More and more people dream of becoming famous on the internet with their content and sharing their passions – they want to become influencers. But how does the entry into the world of likes and hashtags look like? What tips are there for success in the digital world? In this article we give an overview of the most important steps you should consider if you want to become a (successful) influencer.
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Influencers are people who have a large following on social media or other digital platforms and share content to write, photograph or film about their passions and interests. They are also known as content creators as they create and produce content themselves.
An influencer is a person who has a large following on social media or other digital platforms. Influencers are usually experts in a particular field or have built a loyal fan base through their unique lifestyle and personality. They use their platforms to write, photograph or film about their passions and interests while promoting or recommending various products or services. Influencers can be active in different areas, for example in the fashion or beauty area, in the lifestyle or travel area, in the sports or gaming area. They share their experiences, opinions and recommendations via social media, blogs or YouTube with other people and thus have the opportunity to influence the decisions and behavior of their followers. Influencers can build a special connection to their followers through their content and authenticity and are therefore often interesting for companies as cooperation partners.
Influencers are also often referred to as content creators (“creators” for short), since they create and produce content themselves, which they post on their channels . This content can be, for example, photos, videos, blog posts or live streams. Influencers are not only “pure” influencers, but also independent content creators who realize their own ideas and content and share them with their followers. This gives them the opportunity to express themselves creatively and to show their own personality.
On which platforms are influencers active?
Influencers used to be mostly active on their own blogs.
Today, influencers move mainly on social media platforms, as this is where the greatest reach and the best opportunity to get in touch with other people and share content is. The most well-known platforms for influencers are:
Influencers can also be active on other platforms such as Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest, depending on which platforms are best suited to their topic.
Many cannot imagine anything concrete under the work of an influencer.
As a creator, you have various roles and responsibilities:
Overall, you can think of the work of an influencer as a mix of creativity, community management , and business orientation. Not only do you need to be able to create good content, but you also need to be able to target the right audience and capitalize on monetization opportunities.
Also Read: 6 Metrics You Need To Analyze When Finding Influencers
There are some material and abstract factors that are needed for the desired career path. These include, for example:
There are various ways in which you as a content creator can find cooperation partners:
It is important that you behave professionally when looking for cooperation partners and make a good impression. Show that you are knowledgeable and that you know how to use your reach to help the company achieve its goals.
The workload as an influencer can vary greatly and depends on various factors, such as:
Of course, it is also possible to work as an influencer as a part-time job. Many influencers have other main jobs and use their influencer status to make money on the side. If you want to do influencer work as a part-time job, make sure you have enough time to produce fresh content and engage with your followers on a regular basis. In doing so, you must not neglect your other obligations and responsibilities. If your business as a content creator is going well, you can still consider whether you should focus on it professionally for the long term.
If you want to start your career as a content creator alongside your main job, you can get your first jobs and paid cooperations with a comparatively small number of followers.
However, having a smaller following does not mean that the activity is less time-consuming. Because the time that you have to spend as an influencer depends not only on the reach but also on many other factors, such as the frequency with which you post, the quality of the content you produce and the type of interactions you have with your own community has.
As a content creator, you will have to deal with the tiresome topic of taxes for better or for worse.
As a content creator, you may be subject to tax on the following:
This is usually dependent on your earnings. It is essential to consult a tax advisor for this!
As an influencer, you are an entrepreneur within the meaning of the Value Added Tax Act if you are self-employed and with the intention of generating income. It doesn’t matter whether you want to make a profit or not: As an entrepreneur who is subject to VAT, you must submit a VAT return for the calendar year in any case. However, if your sales, including the applicable tax, were not more than EUR 22,000 in the previous calendar year and are not expected to be more than EUR 50,000 in the current calendar year, there are some simplifications for you.
The income from your work as a creator is generally subject to income tax. However, you only have to submit an income tax return if this income together with other income (e.g. as an employee) in the calendar year exceeds the annual basic allowance of EUR 9,408 (2019: EUR 9,168).
Trade tax is only payable if your trade income (rounded to the nearest 100 euros) is higher than 24,500 euros. The trade income is calculated from your profit and increased by certain additions and reduced by certain reductions.
It’s difficult to make a blanket statement about how much an influencer can earn, as it depends on many factors, such as their level of recognition, the industry the creator works in, and the engagement of their followers. Some influencers only make a few hundred dollars a month, while others can make thousands of dollars or even more. The most successful content creators on Instagram earn five-digit amounts with a single paid cooperation.
Also Read: Science Behind Influencer Marketing And How To Use It
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