How to Make Money From Social Media?

Have you heard of the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, Bonang Dorothy Matheba (Queen B) and Suzelle DIY?

These are only some of the names that have used social media effectively to boost their fame and fortune.

You might think that it’s easy for someone who is already popular to use social media, but that is not the case. Many people made use of digital and social media to become famous. Justin Bieber shared a video of him singing on YouTube, garnered a massive following and it was this support and his talent that made him one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.

Sarah Langa is a big name in South African social media circles and someone who successfully made a name for herself when she was only 23 years old through social media and blogging around fashion and lifestyle topics.

Whether you want to become known in the fashion industry, become a social-media made “MasterChef” or show people how to live a full and happy life, social media can be one of the most effective ways to build a presence in the metaverse. There are thousands of big names across the globe making their income from social media. Young people who will review products, talk about their experiences or engage with content in new and exciting ways.

Are you ready to set yourself up for social media success? Here are some of the main considerations to help you towards becoming a digital sensation.

Steps To Becoming an Influencer:

• Start by choosing a suitable platform
• Decide how you will fit into the market (how to position yourself)
• Create relevant, captivating content and use hashtags
• Diversify in your partnerships and choose matching brands
• Continue to work, promote and market yourself

The Social Media Platforms to Choose From

TikTok, Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat? Where do you begin and which platform is the most suited to you?

Many influencers became famous through one channel, like Instagram or YouTube, but the secret to sustained social media is to eventually build a plan that integrates different types of media on different platforms.

Facebook

Millennials believe that Facebook is old-school, but in South Africa it is still very relevant and certainly not a social media platform that any budding influencer can ignore. In March 2022 almost half of the South African population was using Facebook as a social media platform. This is significant if you consider the country’s past where people didn’t even have access to education. Luckily cellular phones changed all of that.

Instagram

99% of influencers say that Instagram is their platform of choice. This is probably due to the variety it offers when considering the ways to share and post content. Your followers will be able to view videos or photos, in posts or your Stories and you can also do live video broadcasts. Instagram also has filters and settings that allow you to enhance your photos, a really great addition if you want to post world-class images.

TikTok

TikTok might have fewer users than Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, but it is certainly one of the most popular social media platforms amongst the youth. It is a good example of how you have to create content on the platform where your audience or group of peers is most active. Users who enjoy the TikTok platform are 13 years and older, and the bulk of users are under 27 years old.

On the top of the social media platform list for South African users are names like WhatsApp, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Snapchat.

Where do you think you'll find the best audience for you?

It is important to note at this stage that certain platforms lend themselves better to certain types of content.

YouTube is great for DIY or cooking videos, Instagram is great for photos and short clips, like those used in travel blogging and fashion.

The more content you create, the more you’ll be inspired to find new and creative ways to tell a story differently on your platform of choice.

Your Public Persona or Brand

What makes you different and unique?

This is usually something that friends and family appreciate about you: a skill, talent or trait that people admire. If you are smart about it you could use it to your advantage to make money online.

Julia Anastasopoulos is a South African actress that created a do-it-yourself web series in 2014 called Suzelle DIY. She used her acting skills to create a memorable and funny Afrikaans character who gives people smart and handy tips to solve problems in and around the house. Her videos are still being watched today as they have great entertainment and practical value.

It will also be useful to analyse and follow people who are successful at making money with social media. You will learn from them on what works, see how their followers respond and even get some ideas. Then give it a different twist and make it your own, bringing your personality and take on it. Try and combine different worlds, like for example adding comedy to cooking videos, or using an analytical approach to acting.

Big dreamers will have to consider how their brand will translate to other media as well. Read up on how media is financed to understand how the media industry works, if you're interested in getting into television, print and radio. You can also consider how social media allows us freedom of speech and join the debate on whether the media should be owned by the government or not in our article about the privatisation of media.

Creating Captivating Content

Just think for a moment about the videos or content you enjoy on social media platforms.

