First, let me start by saying hi! My name is Siarah (pronounced like Sierra) and I’ve been a micro-influencer for the past two years! I have about 23k followers across my TikTok and Instagram and post about casual fashion, my college lifestyle, and my influencer journey + tips as an influencer!
In my time as a micro-influencer, I’ve learned a lot, so here are a few things that will hopefully help you as you start your influencer journey!
- You don’t need a lot of followers to start
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There is a common misconception that in order to start creating content, you need to have a large platform. Let me tell you, this is NOT true! When I started creating content two years ago, I only had 1K on Instagram, and 99% of my followers were just my friends and family. There is no set number you need to start, so just get to creating!
- You don’t need fancy equipment
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I explain this more on my TikTok channel, but it costs $0 to start influencing. And while having equipment can make the process easier, and boost your content’s quality, it’s okay to not have it! When I started, I only had my iPhone and a few editing apps, and I think I did a great job! If you are curious about what equipment is helpful, here is a video breaking down what equipment I use and is worth the purchase!
- Engagement groups are a waste of time
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I regret ever joining engagement groups and always warn my audience not to make the same mistake. If you don’t know, engagement groups are basically hype groups where creators commit to engaging on one another’s posts in exchange for the same attention on their content. That said, there are so many issues with this! For one thing, in order to actually boost your engagement rate you would need to interact with a lot of other accounts. The time, energy, and effort you have to put in to see results are just not sustainable or worth it in my opinion.
- You can (and deserve to) get paid from the beginning
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Just because you’re new to the field, doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to get paid! Influencing is a job, and jobs pay you for your time and effort. The same thing applies here, so remember that when reaching out to brands and sponsors. And please make sure you are being paid fairly! I definitely made this mistake often so fight for what you deserve!
These are only just a few tips, but I’ll work on writing more advice and tips for you soon! In the meantime, I’ll continue to post tips and tricks on my TikTok so stay tuned!