The Amazing Growth of Bloggers and Influencers (And How to Become One)
"Everyone is looking to build their personal space online."
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By Anthony Gaenzle.
20 years ago, give or take, blogging was looked at as a hobby for angsty college kids.
The concept of people getting paid to advertise products based on the influence they’ve built on social media would have been laughed at.
Fast forward to 2024. Everyone is looking to build their personal space online.
Whether writing, running a business, freelancing, blogging, or just doing some crazy dances on TikTok, making money online through your own presence is gaining popularity by the day.
Top-level bloggers and influencers are making millions of dollars, and even micro-influencers and smaller blogging operations are raking in $1,000s each week in largely passive income.
So, what’s led to this trend that seems to be here to stay? Let’s take a look.
What’s leading to the growth of bloggers and influencers?
The growth of the digital world is fueling changes in the way we work. Freelancers are gaining influence and taking over the professional world. Social media allows users to build massive followings, and brands are taking notice.
Internet users are tiring of major publications and instead opting to trust in niche bloggers to gain insights into subjects of interest to them.
As we become more and more connected, and the world continues its shift to digital - fueled even faster by the pandemic - there are more opportunities to present your personal brand online and grow your influence.
Bloggers, freelancers, and influencers are taking advantage and reaping the benefits of this trend.
How do you become an influential blogger, freelancer, or social media persona?
The allure of being your own boss was too much. You’ve decided to leave your 9-5 job and start over. So, just how do you make that transition a smooth one and build an online presence that replaces your salary?
The key to building influence online today is a strong focus on building a powerful online persona.
No matter what field or niche you’re in, highlighting your expertise and telling your story online in a way that builds an audience of engaged followers can give your status a serious boost.
But just how do you build a powerful online brand and gain influence? Here are a few tips to follow as you walk the line of building an effective personal brand.
Clean up your act
Your online reputation is critically important. The first step is to remove any negative information about you on the internet. Conduct a Google search, and get rid of any negative social media posts, poorly crafted content from your past, low quality images (or images that paint you in a negative light), and other content that could tarnish your online image and crush your personal brand.
Know your audience
When building a personal brand to grow influence online, it’s super important that you know who you are are trying to reach. And this means going beyond simply having basic demographics in mind. Your audience shouldn’t be "men and women ages 35-44". It should be something more like:
Aspiring bloggers
Both male and female
Ages 35-55
Aspiring to generate a side hustle from their blog
Struggling to gain traction in their niche
Beginner level, needing guidance
Variety of genres
You can get more detailed than this, and you should, but for the sake of this article, you get the idea.
Craft your story
Now that you know your audience, you need to tell a story that connects with them. Who are you and what value do you add to the market? Understand what problems you can solve and how you can help people. Then craft a brand story that lets your followers know why they should follow you and the value you add for their lives.
Leverage digital channels
Create a consistent brand for yourself across multiple channels. Social media channels like X (Twitter) or TikTok, a WordPress blog, forums, video channels like YouTube, and other channels can help you present your personal brand and engage in conversations with your audience.
Keep the above four things in mind as you build your personal brand and seek to grow influence online.
Getting started growing your influence
This is just the tip of the iceberg. You need to be consistent and stay focused. Building influence online, no matter what your niche, is a long game. It doesn’t happen overnight.
Be sure you’re passionate and knowledgeable about the niche you’ve chosen to target.
This will ensure you stick with it when times get tough if you have a built-in passion for your subject matter.
And if you’re not knowledgeable about your subject, you’ll be called out quickly and fade away into obscurity.
Carefully craft your story and build a personal brand that’s well-developed and aimed at helping people solve problems, answering people’s questions, or providing entertainment. In other words, your personal brand should make people’s lives better in some way.
This is how you earn your influence. And this is how you thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Author: Anthony Gaenzle
Title: CEO
Company: Gaenzle Marketing
Bio: Anthony is CEO and Founder of Gaenzle Marketing. He is a two-time published author and digital marketing influencer. He has helped brands both large and small grow and thrive across multiple industries through strategic marketing campaigns and leveraging a powerful network of influencers.
A quick thought from me
Writers, do you get uncomfortable explaining what you do?
I run into this all the time.
Them: “What do you do?”
Me: “Oh, um… I, uh… I guess I write… stuff.”
Or something like that.
Owning the fact you’re a writer is hard when you know the other person may not get it. Because usually, they don’t.
Next time you’re asked, try this:
Declare — with confidence — that you’re a writer. Why be ashamed of it, or play it down? It’s just the truth.
If they ask what sort of stuff you write, ask them if they know anyone who likes your genre or is in your writing’s age range. They’ll feel less awkward talking about someone else’s preferences instead of their own.
Invite them to check out your work on [wherever your writing lives]. It’s a simple CTA and caps the conversation nicely.
You are a writer.
It’s time to own it.