Do you read inspiring articles and blogs on websites, do you enjoy funny videos, or engage with content related to DIY and doing arts and crafts on platforms like Pinterest or YouTube?

For some creators and creative business people it is easy to do product postings, reviews or brand-related content. For less experienced influencers and brand ambassadors it will take a bit of time to figure out their uniqueness and the type of content that suits them.

It is important to engage with something you really have an interest in.

Creating something for other people might lead to disappointing results and the audience will see it if you aren't having fun. Trying to be something or someone else can also be tiring and is generally not sustainable, so be yourself in the process.

Imagine you are telling your story, in a way that only you can.

Remain sensitive and kind towards others and always remember that you are speaking to the whole world. You can also ask yourself ‘what does the world or what do my peers struggle with, or need to know?’ These type of questions might help you create content that is relevant to the type of audience you want to attract.

The use of hashtags is also an important part in expanding your footprint and followers. Hashtags will allow people from across the globe, sometimes across platforms, to discover and see content that is similar in nature. If you #businesswoman they’ll be able to see your post with thousands of other people who used the same hashtag. Many businesses will limit the amount of hashtags to 3 to ensure they don’t come across as spam, but it’s your profile, persona and social media, so play around and see what works for you.

Choosing the right products and businesses to partner with will not only influence them, but it could impact your personal brand.

Consider whether they are a good fit for your persona and the future you plan online. It is also important to disclose who your sponsors are or if you’ve used materials from another source as this will help to build trust with your audience.

Measurement and Metrics

How do you know that what you are doing is worthwhile?

Well, first of all it needs to be something you enjoy. If you want to build your social media to earn a living from it, you’ll have to become more practical, analytical, sytematic and entrepreneurial around it. Part of a good business is tracking and measuring its performance.

There are numerous apps and websites that help social media influencers and brands track the effectiveness if their online activities. This comes at a price and initially you’ll have to test your activity though the amount of hits (for articles), likes and reactions, or engagement (comments or sharing). If you have a bit more capital and are ready to become a serious social media influencer or business contender you can research tracking or social media brand monitoring companies online.

Expansion and Integration

Any person in the field of communications and entertainment will tell you that it’s a marathon and not a sprint. You might get a massive spike of followers with a great video, but you need to keep them engaged with similar content on a regular basis. You'll have to invest time and energy in this to make a business out of it.

Having a draft content plan of the type of posts you want to do will help you plan your social media. You can maybe create content ahead of time and post in spaced out slots, checking when it the most optimum time for your target audience.

One of the biggest secrets in the field of digital marketing is the fact that most influencers or brands build their businesses on one or two core mediums. Many travel bloggers become travel vloggers after establishing their blogs. This is a useful strategy if you are someone who wants to reach a broader audience.

It is important to note that more people are not always better, as you can lose your newly found followers just as quickly as you gained them. Rather find your niche, and build your audience around that, knowing that they will stay with you because they share your interests.

Sponsored posts, paid advertising and boosting posts are all ways in which you can increase the amounts of people who see your advertising. This is useful once you’ve established your niche and have a bit of money to boost a post. Most platforms with this capability will also provide the statistics and measurements around its performance.

Understanding how social media platforms make money will help you understand their motives and rankings better. This way you can improve your account and gain the most followers.

Other Ways to Make Money from Social Media

Influencer marketing is the biggest, and the most obvious way for influencer to make money on social media.  It is certainly not the only way of making money online; the need for brand content creators, social media specialists, affiliate marketers and digital marketing experts is continuing to grow. If you think branding is your thing, or that you can take a company’s product marketing to a new level with the help of social media you might want to research jobs like these.

Read this article if entrepreneurship and making money in the media interests you.

Start your social media journey today and remember to always have fun. If you work hard and follow these tips you'll be well on your way towards becoming one of the well-known names on social media.

Happy posting!