Top 5 Tips to Step Up Your Influencer Strategy

Authenticity + Great content + Audience = Engagement

Steemians, let's be real...

The wave of Influencer Marketing has stalled itself, and suspended a majority of content and it's creators in limbo.

Pull out your phone and go to your Instagram feed or launch the Youtube app. Both of these actions are going to have a similar end result. The first few photos you see on Instagram or the psychedelic-scope of Youtube thumbnails will most likely be from its top, and often most influential users. They're easy to spot with the vivid scenery around them in the pictures they upload. Or when it comes to Youtube, clever and sharp square thumbnails that capture your attention and earn the tap of your finger, in the split of a second. It's a method I deemed, "Micro-moments"; simply for the creator's ability to pull you in with a strategic series of proper hashtags and upload times that lead to interaction, and what an influencers main focus should be - ENGAGEMENT.

With the momentum that platforms such as Steemit and DTube are gaining, who's to say the same tactics being applied to the top social media platforms can't be applied in the progressive Steem community?

If you take a moment and go through the top trending Steemit posts or DTube videos, you'll notice they all pretty much share a similar trait. The creators are providing value, yes, but they're doing it in a unique way by grabbing what they're good at by the horns and not letting go. There are a ton of reasons why audiences become loyal to these creators, but the top reason is dedication to your craft.

And those hundreds, sometimes thousands of Steem dollars you see linked to a popular piece of content? They're well deserved.

Now you might be thinking, "Okay...so how do I become an Influencer on Steem and in the Steemit community?"

Take a dive with me into the glittering ecosystem of Steemit:

Plankton - the starter rank in Steemit
Minnow - the next level, which requires putting out quality content and earning rewards (can also be accomplished by acquiring Steem)
Dolphin - a well established user who usually has a moderate amount invested into the platform and thus holds more voting power
Orca - a user who has a large following and great community engagement, though they still don't hold as much Steem Power as the Lions of the Sea
Whale - users with the biggest influence on the platform and can shift unmeasurable attention to a post with a single vote

The Formula to Influencer Success

Since we've got the breakdown of how Ranking works, let's get into how you can master skills you've acquired from countless hours you've spent scrolling and interacting on social platforms:

1. QUALITY CONTENT

I cannot stress this point enough. Sculpting content of substance is key to gaining an receptive audience, especially if you keep your image friendly and your content presents you as easily approachable. Don't think about the short term, you're building your brand and every investment into that will give you equal results.

2. DEFINE YOUR PASSION & PICK YOUR NICHE

Self-awareness is a massive part of this. In truth, it may require you to sit down with the three closest people to you or even a two-hour brainstorm session to list out what you care about, (green technology, thrifty fashion, or taking photos of skateboard riding bulldogs). Wrap it up and refer back to it when you decide to introduce your beliefs and opinion to a community that appreciates value.

Of course, this also entails staying on top of your desired niche, so you can remain up to date on industry changes. Just subscribe to high-quality blogs that discuss your niche, and sign up for Newsletters to receive immediate alerts and updates.

3. STAY CONSISTENT

I can look forward to my favorite news sources and podcasts to be published around the same time every week, and it's something that a great content producer spoils their audience with. Now, that's not to say that you need to post five times a day across all of your platforms (especially Steemit), but with the skeleton of a schedule, it provides your audience with something to look forward to and gives them all the more reason to subscribe in eager anticipation of your next piece of content.

4. BE UNIQUE

These days, how many Fitness and Green Tea experts are there? How many cookie-cutter travel bloggers have you come across within the past hour of scouring your newsfeed?
To stand out from the crowd, you have to dare to go places that others won't. You have to leap and take risks that ALIGN with your passion and in what YOU believe in. Stay outspoken to stay heard. Skip the "copy-paste" content and show your audience the appreciation and love you have for them, and you'll capture not just their eyes, but their heart.

5. NETWORK & ENGAGE

One of the things that many of us tend to forget is that in order to build influence, you have to have real connections.

Engage in the conversations that are happening around your topic and interests. Venture outside of your comfort zones to soak in what the community is saying. And, if you are able to bring value to the conversations being held, you will rack up connections and undoubtedly build a better brand reputation for yourself.

Answer questions, respond to all comments left on your blog post, or video within the first 48 hours. And when it comes to dealing with negative comments, it's best to ignore the haters and trolls as it will only bring more negativity to your blog. Instead, respond and upvote comments that you want to see more of on your page.

Needless to say, it's important to humbly accept constructive criticism in stride. The best type of followers are the ones that care about your growth.

That said, you shouldn’t be focused on achieving the rank of an Orca or Whale. Instead, to become an influencer your main priority should be engaging with the Steem community and bringing your voice into conversations to better promote your message and identity. A perfect way to do this is to collaborate with and support new Steem related projects. Head over and check out what HyperFundIt is doing for the influencer game, and how we can take you to the next level.

Once all is done, and you've read through all of your most recent comments and engaged with the ones providing valued conversation to your content; take a moment to breathe, remember what your brand stands for and then ask your audience, "What else do you want to see from me?

Always looking forward,

Ken Wayne, Content Strategist