If you’re looking for ways to make money as a nano influence, or you’re just curious about how influencers make money then this post is for you.
Hello and welcome to the beginning of what I hope will be a year of growth and many amazing opportunities.
2020 was tough and even though I don’t think 2021 will be any easier, I know that we are strong enough to overcome any and all challenges that may come our way.
New Era
We live in an age where having multiple streams of income is a necessity. It’s not enough to only work 9 to 5 anymore, you should have at least one or two other side hustles.
If COVID-19 taught us anything, it is that life is precarious. You have to be flexible and adaptable especially when it comes to making a living.
In South Africa today, according to Statista, the unemployment rate is over 30%. This means that the job market is fiercely competitive, and now more than ever, we have to create jobs for ourselves.
Monetising your skill/s has now become a necessity. Gone are the days of having a hobby. We’re now looking for ways to monetise what was once a hobby.
My Personal Journey
Last year was one of the toughest years for me financially. I left the stability of being an employee, the security of a guaranteed salary every month to become self-employed.
For all of last year, I barely made money. With a degree in Corporate Communications and Sociology, Almost 8 years of PR agency experience, and a Postgraduate degree in Strategic Brand Communications, I struggled to monetise my skills.
The year forced me to look at other ways to make money outside of the typical way I’d grown accustomed to. How can I make money doing what I already do as a nano influencer.
Nano -Influencer
But what is a nano influencer?
There are different types of influencers on social media. A nano-influencer is a person with influence in a particular niche. They have built an audience of supporters that are interested in what they say and share. A nano influencer has between 1 000 to 10 000 followers on social media.
But you don’t need to have hundreds of thousands of followers to make money on social media. I’m going to share some of the ways you can make money as a nano influencer in this post.
How To Make Money as A Nano Influencer in 2021
1. Paid partnership/promotion: You are paid an amount, based on your rate, in exchange for creating and sharing content on your social media platform/s. Depending on your following and engagement, you can charge between $25 to $1500 per post. This will also depend on the type of content. Is it a video or a picture?
If you are reviewing a product for a brand – or an experience – this will be provided at cost to the brand, in addition to your standard rate.
This ensures that you are able to talk about the product/experience with confidence and authenticity. I would highly recommend this personal trial before sharing with your audience.
I also always disclose if it is a paid partnership. Check out this post to see how I disclose paid partnerships.
2. Sponsored post/ad: Some people lump a sponsored post and paid partnership together as one and the same but they are different. A sponsored post may or may not involve monetary compensation.
Depending on your agreement with the brand, they can either offer payment in the form of money or a voucher. For example, I received a R1500 shopping voucher from Superbalist in exchange for this blog article.
Or you may receive your favourite skincare product in exchange for a mention on your skincare review list. You typically have more autonomy in creating content for a sponsored post or ad than you would have when it is a paid partnership. This is because some brands prefer to control their narrative.
3. Trade Exchange: There is no money involved in this exchange. A brand may give you a product or service – at an agreed valued – in exchange for exposure on your platform. This is the most common way for smaller brands with little budget to work with influencers. An example of a trade exchange I did is with the LadyBossBlogger. I was offered a free course on how to make money as an influencer valued at almost $400 in exchange for exposure on my blog and Instagram page.
4. Affiliate advertising: This means that you earn a commission for every product sold if the buyer uses your unique link or code. You can approach any brand with an affiliate program to do this.
A few of my affiliate partnerships are listed below. If you make a purchase using any of the links, you get a discount for some and I will earn a commission, without any extra cost to you. So feel free to check them out at the end of the article as I only recommend products or services that I have personally tested and highly recommend.
5. Brand Ambassadorship: This would normally be a contract between the brand and influencer lasting a few months, 6-months or more, in exchange for free products.
Some brands pay you a commission for every product you sell or they pay you for every piece of content you create.
There are certain rules and regulations that you would have to adhere to; For example, if it is a fragrance brand, you may have to sign a contract not to wear any other fragrance but that brand’s for a year. The terms you agree to would be based on what you’re comfortable with.
6. Event Hosting/Appearance: If you are a thought leader in your niche or perhaps you have a large following of people that a particular brand wants to tap into, the brand will then pay you to host an event or to make an appearance. Club appearances, Masterclasses and Beauty events are just a few of these.
These are just some of the many ways to make money as a content creator/influencer. Content creation is not something you get into if you are looking to make quick money. It takes hard work, dedication and consistency to get some of these opportunities. It is not as glamourous as it looks.
You may have to do a few trade exchanges before you get paid promotions. You also have to be discerning with your collaborations. Working with brands that don’t align with your personal brand just to make money will only hurt your brand in the long run.
Work smart, be patient and everything will fall into place as it should.
Check out my post on Instagram @thediscerningstylist to learn how to price yourself as an influencer and get paid your worth.
AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS
Get 40% off a LadyBossBlogger course and start making money as an influencer today! Use code TEJUMADE at checkout.
New to Youtube? Get Tubetubby to help you with SEO, keywords ranking and competitor ranking. Use my code TEJU
Get 15% off when you shop at Rightland. Use my discount code TJSTYL15 at checkout.
Did you find this article useful? Share with any aspiring influencer you know.
Disclosure: If you make a purchase using any of the links, you get a discount for some and I will earn a commission, without any extra cost to you. So, feel free to check them out as I only recommend products or services that I have personally tested and highly recommend.
