Being an influencer is more than glitz, glam, or popularity. For those who are serious about using social media as a stream of income, influencing is about increasing engagement, brand awareness and most importantly, sales conversion rates. If you’re an aspiring influencer, here are some terms you should know!

Thought leader

A thought leader is an a trusted expert of a subject matter. Their thoughts and opinions are “often taken to be authoritative and influential.”

Microinfluencer

You know that rule that says “Influencers must have more than million followers.” Well, that rule is a myth. Microinfluencers are quickly peaking the interests of marketers because their following is super niche. In many cases, microinfluencers with 2,500+ followers can yield better results than someone with 175k followers.

Brand Ambassador

A Brand ambassador is a person who is hired by an organization to represent them in a positive light. Ambassadors can also act as the first touchpoint for consumers on behalf of a brand. 

YouTube Star

A youtube star is an individual who has gained popularity through content that they produce specifically for Youtube. Youtube stars have the potential to get paid-per-view if viewers click on the ads in their videos. 

Brand

Google the word “brand” and you will find disparate definitions. The marketing world has not agreed on a unified description of a brand. Put plainly a brand is a real or imagined organization that represents something.

Sponcon

Sponcon is short for Sponsored Content. It’s the “product placement” of the social media era. You’ll often see IG posts where influencers use the “Paid partnership with…” in the geotag.