“The link is in my bio!”
After hearing this, I go and buy the newest trending product that the TikTok influencers have been raving about. I know you have all been there too. It’s routine. You scroll through TikTok and see the middle-aged woman, who recently quit her nine-to-five job to become a “full-time social media influencer,” pushing the current trending item. You may then ask yourself, “How can I make it big on TikTok?” “Can I also quit my job”? The real question you should ask yourself is if being an influencer is long-lasting.
Background of social media influencers
Social media Influencers are those who have built a reputation for themselves online and use their platform to make posts about a specific trendy topic. This usually includes promoting a certain brand. They can make up to $600 or more on a post, and some can make up to a million dollars a year. Influencers can also make more money by having an LTK or an Amazon storefront, and they can earn a percentage of sales. Platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok have programs where creators can earn money for their posts.
As the desire to be an influencer increases, easily influenced teenagers come into that conversation. While scrolling through your feed, I am sure you have come across dozens of teenagers filming their “get ready with me” TikToks. Usually, these videos are sponsored by a certain brand, and these teenagers can make up to thousands of dollars a post.
To work as content creators full time, some drop out of school. Famous Creators who post on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube can earn millions of dollars, like Addison Rae, who left Louisiana State University at the age of 19. Although this is a common theme nowadays, this is not always the case. Some combine the two by being an influencer and attending school. Popular teenage creators like Amelie Zilber and Katie Fang have continued going to college and still post regularly.
I conducted a poll on the PhsCharge Instagram account which has a main demographic of high school students ranging from fourteen to eighteen years old. I asked if they had ever thought of being an influencer, 40% of poll takers said yes, while 60% of people said no.
Longevity of being an Influencer
Being an influencer can be considered a dream profession to some members of Gen Z, but the career span can be short. Experts say the average career for an influencer is around eight years. Even though there’s a chance one can make years of rent on a singular Instagram post, it doesn’t mean everyone can do the same. Being a social media influencer has become a competitive job. Since it’s up to the follower’s discretion to determine one’s success, they can easily cancel you. One mistake in your social media career can leave you without a platform. There could be a chance that your audience will get sick of your content and stop interacting with your page. Technology and the Internet are always growing, and ten years from now, sites like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram may not exist
I conducted another poll on the PhsCharge Instagram account and asked our followers if they thought being an influencer is long-lasting. 17% of poll takers said yes while 83% of people voted no.
Until we see how successful the influencers of today are in those ten to twenty years, the debate over whether being an influencer is a long-term career option will continue on. If you aren’t careful and don’t have a backup plan, wanting to be an influencer can be risky, but it is up to one’s judgment to take that risk. One can use the same skills an influencer may have, towards careers such as social media marketing and advertising. I will still be heavily influenced to buy the trending item of the week, but I don’t think I want to be the one doing the influencing.
