Blogging Tips

How to Become an Instagram Influencer in 5 Steps

November 26, 2018
A black Influencer taking a picture with a camera

Have you ever wondered how you can start receiving free products or compensation in exchange for posting content? How do you become an Instagram Influencer and start working with your favorite brands on social media?

Instead of paying for other forms of advertisement, brands invest in Influencers to get their products in front of more people.

You don’t need a huge following to become an Influencer. If anything, micro-influencers are becoming popular for brand promotion since their audience is more engaged.

If this is something you’re interested in doing, you can follow these 5 steps to become an Instagram Influencer and build an engaged following.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.


How to Become an Instagram Influencer

Define Your Niche

A niche is the main topic that your platforms focus on. Narrowing down your niche will help you determine who your target audience is and what type of content to create.

There are a variety of niches such as:

  • Beauty
  • Wellness
  • Travel
  • Motherhood
  • Mental Health
  • Blogging Tips

Think about what you’re interested in talking about consistently and whether or not people are looking for solutions to their problems within the niche you choose.

As you continue on your journey, you may expand your niche and discuss multiple topics. There’s nothing wrong with that! Slowly add new topics and watch how your audience responds to them.

Create Quality Content

The quality of your content can attract brands that want to work with you and inspire comments from your audience.

You don’t have to invest in a professional camera! Although it’s an upgrade, you can start with what you already have and still put out amazing work.

I had an iPhone 6S Plus when I started and my quality wasn’t the best, however, I was able to improve my skills over time to improve my content.

After one year, I bought my first camera and continued to invest in equipment that would make creating content easier.

A ring light is a great purchase to make if you want to improve your quality. The first one I bought was budget-friendly and got the job done.

It provided plenty of light, had different brightness settings and came with everything I needed to take pictures and record videos easier.

Eventually, I was able to upgrade my lighting and bought the Neewer Ring Light Kit which has been a game-changer!

Related Post: 16 Gift Ideas for Bloggers and Content Creators

Grow Your Following + Engagement

Although your follower count isn’t the most important, you need enough to get noticed by most brands.

Using hashtags, following similar accounts within your niche, and engaging with others will attract your target audience to your page.

Having an audience that regularly engages and resonates with your content will increase your chances of being noticed by brands. Engagement can be in the form of likes, comments, shares, and saves.

Here are some tips to improve your engagement:

  • Write captions that educate + entertain
  • Always respond to your comments
  • Focus on building genuine connections
  • Respond to your DM’s

You want to get to know your audience and build lasting connections. This will lead people to continuously show up for you and trust your recommendations.

Having the trust of your audience will come in handy when brands want you to promote their products.

Related Post: 7 Ways to Create an Engaged Audience on Instagram

Post Your Favorite Products

In the beginning, you can’t expect to get paid immediately. You have to get your foot in the door and give brands a reason to partner with you. It’s great to focus on establishing brand affinity.

Brand affinity means that you’re a regular supporter of a company. You’re a fan of their products and purchase them using your own money.

If you want to get on their radar, start posting about your favorite products and tag the brand(s) in your content.

Brands love to see when an Influencer talks about their products organically. My first paid campaign was with a brand I already supported and loved!

Although you’ll be creating this content for free, you have to start somewhere. When you’re ready to work with brands, you’ll be able to refer back to this organic content and show them how well it performed.

Pitch Yourself to Brands

After you have worked on building your following and engagement, you’re in the position to start pitching to brands.

You can’t always wait for brands to reach out to you for a partnership. It’s important to stand out from the crowd by putting yourself and your content in front of them.

Before you pitch to a brand, you want to have an idea of what you can offer. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • What value can you offer that would make the partnership successful?
  • Do you have the target audience they’re looking for?
  • Are you viewed as an expert in your niche?
  • Does your audience trust your recommendations?

I recommend pitching to small and medium-sized brands as a beginner. This will help you to grow and gain more experience before working with bigger brands in the future.

Related Post: How to Confidently Pitch Yourself to Brands


I used to believe that you had to be popular on social media to become an Instagram Influencer, however, that’s not true.

Everyone has something unique to offer through their content, and sharing your voice with the world will help you stand out.

If you’re passionate about creating, follow these steps to start your journey and build your brand!

