Why Social Media Influencers Should Have A Blog
Social media is a way of life now. Sharing your outfits, where you like to eat, your fav makeup tips and so much more is the norm! Becoming a social media influencer is just as common as becoming a teacher at this point.
However, when it comes to making money online, many influencers are missing out on a piece of the pie… blogs!
Some may say that blogging is no longer relevant. Many say video will take over the internet’s content. I personally don’t fully agree.
If you are a social media Influencer that is actually trying to make this thing a business you need something more than just social media platforms… you need an influencer blog.
Are blogs dead?
No! Blogs are not dead.
I think there is this weird misunderstanding about blogs. I posted this opinion on TikTok before and had someone respond saying I’m an idiot basically.
I had said something along the lines of, “Blogging is not dead. Type anything into Google and the first thing to pop up on Google is a blog post.”
Now, this person had a bit of a laugh at it. I think it’s simply because she doesn’t know what a blog post is.
Blogging is no longer just “mommy bloggers” and diary entries online.
Blogging is simply written content that is posted on a website. So with that news… Forbes writes blog posts, Cosmo writes blog posts, The Everygirl writes blog posts… Do you see what I’m saying?
When you ask Google what the best sunscreen is for sensitive skin and a beauty website pops up with the answer–that’s a blog post!
Okay, so now that we get it we can move on. Blogging is not dead. It’s very much alive and will be as long as humans continue searching for things on the internet.
Related read: My Top 10 Tips For New Bloggers
What is a social media Influencer?
A social media influencer is really anyone with a social media account that posts things that may influence their followers.
Your following doesn’t need to be huge! Ultimately it’s about the connections you make with the people that follow you that determine if you will be “influential” to them.
I have less than 2,000 followers on Instagram but when I post something about my Clever Fox planner I often get questions about it and have had a few people purchase it because of my post! That is influence, even if it’s on a small scale.
What people typically think of when they hear “social media influencer” is bigger-name people like Allison Kuch, Addison Rae, and so on. They have lots of followers and influence TONS of people! If they are wearing a pair of jeans chances are everyone wants to know where they are from so they can buy the same jeans.
Either way, social media influencers use their platforms to influence whether it’s promotional for a sponsorship or just sharing their fav mascara.
It’s also important to note that influence is not just for items someone could buy. It can also be educational or a certain mindset/lifestyle/way of being.
There are so many successful content creators that share mindset tips or self-care content. They are not necessarily trying to influence people to buy a product but instead are influencing them to think or be a certain way.
And it’s not to say that people on social media are actively TRYING to influence others. It is just a natural byproduct of creating connections and building relationships (and for larger creators, building a fan base).
Related read: 15 Must Follow Personal Growth Content Creators
The rise of the Instagram blogger
Before everyone was a social media influencer, people were bloggers.
Mom blogs were (and still are) so popular. Blogging was a way of sharing information, pictures, and also personal opinions. It wasn’t unusual to come across personal diary blogs where people just shared their life (still popular today). However, with the rise of social media more and more people went to Instagram.
Now many people call themselves bloggers when all they have is an Instagram account. They may share a lot of the same content (family, recipes, cute outfits, tutorials, etc) but it’s not a blog.
Everyone and their mom is an Instagram blogger these days. Which is great! I love that everyone can share information so easily and grow wonderful businesses doing it.
But, being an Instagram blogger (aka a social media influencer) has its drawbacks.
10 reasons influencers need a blog
You can call it whatever you want: an influencer blog, a website, a blog… it all means the same thing. Blogging for an influencer is that extra step that can take your online presence and business to the next level (and make it more secure). Let’s talk about the pros to have a blog as an influencer.
01 – You don’t own your social media followers
This is something I think we all know. It’s talked about every time there’s some issue with Instagram or TikTok.
If you have a following on social media, all those followers belong to the app. If Instagram decided to shut down tomorrow, you lose everything.
Yes, you can pick up and jump onto the next app but it doesn’t mean all your followers will find you again.
Creating a business (yes, influencing is a business) on a platform that is so sporadic is simply not a good business move.
When you create a blog (I suggest using WordPress.org) you own that space. You own your domain name and your content. Your followers can always find you because you’ll always be there.
02 – More sponsorship opportunities
Having another place to post content means more opportunities for sponsorships.
Content on the internet lasts longer than it does on social media. You can post something today on Instagram and it’s pretty much gone within 24 hours or less.
