Well, the simple answer to the question is a solid yes. Influencing is an actual job. In this generation of ours, the dream job of some children or teenagers is to become a YouTuber or some sort of brand influencer.
Even adults are not left behind, there’s a significant increase in the amount of people starting Instagram pages and YouTube channels for posting and engaging their followers on social media platforms.
In recent years, influencer jobs have become the order of the day and becoming a media personality overnight now seems achievable and not so difficult.
In fact, it doesn’t even have to be a side job any longer. People can now solely focus on just being an online celebrity, making money and increasing their followers in the process.
People believe that being an influencer has a lot of perks like signing brand deals and receiving attention but it’s far from that in reality. At least, it’s not always like that. Most influencers might not tell or show you the other side of their jobs.
Influencing comes with its share of issues. The first one being that it might take a lot of long hours and great effort before one can break through and become known. This is the first hurdle online celebrities have to overcome.
One would think consistently creating content and engaging followers is all that is needed, but you really have to make sure that whatever niche you’re branching into is bringing value to people. Sometimes influencers stay long in the market before being recognized.
Another problem influencers might face is that they are at the mercy of the algorithm. It is a method used by social media platforms to regulate and prioritise the content that comes a user’s way or timeline.
The algorithm brings to a user content that is similar to their taste based on their past behaviour, meaning any content niche that is not often watched or listened to by a user will most likely not be suggested to them.
This can cause a problem in the sense that an influencer or content creator might be making a lot of content but is not getting enough views or followers because the algorithm tailors specific content to specific users. The best thing to do is to make content that targets the largest users in that niche.
One other issue that influencers and online celebrities might face is related to their mental health. This is important on many fronts. Beyond the life they put on social media and who they portray themselves to be, they might be struggling with issues inside and since there is a reputation to uphold, they might not open up.
User feedback can also take a toll on how influencers see themselves. Rude comments, insults and embarrassing statements can dampen these influencers especially if they are still finding their feet.
Influencing as a job is a lucrative one and you can work at your own pace and your hours and terms while doing what you love. And as the name implies you are influencing people, your audience and creating a positive image in your own way.
We all cannot become influencers but for those that can, all the best to you! May you ‘blow’ o!
E-Solutions as always dey for you…
