The new buzzword today in social media circles is 'Influencer Marketing.' While the core proposition is the same as using influential people like celebrities and known people, and the new media platforms have made the exercise more effective.

Influencer marketing is nothing but a new form of social media marketing strategy and tactic. The most active and well followed, heard, and watched are the latest brand ambassadors for endorsements and product placement. In that sense, new platforms have created a level playing field for anyone to develop a pleasant and compelling voice and channel for themselves and be successful influencers across specific topics.

So, who are these Influencers? Like you and I, these are people who have developed a profile across social platforms and yield the power to affect buying habits or effect positive reactions/actions from others through their messages. In the process, they also upload sponsored content on their social media handles/profiles across platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok, or other online media.

Today, brand marketing companies search for such influencers and enroll them to mention a brand or give a testimonial about a product on social channels, where ensuing discussions and reactions engage their followers. 

Over the last two years, the influencer market has been growing at a rapid pace in India. As per reports by well-known branding agencies, in India alone, the space is poised to become a near INR.1000 crore market by the end of 2021.  

Companies and top media agencies are waking up to tap into this growing market as they explore ways to maximize the impact of their advertising and media budgets. 

New companies are emerging that specialize in providing influencer marketing services. The job of these companies is not easy as they have to pick and choose the right type of influencers for a product or brand. A wrong choice can damage the company, the product, and the brand. Imagine how it would be if a celebrity influencer who has chosen to endorse a health product turns out to be someone living an unhealthy lifestyle. 

Influencer marketing can be awful if not done right. But, unfortunately, when you choose an influencer, you never know at the beginning. So, if you are someone seeking to become an influencer, you must live the life you wish to advocate. On the same note, if you plan to manage influencers, you must do proper research before spending money on an influencer.

Typically, an influencer's success is linked to the number of people following them, their popularity, achievements, or celebrity status they have built over a while. However, not everyone with a lot of followers can become an influencer. Being an influencer is serious business. One has to spend a lot of time on social media platforms to create their brand, build trust and a name. 

Today, successful influencers make mind-boggling sums of money in India. Consider this: Virat Kohli is paid nearly INR.5 crores for a single post on his Instagram and INR.2.5 crores per post on Twitter. Priyanka Chopra makes around INR.2.90 crores per post on Instagram.  

And, when you see this in the context that sponsored content makes up for nearly 60% of all celebrity tweets and posts, it's evident that the money in the business is enormous.

To succeed in this market, one needs a lot of focus and patience. And, optics matter. If one's stated objective is to make money, the person will go nowhere. Presence should be genuine. Money will trickle through gradually. 

To begin with, one can start a career as an influencer, build up a reasonably well-liked profile, and be consistent in one's social engagement. 

Next, engaging and original content and conversations with a genuine audience on chosen channels can help one earn anywhere up to five or six lakh rupees a year across channels like Instagram, YouTube, etc. But it's not a simple cakewalk. It requires planning, discipline, and rigor. 

What a person earns varies based on their brand value and audiences they engage with, so two influencers with the same number of followers and posts and likes may not always make the same amount of money. 

Well, these are just introductory notes. Having a vast number of followers alone does not make one an influencer; quality of information, content format, presentation, interaction, and engagement are some of the many vital factors that matter. 

So, if you are looking to explore this space, as an influencer or as someone wanting to manage influencers be prepared to do your homework. It's an exciting space for sure. – SK.