“How do you stand out in the influencer industry when it’s so saturated?”
Does this statement sound familiar?
This is a line I hear often from others who are getting started or already an influencer themselves. To be honest, it’s a question I’ve asked myself a lot of times too.
However, thinking the industry is saturated is a mindset coming from scarcity.
The influencer industry is a billion dollar industry that’s only at the tip of the iceberg. As the industry expands and more brands enter this world, there will only be more opportunities for influencers especially micro-influencers.
Micro-Influencers Are Big For Good Reasons
As a micro-influencer, we offer something different to the table than macro-influencers. Due to our smaller following, we often have higher engagement with our followers and are able to create more trust and genuine connections. There are many reasons for this level of trust, but the most important one is that we don’t come across as “sellouts”. When we’re promoting a product or service, we are likely to do it because we genuinely like the product or service rather than because we are getting a big paycheck.
So standing out as a micro-influencer isn’t the amount of followers you have, standing out is being able to create differentiation points in your personal brand.
If you are curious, to learn the exact formula I use to differentiate myself in this industry then keep on reading below!
1. Narrow Down To A Sub-Niche
If you want to stand out in the influencer community, you have to narrow down your niche into sub-niches.
If you try to speak to everyone, you speak to no one.
Being able to clearly identify a sub-niche will help you establish your personal brand and the message you are trying to deliver.
One of the most important thing about being a micro-influencer is that you have the opportunity to be personable to your small group of audience.
By being personable, you can help solve the problems of your target audience. People are inclined to follow people who provide immense value.
So the more solutions you can provide to others for their needs, the more they will stick around for your journey!
Here’s an example:
Niche: Fashion > Sub-niche: Affordable Sustainable Fashion > Content idea: 10 Places To Sustainable Shop For Summer
Niche: Beauty > Sub-niche: Makeup For Acne Prone Skin > Content idea: Makeup tutorial using only products that help treat and cover acne
2. Create Catchy Headlines
Most of us judge a book by its cover. We read the title of the book and look at its packaging before deciding if we want to purchase it. So it’s no different when we’re creating content too. A good headline is just as important as the content piece you’re going to write about. It should be simple but sexy.
Here’s a simple fool proof formula and example I use when creating catchy headlines:
End result target audience wants (Getting Brand Partnerships) + Address the objection (Without Any Collaboration Experience) = How To Get Your 1st Brand Partnership Without Any Collaboration Experience
3. Good Content Creates Emotions
The good news is everyone can be a great content creator these days!
You don’t need an expensive camera to take high quality photos, you just need a smartphone. You don’t need to be Einstein to create a blog article about a topic, you just need to know enough about a topic to be able to solve a problem. You don’t need to be a super instagram model to attract followers, you just need to know how to create emotions in your content.
These emotions can be happy, humorous, informative, sentimental, controversial, sad, and etc. Emotions is what creates a bond with others. By attaching an emotion in our content, we’re creating depth and personality that our audience can further relate to.
So ask yourself: What kind of emotion does your content leave people feeling?
4. Create Thought Provoking Captions
An aesthetic photo will stop someone from scrolling on their feed but a meaningful caption is what sparks a conversation.
The only way to create an engaged audience is to make engaging content. You do this by creating a mission statement you believe in that you can passionately speak about.
I use my platform to spread my mission statement to help micro-influencers pursue their passions and monetize their influence. So I create content based around this mission statement to show other micro-influencers how they can achieve the same goals for themselves.
Most importantly, I love marketing! It’s a topic I could passionately speak about, continuously learn, and share with others. Influencers are essentially content marketers. We create and distribute content on our social media platforms to attract followers and brand partnerships so that we can ultimately monetize our content and influence. In the world of content marketing, those who choose to spend time creating good content will build a profitable brand and those who create poor content will result in a waste of time, energy, and resources.
So ask yourself: What is your mission statement? If there’s one topic you could talk about for the rest of your life, what would it be?
5. Art of Storytelling
Now, that you’ve been able to hone down on what your mission statement is and what you are most passionate about. It’s important to create information that’s easy to digest for your readers. One of the best way to do this is by incorporating stories when delivering your message. People are wired to respond to stories because a great story holds a person’s interest and creates a feeling of connection.
Great story tellers always include these 3 key components:
- Start with a hook
- Tell personal stories and share firsthand feelings
- Allow others to apply it into their own lives
Here’s an example of a piece of content that I created utilizing these 3 key components:
- Start with a hook “What moment in your life did you come out of your shell?” I often ask thought-provoking questions in the beginning of my captions because it captures people’s attention so they will feel more inclined to read more of what I have to say.
- Tell personal stories and share firsthand feelings“I struggled being shy and anxious in social settings for most of my life.” Sharing my personal feelings in relation to this question helps others to visualize the situation and also connect with me if it relates to them.
- Allow others to apply it into their own lives “Above all, being in your shell is a mental state. The more you realize your self-worth, the more confidence you will gain. So are you joining me to come out your shell just like this beautiful Mejuri shell necklace?” After presenting a problem and opportunity to solve the problem, I create a call-to-action. This invites a sense of togetherness with the community I’m building.
6. Make Your Content Actionable
Do you write call-to-actions in your posts? I always leave my readers with some sort of actionable steps whether to ask a question, tell them to click the link in my bio, or comment if they agree with my message. An actionable step will help readers reflect on how they can implement the knowledge you provided and further connect with you.
If you found this blog helpful, make sure to click here to join my free Micro-influencers Strategies, Growth, and Monetization Group so you can get even MORE tips as a micro-influencer through my free guides, video tutorials, exclusive trainings, and more!
Thanks so much for reading! I’m curious to know, how do you stand out as a micro-influencer? Comment below and I’d love to hear from you!
