sure you don’t shift immediately after gaining a few hundred followers. Ensure you build a good number of followers before posting User Generated Content.
4. How To Become A Nano Instagram Influencer- Aesthetics Are Important
Along with the perfect niche and engaging content, make sure you post aesthetic content. Presentation is important. If you are facing the camera, make sure you are well-dressed and presentable.
It is not mandatory to use a high-end camera, but showing some creativity is important. Having a decent background, using suitable music, shooting in a quiet place, etc., can help generate aesthetic content.
You can hire a team of designers and social media experts if time and budget allow. Becoming a Nano Instagram Influencer requires strategies and an understanding of the ever-changing algorithm. Having a team helps!
5. How To Become A Nano Instagram Influencer- Follow Up With Instagram Algorithm
Some say hashtags are very important. Some say that hashtags are outdated. Some say the higher the views, the better the engagement, while others disagree. What should you do?
While studying the Instagram algorithm, it is important to understand that the Instagram platform focuses on its users. The primary objective of any update in the algorithm is to ensure that users have a pleasant experience on the platform. Their refined algorithms are the reason Instagram has a high engagement ratio.
Here are some important factors that you need to consider-
- Relevance
- Interaction
- Quality of content
- Following community guidelines
- Popularity within friends
- Engagement through views, likes, comments, etc.
Final Words!
Becoming a Nano Instagram Influencer demands consistency, quality, research, and hard work. Make sure you keep yourself motivated even if your content is not getting enough views and likes. Identify the reasons behind poor engagement and work on them. Hope you like this blog. Cheers!