A new study has revealed that 38% of Brits want to be an online influencer
Influencers with 30,000+ followers can expect to earn £750 per post*
Working from home and flexible hours are key reasons why the idea of being an influencer is so appealing
Although being an online influencer is the dream career for millions, only 6% of Brits see themselves as experts in this field
With an estimated 42 million active social media users in the UK** and social media advertising hitting highs of £1.73 billion***, it’s easy to see why Brits are leaning towards a career in online influencing.
A recent study, conducted by adult education college and charity, City Lit, has found that more than a third (38%) of Brits want to pursue a career in online influencing, with one in 10 (10%) stating that becoming an influencer is “very important” to them.
When it comes to the perks of becoming an influencer, more than a third (39%) of Brits state that working flexible hours is important to them, with an additional three in 10 (29%) Brits saying they would like the option of working from home. With influencers who have 30,000 followers said to be able to earn £750 per post, it is clear that this career choice can be a lucrative one for people who are able to build an audience.
Despite 38% of Brits stating that they would like to become an influencer, only 6% claim that they are experts in what it takes to become a successful online influencer, and just 17% describe themselves as highly knowledgeable.
Adult education college, City Lit, a registered charity, offers a range of courses that can equip students with key knowledge and skills to help them become successful online influencers and pursue their dream career and lifestyle. Courses include: Social Media Apps, Tips and Tricks, Video Blogging with YouTube, , Social Media Advertising and City Lit Pro: Start a career in digital marketing.
Voula Papadopolous, Head of Business and Technology Programme shares her top five tips to become a successful influencer:
1) Find a niche topic
Something you have lots of expertise in. Make sure its something unique, new and interesting that attract people’s attention.
2) Promotion is key
Think about how you want to promote your ideas. Which social media platforms do you want to use? If you are good with videos, start with YouTube. Instagram and Pinterest are visual. Facebook can accommodate different media. Or perhaps a podcast is where your skills and passion lie.
3) Develop your social media content strategy
Content is key to any successful campaign, and it needs to be interesting, informative, engaging and consistent. Make sure you always spend time preparing content before it goes live.
4) Expand your network
Use social media to expand your network. It’s a great way to share ideas in forums and connect with other people and brands in the same industry and exchange likes and posts. It’s very important that you build an online community that will be following you.
5) Use insight
Use the right data analytics tools to analyse performance data coming from social media platforms. This will help you improve your strategy and also gain a better insight of your audience.
Interestingly, when asked what their dream job would be, becoming an online influencer (38%) was a more popular career choice for Brits than becoming a lawyer (34%) or an MP (36%). Overall, becoming a TV producer was the top career choice, with 57% of Brits saying they would like to pursue a career in television.
When it comes to age groups, becoming an influencer is of particular interest for millennials, with 22% of those aged between 25 and 34 interested in becoming an influencer. More than a quarter (26%) of millennials feel that making money through becoming an online influencer is something that is “very important” to them.
Vix Meldrew, a former teacher who now works as a full-time influencer, said: “In 2019, where everyone seems to be an ‘influencer’, posting across social media about their lunches, new outfits and favourite products – actually being able to do it for work is an alluring prospect.
“Being an influencer, for some, is a wonderful lifestyle – the freebies, trips, lunches, free time and getting to go events is really appealing. However to get to a position where you’re working with brands, and getting to experience all of the perks that come with being an influencer, is often years of working for free, often alongside a full time job.
“Not everyone can be a ‘full time influencer’ – you have to have grown a loyal and dedicated audience, have some sort of talent or unique selling point in content creating and be a personality that stands out. This all takes work to build and establish.”
To keep up with the rise of online influencing, City Lit have a variety of courses focusing on social media. To view the courses on offer, please visit: https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/technology-science-and-business/computing-skills/social-media