Social Media Influencers

Employers

Social media influencers work for any company that seeks to sell its products or services through viral marketing. Companies and brands that have hired influencers include Southwest Airlines, Adidas, Warner Brothers, McDonald’s, Barnes & Noble, Culver’s, New York Life Insurance Company, Krispy Kreme, eBay, and Microsoft.

Starting Out

Most influencers begin as hobbyists—posting about things they love and gradually building a large number of followers through a combination of talent, creativity, hard work, and a little luck. Once they obtain a minimum of 10,000 or so followers—but ideally more—they realize that their platform has monetary value and begin reaching out to companies. A company may also contact the influencer if it believes that he or she can help sell its products or services.

Some influencers first work in the marketing departments of companies or for firms that provide social media consulting services to businesses, nonprofits, or other organizations. After several years of experience, they might use their knowledge to try to become an influencer.