Social media has changed the way businesses sell and market. In fact, 81% of brands actively use Instagram influencers for their affiliate marketing strategy. 

With so many brands itching to have influencers try, review, and promote their products to their followers, there’s really been no better time to become an influencer than now. 

As a global industry that’s worth well over $12 billion, there’s no question that there’s plenty of work to go around, but is becoming an Instagram influencer the right career choice for you? 

Follow along to discover the undeniable benefits of working in Instagram marketing and how you can take advantage of the growing demand today. 

What Is an Instagram Influencer?

An Instagram influencer is a career in which individuals with large followings on social media share their opinions and ‘influence’ others with their recommendations. 

Essentially, the job is an opportunity to be open and honest with your audience and make some money doing so. 

Of course, you don’t have to have a million followers to get started. In fact, many brands will reach out to mid-level influencers to provide genuine recommendations to a smaller, more engaged group of people. While you may not earn as much or land as big of brands, everyone starts somewhere!

However, if your goal is to become the best Instagram influencer online, click here to discover some key tips and tricks to grow your platform. 

Instagram Marketing Benefits

Like any online job, influencing comes with a number of pros and cons. Ultimately, you’ll need to decide if the perks are appealing enough to justify the hard work it takes to build your audience and in turn, your career. 

Here’s what you can look forward to with a bit of hard work:

Flexible Work 

Instagram influencers often don’t work on a 9-5 schedule like traditional jobs. In fact, you actually get to decide how much or how little you work. 

Of course, to get started and become a sought-after influencer, you’ll need to invest a fair amount of time and effort into creating killer content and utilizing smart marketing. However, with so many apps and programs that help you research, create, and schedule posts, you’ll find you have a lot more time to just live your life.

Beyond this, most influencers see success just by sharing the personal details of their everyday routines. This means your work could be doing your makeup in front of a camera or cooking dinner while chatting to your Instagram stories. 

All in all, influencing is perhaps the most flexible and time-friendly way to make money in 2021. 

Your Own Community

One of the top perks that influencers love is the community of supporters they acquire. 

As you grow, your followers become attached to you as a person, oftentimes feeling like you are a close friend. This is because they are able to get such an intimate look into your life and really feel like they get to know you. 

While the internet has no shortage of trolls and haters, influencers are some of the most supported people online. 

With so many people looking up to you and valuing your opinion, you can begin to feel like you’re truly a part of something bigger than yourself. 

Be Your Authentic Self

What could be better than a job that actually encourages you to speak your mind and be authentically you? If this sounds like a perk you are dying to tap into, Instagram influencing is the career for you. 

Because you are your own brand, your career will rely on you being authentic and genuinely you. This means no one will tell you what to say, how to ‘handle’ customers, or when your ‘attitude’ is not appreciated. 

Although the public may chime in on your opinions or the life you lead, you have the freedom and responsibility to remain true to yourself. If you don’t agree with a brand’s message or you don’t believe in their product, simply say no to the deal. 

Your followers will appreciate your authenticity and will know they can rely on you to never lead them astray. 

Help Brands

The primary way you’ll make money as an influencer is through sponsorships and affiliate marketing. This is where companies will pay you a commission or flat rate for trying their product, reviewing their brand, or recommending your followers pick it up for themselves.

This system is mutually beneficial for both you and the brand as they gain greater, authentic exposure, and you generate an income. 

As an influencer, you’ll get to choose who you do and don’t work with. This means you can promote brands that you really believe in and feel deserve the extra exposure and leave out the ones that don’t fit your morals or niche. 

Help Your Followers

Not only will you and the brands you work with see benefit from your influencer status, but your followers will too. 

You’ll have the opportunity to lead your followers to make smarter purchases because you’ve already done the hard work of trying it out. Beyond this, you can offer free advice and tips in whatever niche suits you. 

This may be sharing Instagram fashion hacks, healthy recipe ideas, or whatever you can imagine. Ultimately, the name of the game is to help people, and you can feel great about doing that while you support yourself!

Turn Your Passion Into a Profession

Have you always dreamed of being in fashion but for one reason or another, could never break into the industry?

Perhaps you’re incredibly passionate about reducing your waste or raising children without harmful chemicals and hormones. 

Whatever your thing is, there’s a place for it as an Instagram influencer. This means you can make a career out of the most non-conventional passion and actually see success from it. 

What’s even better is that the more passionate you are about what you do, the more others will want to follow suit. You’ll have the chance to educate, share, and inspire people from all over the world with your platform and can really make a difference without even leaving your home. 

Work with Amazing Brands

As we mentioned above, you’ll get to choose who you do and don’t work with. However, you may not realize just how substantial this could be. 

Because brands see influencers and affiliate programs as smart marketing, more and more are looking to scoop up influencers of their own to take their brand to the next level. This means you won’t only be promoting start-ups and small businesses – you could find yourself signing a contract with companies as big as Gucci or Sprint. 

The sky is truly the limit when it comes to influencing, so set your sights high and reach for the stars!

Collect Awesome Gifts

As you become the best Instagram influencer you can be, more and more of these high-ticket brands will start ‘recruiting’ you.

Most times, the way they do this is by sending you gifts and freebies to peak your interest and get you talking about their brand to your followers. While we do suggest waiting to promote a brand until you’ve got a contract or commission plan in place, these free gifts are a perk that no one complains about.

What’s more, is that even your followers begin to want to catch your attention. Many popular influencers even do live videos to open up the gifts that their followers have sent them and thank them for their kindness and generosity. 

What other career results in people all over the world wanting to send you gifts? Certainly not many!

Realistic Start-Up

If you’ve always dreamed of starting your own brand or building a home business but never had the capital to invest in the endeavor, influencer marketing is a fantastic workaround. 

Becoming an Instagram marketer requires little to no start-up costs. While it can be great to have some savings to live off of while you build your following, many influencers start out part-time as a side project until they are making enough to quit their full-time job. 

At the end of the day, the risk of this business is far less than any other start-up and can earn you a passive income to grant you the life of your dreams.

It’s Fun

Last but certainly not least, this career choice is just plain fun! You’ll spend your time creating killer content, brainstorming photos and videos, and responding to an enthusiastic following. 

The work is fun and fresh and keeps you out of the 9-5 office job you can’t stand. 

At the end of the day, anyone whos ready to be their own boss and built an empire online will love the perks of becoming an Instagram influencer.

Your Instagram Influencer Career

Now that you know the benefits of becoming an Instagram influencer and breaking into the Instagram marketing world, it’s time to kickstart your career. From time freedom to pursuing your passion, there’s no reason to put this amazing career off for another second. 

Want more tips and tricks for your online marketing career? Check out our other articles to discover everything you need to know to smash it in the digital world!