You’ve made a name for yourself, you have a following and you’re known as an influencer. Now what? The next chapter of your journey is all about being consistent and staying relevant. The life of an influencer isn’t over once you “make the cut.” It’s all about staying in the loop, being relevant, and having a consistent presence that keeps folks coming back for more. Up for the challenge? We thought so! Read on for tips on creating consistency as an influencer.
1. Make a calendar (and stick to it)
It’s hard to stay consistent when you have nothing to follow. Most influencers have some sort of roadmap to keep them grounded. This means setting cadence, types of posts, brand spotlights and content strategy. Some influencers rely on social media scheduling platforms, like Hootsuite or Buffer. Others go by a presentation deck that segments posts by day, week and month. This gives you both a birds-eye view and a granular view of what’s going on. However you decide to keep yourself organized is fine — the important thing is that you do it. Structure is key to maintaining a consistent, relevant presence. People are relying on you for content, after all!
2. Ask for feedback
Ever thought of polling your followers to see what they want to see from you? When you’re running out of ideas for content, ask the people who know you best. Your followers know your brand (sometimes better than you do), and they know what it’s like to follow you. They may have some ideas for you to bolster your presence. Staying up to date with your followers’ wishes ensures that you’re staying authentic and engaging. Post a quick poll to your story or send out an email with a survey. Easy peasy.
3. Pursue brands you want to work with
Sometimes brands come to you; other times, you have to go to them. When you’re really set on collaborating with a particular brand, pursue it relentlessly. Don’t let go of that dream — if this brand means something to you, it probably means something to all of your followers too. Be diligent about your follow-ups and put thought into your pitch to work together.
4. Follow those who inspire you
Just because you have a lot of people following you doesn’t mean you can’t follow others for inspiration! That’s one of the best ways to learn. We recommend curating an inspiration or mood board to keep you on top of the latest trends. Review it on a daily basis so that you’re in the loop and relevant. It could be a company, a brand you love or another influencer like yourself. Just make sure your inspiration board speaks to your mission and your persona.
5. Have an engagement strategy
Every influencer engages differently. Some are super interactive with their followers — liking all comments and even responding to some. Others lump their engagement time into the planning it takes to curate a content schedule. Either way is fine as long as you stick to an engagement strategy. Your consistency in responses and post cadence can make it or break it for your followers and potential new followers. If it helps, write out your strategy so you don’t forget what is in line with your brand.
Seems simple enough, right? If you follow these five tips, you’ll be in good shape. Staying consistent and relevant may not always come naturally, but you have a slew of followers to help you stay up to date with your brand and the world around you. The key is to listen and evolve your approach accordingly — good luck!