How to stand out as an Influencer In 2020

Are you an influencer and looking for ways on how to stand out as an influencer in a saturated market? The influencer industry is presumed to be worth 2.38 BILLION (according to Forbes) dollars in 2019. Yes, you read that correctly. Billion with a B! Crazy right? I started blogging back in 2012 and back then I had no idea that this business would become what it has. I’ve seen an increase in the number of influencers in the industry as well as opportunities.

The influencer marketing world can be a crazy and confusing place. There are some people that don’t even know it exists. But to those who are in it and a part of it know that it can also be confusing. There are people buying likes and followers and people just trying to figure this whole game out. 

As an OG blogger who has been on the blogging/influencer scene for a minute, I call myself a content creator but I am also a businesswoman. I didn’t even start thinking about blogging as a business until a few years ago. I honestly didn’t even know that I could make money blogging when I first started. Now I pitch to brands, negotiate contracts and help brands increase brand awareness which leads to new consumers.

I’ve noticed an increase in bloggers and influencers who have questions on how to get noticed in this crowded blogging world. It can be overwhelming with everything going on in the social media world to try and navigate through it all. 

How do you stand out as an influencer in a crowded market in 2020?

There has been so much chatter about the influencer marketing world being crowded or oversaturated. It is true that there are way more bloggers on the scene than back when I started. If you ask my opinion, I don’t think the blogging world is crowded at all. I consider myself a micro-influencer. A micro-influencer is someone who has an audience with a range of 2,000 followers up to 50,000 followers on a particular social media channel, this is usually comprised of a focussed passion, topic or niche market. 

There are a ton of brands that haven’t even tapped into influencer marketing. So it’s totally possible to grow in this influencer world in 2020. I don’t see influencer marketing going anywhere anytime soon either. 

Here are 7 ways on how you can stand out as an influencer in 2020

1. Be Authentic! I know this may seem like a no brainer but we live in a copycat world. You have to be true to who you are. I’ve always been real. I share my wins, and I also share my truths. My life isn’t perfect and I don’t portray it to be on social media. As long as you stay true to who you are and do what you love, help people, share your gifts and passions you will be great. 
2. Create Valuable Content. It’s not all about cute pictures. What valuable content are you providing to your readers? Do you educate and entertain your audience? What gap are you filling or what problem are you solving? Your posts should be enjoyable to read and also useful to your audience. 
3. Stay on top of the game. I say this meaning in the social media world there is always something changing. Make sure you stay on top of the latest trends and new innovations and be an early adopter. For example, IGTV is hot right now, research and find ways that you can use IGTV to help benefit your readers.
4. Remember why you started. When I started my blog I just wanted to help others on the same natural hair journey as me. I never imagined it would grow into so much more than just hair. Happily Ever Natural is my lifestyle, how I live my life. Don’t get caught up in what you think is the “glitz and glam” and forget why you started. To help people. 
5. Never Stop Learning. You have to continue to evolve and grow and learn new skills. I am always reading something related to my field because I know that if I want to be known as an expert in my field I have to continue to educate myself. 
6. Connect with other bloggers. There are so many amazing bloggers to connect and collaborate with. Help each other, do guest blogs, do a fun collab on Instagram. There is room for all of us to grow. 
7. Build a community. Develop a real and engaged audience. If you continue to nurture your audience they will have your back. Help them, listen to their needs, finds ways to constantly help them. 

Don’t be afraid to step out and be yourself! You will quickly learn what works for you and your community and also what doesn’t.