November 2nd 2023.
When I was seven years old, I wanted to be a pirate who found treasure and rescued beautiful maidens. It was a fun thought, but I soon realized that piracy was illegal and it was actually stealing. Knowing that, I decided to become a doctor, but that ambition was quickly replaced when I found out I couldn't stand needles and the sight of blood.
At that point, I had never even heard of influencers, let alone considered becoming one. However, a recent survey found that one in four Gen-Zers aspired to be an influencer. That's 17.5 million people applying for an influencer job in 2023 in the USA alone. So the question arises: is influencer-ing a real career and business opportunity?
In the last ten years, a desire to become an influencer has been increasingly popular, especially amongst the younger generation. Plus, there's the money. Kim Kardashian reportedly earns $1.7 million for one social media post, while Cristiano Ronaldo earns nearly $2.4 million. That's more than a dishwasher makes in a year! Even micro-influencers, those with 10,000 to 50,000 followers, make between $40,000 and $100,000 annually.
Globally, there are 64 million influencers with accounts, including 343,000 celebrities, 500,000 macro-influencers, 5.1 million micro-influencers, and 58.2 million nano-influencers. So is becoming an influencer a real career or business opportunity? It looks like the answer is yes.
But before we can answer that question, we need to know what an influencer is. Old school influencers were people like movie stars, singers, and authors who had access to mass media. New age influencers, on the other hand, have large social media followings and engagements. Some are experts and credible, while others just want attention and fame.
The size of the social media influencer industry has grown from $1.7 billion in 2016 to $21.1 billion in 2023. It's easy to see why so many people are tempted to become influencers. Notoriety, attention, and money draw people in. In addition, there are influencers with serious skill sets and world-class prowess who leverage their knowledge and passion into content.
It's not just celebrities or heiresses that can become influencers. You can start a YouTube channel, Blog, Instagram Reels, TikTok video or Images. Some of the top Instagram earners make millions.
So if you're considering becoming an influencer, you should know that it's possible to make a real career or business out of it. It takes dedication and the right platform, but the rewards can be great.
As a seven-year-old, my first dream career was to be a pirate who found treasure and rescued beautiful maidens. Unfortunately, I quickly realized that piracy was illegal and I had to move on. I thought about becoming a doctor, but I was not too keen on the sight of blood and needles, so I quickly dropped that idea. Becoming an influencer never even crossed my mind.
A recent survey showed that one in four Gen Z-ers wanted to become an influencer. With nearly 70 million of this generation living in the US by 2023, that would mean 17.5 million people competing for the same job. Is influencer a legitimate career and business opportunity?
The aspiration of becoming an influencer has been trending for the past ten years. Becoming an influencer is quite lucrative, with the likes of Kim Kardashian and Cristiano Ronaldo earning up to $2.4 million for a single post. A micro-influencer, defined as someone with 10,000 to 50,000 followers, can make anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000 a year. According to trendHERO, there are 5.1 million Micro Influencers globally.
The Instagram Influencer global market has over 64 million Influencers with accounts, including 343k Celebrities, 0.5M Macro influencers, 5.1M Micro influencers, and 58.2M Nano influencers. So, yes, becoming an influencer is a legitimate opportunity as a career or business.
Before we go further, we need to understand what an influencer is. Old school influencers were “anyone that had credibility and power to influence the behavior of others”, such as movie stars, singers, and authors. In the new age, an influencer is someone who has a large social media following and engagement. Some have expertise and knowledge, while others are just looking for attention.
The social media influencer marketing industry has grown from $1.7 billion in 2016 to $21.1 billion in 2023. Fame can now just be a number on a social media account that provides social proof.
There are a few ways to become an influencer. You can land a gig on a TV show and leverage your mass attention into a social media audience. This is a great approach as you are converting the TV channel audience to your followers. You can also become an accidental influencer if you have a passion or knowledge about something and turn it into content on YouTube, Instagram, Reels, and TikTok.
The top Instagram earners can make a lot of money. However, the amount you can earn as an influencer depends on the type of influencer you are. There are five types of influencers: platform-centric influencers, industry-specific influencers, micro-influencers, nano-influencers, and macro-influencers. Each type has its own earning potential.
So, in conclusion, becoming an influencer is a legitimate career and business opportunity. With the rise of social media, it has become a viable way to make money and gain fame. If you have the right skills and knowledge, you can become an influencer and make a good living.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
