Social media influencers are individuals who share content on their social media accounts with a curated audience. They establish themselves as experts in a field and build trust with their followers. Depending on their audience, they may be able to set trends, affect purchasing decisions, and shape conversations in that field. They are similar to traditional celebrities, well-known bloggers and public figures, industry experts, or thought leaders.

Influencers can be hired by brands to promote a product or service, or simply to create content that will help them reach new audiences. They often charge a flat rate for their work, which can be based on their number of followers or on the amount of effort they put into creating a post. The best way to find the right influencer for your campaign is to have a clear brief of what you’re looking for from them, including specific deliverables and a timeline.

Before working with an influencer, ensure that their account is genuine and that they’re not paying to inflate their follower count. This can be done with a few simple tests. Scroll through their posts to see if they’re posting on a regular basis. Check their engagement ratio to follower count. Check for spam-like comments on their posts.

Some people are full-time influencers and can command a high price for their content. Others make a living from their influencer work, but don’t want to quit their day jobs. Then there’s the middle ground, where influencers are part time, but still make a decent income from their content.