How Much Does It REALLY Cost to Be An Influencer?

The amazing thing about the time we are in that you don't need much to start out. When I first began, I had my blog and a Twitter channel.  Focus on your main platform and a secondary platform to avoid overloading yourself.

I would recommend every influencer to create a blog or website because it is a channel that you own. As much as we love Facebook and Instagram, if they disappeared tomorrow so would all of your content. 

What you need to get started as an influencer

When you start as an influencer, you need to decide who you want to learn from and how much information you want to take in.

The influencer industry is just that - an industry. Avoid making mistakes and get to a successful place a lot faster with a mentor who can provide trainings and information on best practices. 

The 3 tools I can’t live WITHOUT that you need to be using daily

Google Drive

I use Google Sheets for everything. Planning your editorial calendar is so easy to do and accessible wherever you have the internet.

Planoly

Planoly is a great tool to plan out your Instagram grid. I began with the free version and upgraded to the paid version when I had the need.

Editing Tools

I love Snapseed and Color Story to edit my photos. Pick trustworthy editing apps that you can rely on to create quality content. 

How much I’ve invested into my influencer business so far

When I was first starting out, I downloaded the free versions of all apps and upgraded when I started making money through brand deals. You can get away with spending very little in the beginning. 

Blog setup is something important you may want to invest in. Purchasing your domain name, buying a theme, or a hosting service are great long-term investments to build your brand. 

Some influencers may want to invest in a nice camera if they vlog or do lots of video content, but honestly you can take high-quality photos with an iPhone.

Clothing and event tickets are an investment. If there's a brand I want to work with and wasn't able to get free product, I would purchase the clothes and tag the brands in my photos. I would also purchase tickets to events to cover on my blog. 

Now that you know there are no huge start-up fees, what's holding you back from getting started?