5 Common Mistakes Influencers Make

There are definitely perks to being a social media influencer, but it's not as easy as it looks to grow a successful platform as an influencer. Here are five common mistakes you must avoid.

It’s no secret why so many people want to become social media influencers. Just take a quick look at popular influencer lifestyles on Instagram and it’s clear: influencers get to travel all over the world, get paid to take pictures, receive elaborate gifts from brands and can attend the coolest parties with other Influencers and celebrities.

Compare that lifestyle to working a 9 to 5? No thanks.

As someone who has built a social media following myself of over 1 million followers between Instagram and Facebook, I can tell you firsthand it’s an incredibly exciting experience and very lucrative. I have friends that I know who make over $50,000 an Instagram post and $100,000 for a YouTube video. Who wouldn’t want to make more than the annual household income for recording a single video in their living room?

But if you’re interested in building a social media following and becoming an influencer, it’s good to know that it’s not all glitz and glam. I’ve also seen Influencers go through some incredibly hard times, especially when it comes to paid opportunities. Influencers need to be more careful than ever about the products and brands they align themselves with.

If you are an influencer or interested in becoming one, here are five of the most common mistakes to avoid when doing paid sponsorships.

Doing it For the Money

You are probably at least partly interested in being an influencer for free or discounted products, all the fame and glory, and yes, also the money. Of course, money is going to be a strong motivator. But, make sure it isn’t just for the money.

In the short run, it may seem worth it. But over time, your followers will be able to tell when your alliance is just for a paycheck. Make sure you’re in it for the right reasons and the opportunities will come tenfold.

Not Being Authentic

This goes hand-in-hand with not just doing it for the cash. Whatever your motivation, make sure that the brands you partner with represent products you already use or ones that you love.

Remember that your followers trust you, and you have a responsibility to them to be genuine and only recommend brands you stand behind whole-heartedly. Losing the trust of your followers will result in you being an influencer without any influence. Stay true to yourself and your audience and your world will literally become gold.

One-Night Stands

If you are going to stand behind a brand, make sure it’s one that you can build a long-term relationship with. People will be able to see right through it if you endorse a product one day and then never appear using it again. The most successful brand partnerships are long-term ones.

Think about Nike and their relationship with athletes, most often they span many years and across many products. That’s why when Michael Jordan, Serena Williams or LeBron James talk about Nike you know they actually love Nike because of the long-term relationship. Most brands are aware of this and will seek long-term opportunities themselves, but in case they don’t, push for a one-year commitment minimum.

Taking on Too Many Partnerships

Be selective when choosing your partnerships. You’ve cultivated followers through hard-work, dedication and consistency. If you are endorsing a different brand every day of the week—no matter how fabulous they are—your opinion will start to carry less weight. Your followers will begin to think you’re like a billboard and then your opinions are for sale. I’ve seen Influencers making far more money doing one or two really big deals a year rather than many smaller deals.

Thinking You Won’t Get More Opportunities

Don’t ever agree to a partnership simply because you don’t think you’ll get another opportunity again. Just continue to create awesome content, focus your energy on engagement and stay authentic, and brands will be pounding down your door. There are millions of brands in the world but not nearly that many Influencers. If you turn an opportunity down because it doesn’t feel right, don’t stress, many more opportunities will be coming your way.