You can’t expect massive growth overnight. Continue to stay consistent with putting out good-quality, valuable content, and forming genuine connections.

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27 Comments

  • Reply Tonya November 26, 2018 at 1:42 pm

    This was a great read full of good advice and tips! Thanks for sharing.

    • Reply naturally_madisen November 26, 2018 at 1:55 pm

      Thank you sis! ♥️

  • Reply Shauna November 26, 2018 at 7:09 pm

    I really enjoyed this Madisen a very good read

    • Reply Madisen November 26, 2018 at 7:40 pm

      Thank you for reading love!

  • Reply Dee Johnson November 26, 2018 at 9:42 pm

    Nice blog. I have seen a lot of growth since following you!! Keep pushing and keep the great content coming ?.

    • Reply naturally_madisen November 26, 2018 at 10:39 pm

      Thank you! That means a lot! ♥️♥️

  • Reply Tanya November 27, 2018 at 1:59 am

    This was a great read! I am definitely interested in becoming a natural hair influence. I have been wanting to do something in this area for a long time. Some brands that I would like to work with are Not Your Mother’s Naturals, Shea Moisture, As I Am, Garnier Fructis, Kinky Kurly, Deva Curl, Rizos Curls, Maui Moisture, and a few others. I think I have a good base to start. I am overwhelmed with how the curly community has grown and I want to be part of that! Thank you for all of this info. I hope that we will be in touch soon!

    Sincerely your curly friend,
    Tanya Tucker
    @tanyatucker5

    • Reply Madisen November 27, 2018 at 2:53 pm

      Thank you for reading!! Sounds like you already have some goals in mind! You will be able to do it, just like I did ? You’re welcome!

  • Reply Stevie December 1, 2018 at 9:59 am

    This was a great read and you gave great tips!!

    • Reply Madisen December 1, 2018 at 10:05 pm

      Thank you for reading! ♥️

  • Reply Stella December 4, 2018 at 4:36 pm

    Really nice blog Madisen really great points and advice..

  • Reply Brittany M December 11, 2018 at 7:21 pm

    Hi Madisen! I really enjoyed reading this, and I’m looking forward to the series, especially more details about how to grow your following and pitch yourself to brands. You are such an INSPIRATION ? keep up the awesome work!

    • Reply Madisen December 12, 2018 at 11:55 am

      Hey love! Awe thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate that. You’re so sweet!

  • Reply McMurrayStyles December 28, 2018 at 10:39 pm

    I really enjoyed reading this article it was very informative!
    – McMurrayStyles

    • Reply Madisen December 30, 2018 at 8:32 pm

      Thank you love for reading!

  • Reply Lebo L June 11, 2020 at 11:37 pm

    I enjoyed reading this Madisen and it is very informative. Thank you for sharing

    • Reply Madisen June 12, 2020 at 4:59 am

      Thank you for reading and I’m glad it’s helpful! You’re welcome ❤️

  • Reply TeRasha Holmes June 23, 2020 at 10:57 pm

    This information was really helpful. It’s just the getting started part !
    Thank you.

    • Reply Madisen June 24, 2020 at 10:57 pm

      I’m glad it was helpful! You’re welcome.

  • Reply Pao & Jo December 5, 2020 at 1:42 am

    Thank you… I feel more confident to promote my business

    • Reply Madisen December 5, 2020 at 2:09 am

      I’m glad to hear that! Thank you for reading ❤️

  • Reply Ticara January 27, 2021 at 5:24 pm

    I’m an aspiring influencer. Your tips are so helpful and informative. 🙌🏽

    • Reply Madisen January 30, 2021 at 3:50 am

      I’m glad to hear that my tips are helpful! Thank you for reading ❤️

  • Reply Latiesha July 23, 2022 at 4:24 am

    Awesome Read. Thanks for the tips and suggestions. Please recommend some agencies that will promote a new brand on YouTube or Instagram

    • Reply Madisen November 5, 2022 at 1:12 pm

      Thank you for reading! Also, I’m not sure of any agencies that promote new brands. I’ll have to look into that!

  • Reply Allison Stevens November 28, 2022 at 4:24 pm

    hello im new to socail media and im i was wondering if u could give me some advice.
    im not really lost in how to become an influcer and i want to become one. could u email me please
    sorry i just need a little help if u have time.

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