InfluentiAL vs. InfluencER
In today's culture & society of "social media influencers," it is really easy to forget that there is a distinct difference between being a social media "Influencer" vs. being an "Influential" person.
Over the last decade, we have seen social media grow at rapid speed; new studies have shown that nearly ~3.5 billion people actively use social media - that's ~45% of the world’s population.
WOW, no wonder influencERs exist!
If you grow your audience, you have a HUGE potential and an incredible opportunity to be influentiAL.
It makes sense to me, but is it that simple!?
Of course, not!
So many of my (mostly, younger) clients get tricked up on WHO they want to be too.
Do they want to be an influencER and grow their social media following OR do they focus and care more about being an influentiAL person (and building their own unique personal brand!)?
Or maybe we can be both or maybe we just want to live our best life and forget about all of this!?
In my blog today, I am talking to you about why YOU should focus on cultivating an influentiAL personal brand rather than isolating your influence as an influencER.
Times are changing, social media is unfiltered, and I don’t want you to miss out on what is MOST important in today’s marketplace.The term influencER has been tossed around and gained more traction over the last decade. This is mostly because of the substantial increase of consumers & viewers who engage and participate in social media platforms (Facebook, IG, Tik Tok, YouTube, etc.). However, I think it is critical that we uncover and demystify that being an influencER does not always equate to positively contributing to someone’s life nor does it equal happiness, fulfillment, less stress, or an expert in their perspective niche.
Because my new book is specifically focused on teaching Father-like figures on how to be a positive influential person in their daughter's life PLUS I have several questions slide into my inbox about how to become an influencER, I think it is really important that we dive deeper about this new topic!
An influencER is defined as someone who affects a purchase decision of others because of his or her authority, knowledge, position, following-status, or relationship with his or her audience. This influencer has a following in a distinct niche. The size of the following depends on the size of his/her topic of the niche. InfluencERs typically get paid for advertising products, creating their own products, or to be an affiliate marketer of another product.
It is important we have this discussion because many of us confuse being influentiAL with being an influencER. And, since I teach my clients that visibility IS credibility it is a fine line to remember that you do not need thousands of followers to create an impact in someone’s life. In fact, you only need ONE follower, ONE colleague, or ONE friend to create influence.
While it is essential to market yourself to stand out in a competitive marketplace, you do not need to be an “influencER” to create change, impact, or to be of service to others. To be clear, I do not teach my clients on how to specifically be an “InfluencER” in their niche. I teach my clients how to create radical impact, be of service to others, how to communicate their expertise, and how to add value to other people’s lives…. But, because we follow celebrities, key opinion leaders, “perfect” couples, advocates, politicians, babies, bloggers, puppies, and vacation destinations on social media, it is very easy to get caught up in what influencERs are saying or doing. And, while they might provide us some laugher, education, or quick relief, we get to decide how much influence they play in our life.
Here are five pro tips on how to be influentiAL, especially in a heavy influencER market:
1. Being influentiAL is not about YOU, it is about creating a radical impact in someone else’s life.
2. Being influentiAL is about you sharing your gifts, talents, and strengths with someone else. Do not be the best kept secret – that doesn’t help anyone!
3. Being influentiAL is not about how much money you make, what car you drive, or what brand of makeup you use. It is about how you make other people FEEL around you.
4. If your goal is to be influentiAL, make sure your focus and intention is to be of service to others. Ask more questions, listen more intentionally, and instead of providing your opinion to others, create a safe space where people can communicate freely with you.
5. Being influentiAL is not about how many likes, comments, or followers you have on social media. It is about building relationships with your audience and earning peoples trust.
>>>Bottom line, you do NOT need to be an influencER to be influentiAL<<<
You can have a private account or even be OFF of social media to make be a positive force and have influential in someones life.
Be mindful of who you follow on social media too. Just because they have a big ol’ fancy house & travel all over the world, does not equate to fulfillment. It is easy to get caught up in the world of influencers, and it is important to check back in and remember… it is social media, not real life!
p.s. SNEAK PEAK OF MY NEW BOOK is here >>> Influential Dad, Empowered Daughter.
Always with you!
Xx
Ash
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