The perfect content creator

Part I. The Perfect Instagram Influencer

Hello, guys! destream is here, and we’re continuing our article series on perfect content creators.

This is the third part of the series, and it’ll be about what skills you should possess and develop to achieve success in the fields of Instagram influencers.

Note:

• To read the first one, click here (perfect streamer).
• To read the second part, click here (perfect lifestyle blogger).

Now, without further ado, let’s go!

THE SKILLS

Here’s the list of skills you need to achieve success. We’ll go through each one in detail further in the article.

The list includes:

1. Photo & Videography: the first one is obvious enough. Instagram absolutely depends on visual content, so having a strong grasp of photo and videography techniques is crucial for creating high-quality, visually appealing content.
2. Writing/Copywriting: along with great visuals, successful Instagram influencers also need to be able to craft engaging, concise, and informative captions that complement visuals and help build a unique brand voice.
3. Social Media Management: to succeed on Instagram, influencers need to have a clear understanding of how the platform works and how to use its features to reach and engage with the target audience. This involves developing a social media strategy that incorporates things like posting frequency, hashtag usage, and engagement tactics for growing the following and building a strong brand.
4. Analytics: to understand how the content performs and how to improve it, effective Instagram influencers need to have a solid knowledge of Instagram analytics. This includes tracking metrics like engagement rates, reach, and impressions, as well as analyzing the audience demographics, behavior, and so on.
5. Negotiation & Relationship Building: as influencers work with brands and negotiate partnerships, it’s important for them to have strong negotiation skills to ensure they’re getting fair compensation for the work done.

By developing a mix of these soft and hard skills, you can build a strong foundation for success as an Instagram influencer. Combine the knowledge above with some hard work, dedication, and persistence, and success will be within your grasp.

Now let’s get to breaking each of the skills down.

PHOTO & VIDEOGRAPHY

Note: we’ve already discussed the photo & videography skills in our previous article, so we’ll just place that part of it here.

Here are the steps you can take to obtain photo & videography skills:

• Learn the basics: start by learning the basic principles of photography and videography, such as lighting, composition, and color theory. You can find free online courses and tutorials on websites such as YouTube, Skillshare, or Linkedin Learning. It won’t take long, but the impact will be really strong, just believe us.
• Practice regularly: take as many photos and videos as you can, and practice different techniques to develop your skills. Experiment with different camera settings, angles, lighting, and perspectives.
• Invest in good equipment: invest in a good quality camera, lenses, and other equipment that fit your budget. You don’t need the most expensive gear to produce high-quality content, but having the right equipment will sure make a difference.
• Learn from others: look for inspiration from other content creators in your niche, find the people whose works you like the most, and study their methods to see what techniques and styles they use.
• Use editing: learn and use editing software such as Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, or Premiere to enhance your photos and videos (knowledge from open sources will be enough). It’ll help you improve the overall quality of content and bring your vision to life. Plus, editing is one of the best ways of creating your own, unique content style.
• Seek feedback: always ask for honest feedback on the photos and videos you make. Friends, family, and peer-creators are the best source of constructive critics. This will help you identify areas for improvement and set the right steps to achieve the next level of skills development.

WRITING/COPYWRITING

As the second skill, we’ve got writing/copywriting, and here’s how you master it:

• Attend courses: there are no learning ways better than to be taught by professionals, are there? You can check out some cool copywriting courses here.
• Study successful peers: take a close look at the captions of successful influencers in your niche and try to understand what makes their content so effective. Look at the language they use, the tone of their writing, and how they engage with the audience. Doing this on a constant basis will greatly enhance your understanding of the niche.
• Read specialized books & articles: there are plenty of resources available that can help you improve your copywriting skills. Look for books, blogs, and articles that focus on copywriting techniques and principles. This becomes especially useful when you reach a seemingly insurmountable bar․
• Constantly practice writing: the more you write, the better you’ll get, simple enough. Try to write captions for your Instagram posts every day, and experiment with different styles, tones, and lengths. Pay attention to the reactions you get from your audience and use this feedback to improve your writing.
• Use storytelling: we’ve talked about this one many times. One of the most effective ways to engage with your audience on Instagram is through storytelling. Try to weave a narrative into your captions that grabs your followers’ attention and keeps them engaged. Reading and attending courses is the best way to improve storytelling skills.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Note: this set has also been discussed in our previous article, so some of the points may be repeated.