Many brands like working with bloggers because it can live longer on the internet AND potentially reach more people who are looking for that product or service.
03 – It can be more professional
There is something about a website that gives off more professional vibes than an Instagram page.
If you ever wanted to expand your brand and open an online store or create some kind of service you can sell, having a website is the way to go.
You don’t need to start all of that at once but having a blog started allows for expansion in the future!
04 – Blog posts live longer
We just talked about this a bit but in general, blog posts live longer online.
When someone is searching for something on Google they type in a phrase or a word and then results pop up.
With the right research, you could find your blog posts coming up time and time again for years. Does a social media post do that? Nope!
05 – You can give your audience more value
With so much content out there now, value is what the people want.
Social media is not really the place to write super-long captions and share detailed information. When is the last time you searched how to cook a steak on social media? You are more likely to Google that.
If you are a fashion influencer you could share blog posts about styling certain shoes. You could give tips for different seasons or share trends.
If you are a travel influencer you could write blog posts about your trips. You could share travel tips, create weekly itineraries for places you’ve gone, and so on.
There is so much to share and YOU have a unique voice that people want to hear.
Related read: Why You Should Plan Your Content And How To Do It
06 – It’s a way to create an email list
An email list is another great way to build connections with your followers. Plus, it’s another thing you own!
There are some pretty good stats showing the success of email lists when it comes to making money. In general, 6 out of 10 email subscribers buy something from an email!
Does that mean if you have 10 email subscribers 6 of them will buy your product or service? No. However, the more email subscribers you have the more likely you are to make money.
I personally have my own email list and while I not selling anything right now, I do get lots of clicks to the things I link! That shows that my subscribers trust me and like what I am sharing which is fantastic news.
07 – You can sell things
Again, we talked about this already but having a blog gives you the space to sell products or services.
Having a blog also gives you the space to market your products or services! If you wanted to sell coaching services because you are a fabulous cook who can help others, you could write blog posts about mistakes new home cooks make and then plug your services! It’s free advertising you guys!
08 – Create passive income
Have you ever wanted to make money while you sip a girly drink on the beach? With passive income, you can!
When you have a blog you have the chance to run ads. The more views you get to your blog each month means the more money you make from the ads.
This is one of the bigger reasons I think influencers should have a blog, especially if they already have a decent following. Your followers will want to consume any content you create. They don’t care if it’s an Instagram post, TikTok, or blog post.
The more people you have heading to your website (which could be a lot if you have a good-sized following), you just added another stream of income that takes almost no effort.
09 – You can reach a wider audience
This pertains to smaller or larger social media influencers. Having a blog lets you be found on Google.
With the right research (SEO, keywords, etc.) you can reach soooo many more people. There are roughly 8.5 billion Google searches a day… the chances you will be found in a lot of those searches is pretty good and then BOOM you just created a new follower or fan!
10 – It sets you up for the future
No one knows what will happen to social media platforms in 10 years. Facebook used to be super popular but now younger people hardly use it.
Instagram was the number 1 platform for a long time but then TikTok came out and took over the world.
The simple fact is that you could build a large audience on social media and then everything could change. Websites are not going to change.
Websites are always going to be around because businesses are always going to sell things and people are always going to want to know things. Creating your own website/blog and making your space on the internet can set your business up for the long run.
And if you’re thinking your social media isn’t a business but you have 20k followers and make money posting photos–you’re wrong.
Why not start posting blog posts that align with your current social media platforms that can create you an additional stream of income and allow for growth in the future? It’s a no brainer!
Influencing and blogging go hand in hand
It’s no secret that blogging can be quite a bit more work than just social media. I know that’s a big factor as to why influencers may not be interested in starting a blog.
However, the pros of having a blog far outweigh the cons in my opinion. Yes, it may be extra work and there is a slight learning curve but it’s not impossible!
The other exciting this is there are people who can help! You can hire a website developer, you can hire a freelance blog writer (aka me), and you can also gather so much information from Google and YouTube!
If you have ever wondered whether your social media business can be more… IT CAN!
Influencers, Instagram bloggers, Tiktokers, and Youtubers can all benefit from having a blog! So, if you are ready to take the leap I believe in you. Also, if you ever need help or need some extra hands to write blog posts I’m your girl.
What do you think of blogging? Could it be beneficial for social media influencers?
