Want To Become An Influencer? Follow These 13 Tips

Influencer marketing has become one of the biggest priorities for many brands -- because it works. For the actual influencers, there's no shortage of companies willing to invest time and money in them simply being themselves and engaging with their audience. But how does one actually create the kind of audiences brands want to connect with?

If you want to become a go-to influencer in your industry, there are a few things you can do to demonstrate value, not only to your followers but to potential brand partners. Here's what 13 members of Forbes Agency Council recommend doing to build and grow your audience.

Members of Forbes Agency Council share their influencer marketing tips.

1. Focus On Resonating With Your Audience

Begin with your audience and create generously for them. By generously, I don't necessarily mean a lot of content. I mean creating content and stories and experiences that benefit them -- that give them positive experiences. Start a conversation or build a story they can contribute to. In the connection economy we live in, resonating will last so much longer than simply reaching the masses. - Thomas Harding, Mish Guru

2. Freely Share Your Knowledge

Be passionate about your cause, industry or offering, but more importantly, share your knowledge for free. You are the subject matter expert and people will follow you and engage with your brand if you give them value upfront. Don't ask them to pay; give it away for free as you are building your personal brand. When the time is right, they will support you with their wallets. - Brooke Weller, iProspect, San Diego

3. Build Your Strategy And Process First

You will need a strong foundation of prior work in order to secure partnerships. Be sure to strategically manage your social media activity and work with brands that seek your endorsements. Establish a solid work process early on, so you don't deplete your creative energy with administrative tasks. Use tools and best practices to organize your process, so you can genuinely enjoy being followed. - Alannah Tsimis Sandehl, IDM Brand

The key difference between the influencers who "make it" and those who don't is rarely the volume of content they produce or how much they work. It always comes down to having a unique voice. There are so many influencers currently piggybacking on what everybody else is doing and trying to "keep up with the Joneses" that they'll never build a loyal following. Focus on finding your unique voice. - Richard Lorenzen, Fifth Avenue Brands - Public Relations

5. Be Consistent In Your Posting

To create trust and connection with their audiences, it’s a must for influencers to post regularly. They don’t have to share volumes of pictures and videos, they just need to be posting a consistent stream of content on their platform of influence. Creating and managing a content calendar and building a library of evergreen media can help this process. - Chad Recchia, Awlogy

6. Be Authentic And Build Trust

When you are trying to build an engaged audience, it is critical to stay authentic and be transparent with your followers. People want to connect with and learn from individuals who are true to their personal brand. Always provide transparency about the information you are sharing, and stay authentic to the brand you have built to continue to build trust between you and your audience. - Elyse Flynn Meyer, Prism Global Marketing Solutions

7. Focus On Metrics That Matter

Influencers can be obsessed with building the largest audience possible. But they should be more concerned about two other numbers: engagement and return on investment (ROI). Are you staying above average in the number of followers engaging with posts, indicating more passion and relevancy? And are you understanding and delivering the specific results brands are looking for? - Craig Greiwe, Rogers & Cowan

8. Be Vulnerable, But Smart

Opening up about your struggles and fears is tough, but doing so helps your audience connect with you. It humanizes you. Of course, temper that with a good awareness of your brand. Posting that you struggle with delivering work on time might be “honest,” but it isn’t going to win you any clients. The difficulties you share should be relatable without painting you in a negative light. - Houston Golden, BAMF Media

9. Don't Take Shortcuts

Buying followers, using bots or joining engagement pods may seem like an easy, quick way to the top. However, new social algorithms can detect any foul play using the power of AI, so relying on these methods can limit your ability to grow. In addition, brands can now pull your audience quality score to gauge the value of your accounts. Just be transparent, and build an audience you can truly influence. - Revecka Jallad, DIVISA

10. Don't Put Your Reputation At Risk 

To become an influencer, you've built both authority and trust over the years with your audience. I'm watching a lot of influencers simply trade that investment they've made for a few bucks to push a product that either has nothing to do with their expertise or that may have a questionable product or service. Don't lose the investment you've made over the years in yourself! - Douglas Karr, DK New Media

11. Create A Curated Stream Of Content 

Make your streams less about you and more about cheering on/amplifying all the new research, advancements and leadership you see in the entire sector. Connect the dots to broader trends and make your stream the curation of all anyone needs to know, with a positive angle. - Cagan Sean Yuksel, GRAFX CO.

12. Choose The Right Platform 

Make sure when you are choosing a platform, you choose the one(s) your target audience is engaged with. When choosing, see what platform gets you the most likes, shares and responses. If you are not getting much response, don't be afraid to try multiple platforms or other methods of engaging your audience before you settle on one. - Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS

13. Play The Long Game

Up-and-coming personalities should give up part of their fee (or forget the fee altogether) to get in with a brand. Too often, we are approached by influencers who present a rate card upon the first interaction. Consider throwing a brand a discount or freebie and watch them keep you top-of-mind for their next activation. Giving up a little to get your foot in the door is invaluable in the long-run! - Priscila Martinez, The Brand Agency and Element Brand Group

Written by a member of the Forbes Agency Council