Now let’s see what steps you should take to grasp the knowledge in social media strategy:

• Choose the right auxiliary platforms: this includes Identifying which other social media platform your target audience uses the most and focusing on building a strong presence there. For example, to be an effective Instagram influencer, it’s better to use the Instagram+TikTok+Twitter mix than the Instagram+YouTube+Facebook combination. It’s also crucial to understand how the algorithms work in each of them and what type of posts will perform the best.
• Keep up with the trends: social media is an inseparable part of our lives that constantly changes, so it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends, features, and algorithm changes to not end up doing the ice-bucket challenge in 2023.
• Engage with peers and the audience: respond to comments, messages, and mentions from your followers. Engage with other content creators and influencers in your niche, participate in conversations related to your content, make giveaways, hold content-sharing & other contests, and so on.
• Create a content strategy: once you know your niche and who your target audience is, you can develop a content strategy within that niche that speaks to the audience’s interests and needs. Decide on the types of content you want to create, such as photos, videos, or stories, and (important!) plan out a content calendar.
• Use hashtags effectively: hashtags are a powerful tool for increasing the visibility of your content on Instagram. Research popular hashtags in your niche and incorporate them into your posts. Believe us, that’ll be one of the finest additions to your content.
• Analyze your metrics: use social media analytics tools to track your metrics such as engagement, reach, and follower growth. This can help you identify what content works best and adjust your strategy accordingly.

ANALYTICS

You’ve already chosen your niche and exactly know who your target audience is. But how can you make your content even better and never let it become boring? The answer to that lies in possessing analytics skills, and here’s how you make it:

• Familiarize yourself with Instagram Insights: Instagram provides a built-in analytics tool called Insights, which allows you to track metrics such as engagement, reach, and impressions. Familiarize yourself with this tool and learn how to interpret the data it provides.
• Track your campaigns: if you’re running Instagram ads or other campaigns, it’s important to track their performance using tools such as UTM tracking links or Facebook Ads Manager. They will allow you to see which campaigns are generating the best results and adjust your strategy accordingly.
• Use A/B testing: this involves creating two versions of a piece of content and testing them against each other to see which performs better. Try to use A/B testing to experiment with different types of content, captions, and other variables to see what resonates most with your audience. Although it’s certainly not a trivial task, once you master it, it’ll surely pay off.
• Look for trends: When analyzing your data, look for trends and patterns that can give you insights into your audience’s behavior. For example, you may notice that certain types of content perform better at certain times of the day or on certain days of the week.
• Continuously learn and adapt: remember, analytics is an ONGOING process, so it’s important to continuously learn and adapt based on the data you’re collecting. Use your analytics data for further development of your strategy and make adjustments as needed. Oh, and don’t be afraid of experimenting.

NEGOTIATION & RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

Effective negotiations with brands can skyrocket your earnings in an instant, so let’s dive deeper into mastering this skill:

• Research the brand: before entering into any negotiations, take the time to research the brand and understand its values, goals, and target audience. This will allow you to tailor your pitch and make a stronger case for why you’re a good fit for them.
• Determine your value: it’s important to know your own worth and what you bring to the table. Determine your value based on your audience size, engagement rates, and other metrics, and use this information to set realistic goals for any potential collaborations… and avoid unwanted ones.
• Practice active listening: when negotiating, it’s important to listen carefully to the other party’s needs and concerns. The best way of practicing active listening is by asking questions and repeating back what you’ve heard to ensure that you understand their perspective.
• Be confident but flexible: confidence is key when negotiating, but it’s also important to be flexible and willing to compromise. Approach negotiations with an open mind and be willing to consider alternative proposals. Developing a plan B (and even C, D, E) in advance will be a very effective measure, too.
• Use data to support your case: use the data and analytics you’ve collected to support your case and demonstrate the value you can bring to the brand. Use metrics such as engagement rates, reach, and impressions to make a strong case for why you’re a good fit for the brand. This point mixed with the first and third one is an almost 100% winning combination.
• Follow up and follow through: after reaching an agreement, be sure to follow up and follow through on your commitments. Being synchronized with the client throughout the whole process is the key to building a strong reputation as a reliable and professional influencer, which can lead to more opportunities in the future.

This was the third article in our “perfect content creator” series. Sure there’s a lot of other stuff you’ll need throughout the influencer career, but obtaining these ones will surely be the strongest basis to start with.

Stay tuned to receive the latest news and useful articles from destream.

Have a good day and stay creative!