When I started my blog 4 years ago, I knew there were bloggers and online celebrities but only a few months ago I have learned that now we are called social media influencer. Because of the variety of channels you can post to, social media influencers can be anyone who regularly posts to one or more platforms and has a large number of audience to share their content to. What types of social media influencer should you be? A blogger, YouTuber or an Instagrammer? Here, I hope I can help you decide what platform is for you, as not everyone likes to write or take videos. The Internet is huge, so you can all find that little space for yourself, you just need to know which platform is for you.

You can be all 3: a YouTuber, an Instagrammer and blogger but also you can run just an Instagram and still be an influencer. Perhaps, if I would start my journey now, I may have rethink whether I would go into blogging. Not sure, and here I will explain why in a minute.

All 3 platforms require loads of skills to become successful and to gain followers, perhaps not every YouTuber can be an Instagrammer and not every blogger can be a YouTuber. I tend to try all 3 and I am still not sure, which is best for me and I guess, I still need few more years.

social media influencer – is that being a Blogger, Youtuber or Instagrammer?

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To be a Blogger.

Okey, I have never been a good writer, I don’t even like to write sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I used to write articles for my local newspaper about lifestyle including diets, contraception or depression. I loved it at that time, but I was 16 then. When I started this blog, I thought I will be just saving pretty pictures of interiors into one place. Oh the irony, I ended up posting pictures of myself! I had absolutely no clue, I will actually end up running a blog full time. With writing, this is the main thing of being a blogger. You need good writing skills, and I still wonder sometimes how I did it?. Let’s be honest, English is not my first language and I bet many bloggers were scratching their heads reading my posts thinking ‘what on earth she is on about?!’ Sound right? The only thing that kept people coming back I guess, was the fact that as an interior designer, I know my shit. Whether with spelling mistakes or not, I knew I was sharing valuable content and guides. I was showing ideas that perhaps people found useful. I’ve recently been hearing positive thoughts from loads of you saying how my writing improved over the past year. Well, this is the point. I started this blog, hoping I will improve my writing skills- while writing about interiors and look now! I write about diets, posting pictures before and after lost weight or about not being scared of being alone. Still, sometimes I get stuck with writing and prefer just taking photos, styling or just be creative with DIY. I get discouraged as I can’t find the right words or express myself the way I wish to. Not writing in my native language is challenging and this is why sometimes I just don’t like to write and give myself a break, while creating DIY, styling etc. This is another reason, why I expanded the categories of Fashion, beauty & travels- just to have more options as I do get bored if I stick to one subject, like interiors. I love writing about interiors, don’t get me wrong but I can’t write about my bedroom or how to design a bathroom over and over again.

Anyone can call themselves a blogger. You can start a website called a blog, write few posts – here you go- you are a blogger! I think these days, there is a significant difference between being a blogger and being a writer. You can still make spelling mistakes as long as you are sharing a valuable content, great instructions and photos. (but it will annoy the hell out of many people)!

Same as any other platform, blogging requires promotions and adverts to reach more audience. Writing on its own won’t bring many readers, and you have to be aware of it. You can create pins on Pinterest, to link all your articles but also use advertisement design to create your boards to share across different social media platforms.

I’ve seen people who started blogs and grown slowly but steady with no contacts – not knowing anyone in the industry and I’ve seen people who clearly had ‘a little’ help and are growing super fast. The one thing that connects us all is- you have to be smart. Super smart. You have to quick learn SEO, how social media works and how to create a great looking template. If you have a photographer in a family/friends/boyfriend/husband then you going to grow even faster. You have to have a good idea for yourself but still stay yourself and create posts that people want to read. In other words, you have to find your niche. It is very easy to start a blog, post few pictures or touch subjects that been touched so many times and no one wants to even read that anymore. It’s a really fine line here. I was there, believe me- talking about the ‘Amazing scandi designs’ and use pictures that been posted zillion times then getting discouraged when no one wants to read and stopping posting for 5 months. (This is when I rebranded in May 2015) Keeping it short- anyone can start a blog and call himself a blogger, but it’s difficult to be a good blogger!

keeping it short: anyone can start a blog and call himself a blogger, but it’s difficult to be a good blogger!

Blogger skills:

Engaging content ( you have proofreading websites but none can write a content for you) extra points if you creative or have industry experience- stylist, designer or financial expert etc.
Good blog layout
Great photos, you can use stock photos as long as they represent your content
Learn SEO
Learn Social media promotion

Read also how to earn money blogging in my Girlboss, how to turn passion into an income post

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To be a Youtuber

I didn’t post many videos on my YouTube channel because I am not good at this yet. It takes a good few years to become a good YouTuber. Same as growing blog, growing your YouTube channel can be tricky. I’ve seen people starting their YouTube channel and posting upside down or poor quality videos. With YouTube, you also need the right personality for it. When I watch my videos, I find myself going on and on about the same thing. I really have to cut out loads of irrelevant things and it kind of discourages me. You have to be funny and serious, but again it’s all about the content. I’ve not seen a successful YouTuber who would just press play and talk and talk and just talk. It’s usually down to useful tutorials, funny chats or absolutely being bonkers. Like so far, I have not much idea for myself and I don’t want to be that boring middle age lady who sat in front of the camera and just tell you how to make a good Christmas decoration while talking. You can’t learn anything by just listen to me. It’s all down to good visual content, filming things while making and fantastic editing. Until I learn properly, you won’t see a rising YouTube star in me;)

a YouTuber skills:

Great personality and being natural in front of camera plus balls of steel while reading negative comments
Good editing software like iMac, Premier Pro or even WMM if you have great editing skills
Good camera, lighting and microphone for great video quality
Learn Social media promotion

perhaps more stuff here that even I have no clue about 😉

To be an Instagrammer

Most bloggers I know use Instagram for promotion, but this is something I’ve learn to use little late. I have been using my Instagram since started this blog but I never post regularly which was a big mistake. Some people only use Instagram as they don’t have anything to write about and their pictures are just enough. I know many world known Instagrammers who have blogs, but their DA is not impressive, and they have super short posts, mostly is just images uploaded straight from their photographer folders. They earn money based on their Instagram photos and number of social following. If you know how to pose, own a good camera- you are photographer yourself or have someone to photograph you, then perhaps Instagram is your way. However, you can be an Instagrammer and don’t post pictures of yourself at all- you can shot anything from flatlays of clothes objects or nature- anything. Growing Instagram can be tricky, especially with new algorithms but if this is the only channel you wish to start then instead of trying to think what to write about on the blog, put that energy into researching your hashtags, developing your niche and growing your audience. There are also companies that help so check best Instagram growth service around. There are many ways from joining Instagram pods ( finding people in your niche and supporting each other with comments and likes to beat the algorithm) and most of all, engage with others. With Instagram, another very important part is having your own theme that describes you, whether is a minimal interior or colourful items you find- anything but sticking to what you like. I am writing an Instagram guide this week, so if you want to know how to grow, how to create a great theme and learn more, sign up to my newsletter and soon you will be first to know.

Instagrammer skills;

good photography or modelling skills ( you don’t need to look like million dollars just have great style and show via good quality pictures)- if you want to take snaps of yourself obviously
Learn about composition, flatlay and backgrounds for taking Instagram shots
Learn about Instagram algorithm ( tricky though)
Learn about hashtags
Good camera and lighting

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It’s tricky to find which social media platform is for you. I guess best shot is starting each and see where you feel the most comfortable with. I am trying all 3 and not sure where I end up with. Best of luck.