On Being an Influencer
Influencers can be also called Digital Creators, Content Creators, or just Creators. They are people with a big social media following. In addition, Influencers have managed to earn the trust of their followers and can influence the way they behave.
According to TechJury, the influencer marketing industry is expected to be worth $10 billion. This clearly shows that the success of influencer marketing is growing, and marketers will continue to use influencer marketing over conventional marketing. To become successful influencers, many individuals have quit their traditional 9-to-5 jobs. And it may have influenced their glamorous, seemingly cautious lifestyles may have inspired you to become an influencer.
However, under all the beautiful images and free stuff, the life of an influencer is not always as easy as it seems. They still have to confront faceless haters on the internet on a regular basis, alongside all the glory and popularity. Before you decide to become one, I asked Niel Esteban a.k.a. Porknielaga, TikTok Star with 100k followers, and Anjhon Sorza, YouTube Content Creator with almost 86k subscribers, all the questions you need to know about the pros and cons of being an Influencer.
How did you become an influencer?
Niel Esteban a.k.a. Porknielaga said that he started last March 2020 when the pandemic (COVID-19)had just begun. He posted videos as an experiment to know how TikTok works. Surprisingly, many people were amused at Porknielaga's videos and started to gain followers.
Anjhon Sorza said it all started when a local Facebook page featured him.
“My social accounts received many followers and people became interested in me. Which then followed by a request that I should do vlogging. So, two years ago, I uploaded my first video on YouTube and the rest is history.” he explained.
What type of content do you produce?
Niel Esteban a.k.a. Porknielaga said that he started last March 2020 when the pandemic (COVID-19)had just begun. He posted videos as an experiment to know how TikTok works. Surprisingly, many people were amused at Porknielaga's videos and started to gain followers.
What is your target audience?
According to Porknielaga's feedback, his target audience ranged from 14 to 16 years old.
“They are typically high school students. They are now called Gen-Z, right? Yeah, they are my audience.” Porknielaga added.
Contrarily, Anjhon does not have a target audience.
“I just let people of any age watch and enjoy the content I produce. But recently, I have noticed that people who are watching my channel frequently are college students like me.” he said.
What were your expectations going to this industry?
Porknielaga said that he expected to be more well-known. When his followers started to rise, he was so happy and told himself that he can do anything on the internet. He also added that the number of his followers made him feel unstoppable as an individual because he was able to grow his account without help.
Anjhon said he does not have any expectations. He wanted to share with everyone his creativity. However, in the long run, he started to seek financial support because he needed to upgrade his filming equipment. Because of that, he decided to pursue vlogging. Not just to expand his experience as a content creator but also to gain money to support himself.
What is your biggest flex or achievement that you made from being an influencer?
According to Porknielaga, his biggest achievement is when reputable universities such as De La Salle - College of Benilde and Chiang Kai Shek College tap him to discuss branding, content creating, and safe space.
For Anjhon,, he said that he was happy when he managed to monetize his YouTube channel and brands started to collaborate with him.
“But on the other side, I thought my Youtube revenue will be stable but it did not. There are times that I get paid and there are times that I do not. Thankfully, most of the brands I am collaborating with, still pays me. God is good.” he added.
Why do you think brands chose you to endorse their products or service?
Because of Porknielaga's retro-styled videos, many clothing brands contacted him to try and endorse their retro-styled accessories and clothes.
“I believe brands choose creators that inlined with their products.” Porknielaga added.
Anjhon said that brands believe in his talent in content creation and at the same time, his ability to influence people of any age.
Anjhon Sorza's latest brand sponsorship 'Newchic Asia'
How do you manage your time between personal life and being an influencer?
According to Porknielaga, he made sure that he only films videos on weekends and when he is not busy.
On the other hand, Anjhon said that he is having a hard time managing both academic requirements and his responsibilities on his social media accounts as an influencer. He also said that his top priority is school but he could not neglect his socials since most of the brands he works with are very strict when it comes to content and time.
“My best solution for this is time management. I always set time for everything and limit what needs to limit.” Anjhon added.
What are the challenges or problems you usually encounter as an influencer? And on those challenges, how did you overcome them?
Aside from creative block, Porknielaga stated that random and faceless haters and trolls are the number one problem that he usually encounters. He also stated that people's opinions are valid once creators put themselves on the internet and the only thing creators can do is to accept and grow.
“These people judge and say things to me like they know me very well. They honestly once made me discouraged as a person and as a creator.” Porknielaga quoted.
In comparison, Anjhon said that aside from his academic requirements, as a public figure, he is prone to public criticism and hatred. He also said that some of the criticisms he gets are constructive and some are just nonsense hate.
What can you say to those people who dream to be an influencer?
“You need to focus on your mental health first. There were times that I was so insecure because of what people say to me. You really need to take care of your mental health because if you are mentally weak, being an influencer is not for you.” - Niel Esteban a.k.a. Porknielaga
“You produce what you see and you become what you believe in. Do not just dream, work hard for it. Surround yourself with the people who you wanted to become and are constantly adding value to your life. The road to success will not be easy and that is okay. It is the journey that spice up our life, not the destination. But above all, do not forget to follow what your heart really wants. Do what makes you happy and always remember that the world's opinion does not matter that much. Be true to yourself and learn how to unlearn things. One day you will be surprised how far you have come with a happy heart living the dream you once dreamed about. And of course, do everything with Him.” - Anjhon Sorza
Being an influencer is just like every other work, it has pros and cons. Before you make the decision, consider this list of pros and cons if you want to become an influencer. Are there any other advantages and disadvantages of being an influencer that I missed above? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
