Social media has turned from sharing pictures with family and friends, into something a whole lot more to do with businesses and brands creating a place for themselves to thrive online and bring in customers.
Influencers used to look and act a lot differently back in the day, which we will get into soon, but right now we see online influencers doing everything they can to connect with their audience by using multiple social media platforms and basing the majority of their communication online.
They will use services such as Twicsy to help with gaining a following on Instagram, as well as speak to social media managers to assist them in scheduling blog posts and responding to queries that their fans may have.
They may be online to be an influencer as a single person, but the team behind them is vast and works at lightning speed to get them into a position that benefits their career.
What did they use to be and how are they now?
In the past, becoming an influencer was a much more difficult process. It typically involved building up a large following on traditional media platforms like TV or radio.
Then, after amassing a large enough audience, these influencers would use their platform to sell products or services to their fans.
However, social media has changed all of that. Now, anyone with an internet connection can become an influencer by using platforms like YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter.
This has led to a massive proliferation of influencers, and it is now easier than ever for companies to find and partner with them.
Any downside?
The downside to this is that it has become much harder for individual influencers to stand out from the crowd. With so many people vying for attention on social media, it has become increasingly difficult for any one person to amass a large following.
As a result, most successful social media influencers now have multiple channels through which they can promote products or services.
They try and work against the tide by putting themselves out there a whole lot more for their followers to see them on.
How have brands evolved with this?
There is an important question surrounding these new influencers – What does this mean for brands? Well, it means that they need to be more selective than ever when choosing which social media influencers to work with.
By partnering with the right influencers, brands can reach a larger audience and generate more sales leads.
However, it is important to note that not all influencers are created equal. It is crucial for brands to partner with influencers who align with their values and who have a large, engaged following.
If they find out that the influencer they have selected is not actually what they appear to be, this can be pretty tricky for them to navigate, especially as social media is a fast-acting and engulfing platform that can share information incredibly quickly, so brands need to act fast if there is an issue.
Influencers can see that social media is where it is at. Social media is not something that will die down but will evolve over time with more platforms coming out, there will be more ways that people can consume content, and so on.
Because of this, influencers are going to do everything in their power to make sure that they are ahead of the curve and can keep being relevant online, especially if this is the only area that they want to remain in.
Some influencers like to branch out, whilst others are firm in their standing. As we can all see, social media will forever be a place to connect with others, but how it adapts over time and how it comes to be used, is up in the air.
