Willing to Pay the Price? The True Cost of Being an ‘Influencer’ On Instagram

As Instagram becomes more crowded with bloggers and influencers, the current state of advertising continues to redefine itself right on our feed. What was once written off as a self-absorbed fantasy for those who couldn’t land a legitimate modeling career, is now proving to be a highly lucrative profession for thousands. Getting real followers for Instagram is now more of a buzz topic than ever before.

Although this type of ‘influencer marketing’ appeals to a vastly younger demographic, more and more brands are taking advantage of this phenomenon and it’s proven to pay off for both parties.

At first glance it seems that anyone with a pretty face and a nice camera can partake, but what is the true cost of being a successful Instagram influencer? By now we know the fundamentals of how to get real followers for Instagram, but what truly sets the best of the best apart from amateurs on the ‘gram?

We’ve researched the trends and investigated Instagram’s most notable influencers to give you aspiring influencers proven advice on how to grow your Instagram audience and appeal to the word’s top brands.

The Investment to Get Real Followers for Instagram

Like any business feat, all Instagram influencers start small when attempting to up your Insta game. If you’re truly serious about starting this social endeavor, the first step in distinguishing your profile from an average user is the quality in photos.

Invest in nice digital camera and editing software to demonstrate professionalism right off the bat. iPhone photos simply don’t hold up in this competitive scene anymore.

If you don’t personally have any photography or editing skills, consider hiring a photographer to capture and edit your posts.

Depending on what type of content you choose to post, investing in relative products such as clothing or travel expenses are essential to prove your eagerness.

The Payoff

We know that this profession can be fruitful, but the price tags on top influencer’s posts are those of legitimate ad campaigns. A great influencer rule of thumb is the 1% rule – meaning you should be able to charge 1% of your amount of followers per post. For example, a user with 10,000 followers can typically charge $100 for an #ad and #sponsored post.

This influencer pricing will increase significantly especially once you begin venturing out of the ‘micro-influencer’ followings, which is anyone with fewer than 100,000 followers. Seems ambitions, we know.

Finding Your Niche

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of becoming a successful influencer is having a specific niche that you truly care. This has to be a genuine passion of yours – a burning desire and not a mere phase for the purpose of Instagram.

Some of most prominent social media influencers have capitalized on industries like fashion, food, fitness and travel. By catering your profile to an area of your expertise, brands will naturally take a liking to your content and wish to work with you on a professional level.

Keep in mind that larger industries will have more successful brands that are willing to pay more for your sponsored content. This shouldn’t mean changing your interests for the sake of a paycheck, but merely a heads up for those getting their feet wet in the influencer game.

Gaining Recognition

Before brands reach out to you for content or start sending you product, you’ll have to do some excessive renting, purchasing tagging and “hashtagging” of your own. Nobody needs to know that you’re purchasing and promoting brands on your own terms as an aspiring influencer.

Just think, how will Patagonia know you look good in their gear while putting it to good use and writing compelling captions about it if you don’t prove it to them beforehand? And why would a high-end jewelry company think of utilizing your social media skills for promotional purposes without you demonstrating your enthusiasm for the industry consistently on your feed?

The road to becoming a prominent influencer is undoubtedly an investment, but will pay off if you follow these unwritten rules. Keep up with Kicksta for more on how to get real followers for Instagram and further digital marketing tips for your business.