The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Behind-the-scenes Look at Successful Instagram Creators

Behind-the-scenes+Look+at+Successful+Instagram+Creators

Instagram influencers have many behind-the-scenes happenings going on. Besides spending money on advertising and many influencers will do exciting things to create content. Let’s look at some behind-the-scenes facts about many creators.

Many of their Posts Take a Lot of Planning

Instagram is good at making its audience feel like every photo is spur-of-the-moment. You may see a photo of your favorite creator casually walking down the street or holding a cup of coffee. After seeing that, you may think they thought nothing of these photos.

While some influencers create spur-of-the-moment content, many can take weeks of planning. Many influencers may have content calendars that give an idea of what they want to post in advance. The photos they create may include hiring a professional photographer to get the shot right. They may need to choose their wardrobe, which can take a while. Sometimes, an influencer may need to rent a specific prop, which can take some planning.

So, the next time you see a photo, don’t assume you can become an influencer by taking pictures of your daily life. You may need to plan further than that!

The Taking of the Photo May Not Be as Beautiful as It Looks.

Instagram does push some unfair beauty standards. It may also convince people that each photo taken looks perfect in only one shot. In truth, the behind-the-scenes of an Instagram photo can look awkward. For instance, some images may be taken from angles that look funny from a normal perspective. Other times, it can take a lot of practice. For example, if you see a photo of an influencer holding an animal, it can take a good while for that influencer to get that animal to look at the camera.

So, if you want to become an influencer, remember that photos can use tricky angles, many takes, and photo editing to look their best. After all, Instagram is a warping of reality. So, if you want that perfect photo, you should be creative with your posing.

They Spend a Lot of Time on Instagram

You may believe that an influencer only uses Instagram sparingly. After all, they’re way too busy enjoying life, right?

However, you would be wrong. To be an Instagram influencer, you must spend time on the platform. Think about it. You must study the trending hashtags and the competition and read comments and messages. Growing your presence can take hours of your day. The average influencer has about 9 hours of screen time. A chunk of that is spent on Instagram.

While most of us spend too much time on our phones, being on Instagram is like a job to the average influencer. If you want to become famous on Instagram, you may have to spend more time on Instagram than you think, and a platform that was once leisurely soon becomes another job. Some might also use cash to buy Insta likes if they see their posts falling off.

Not All of Them Are Rich

If you’re small on Instagram, you may imagine any account with 100k followers must be raking in the dough. The biggest influencers on Instagram, who may be celebrities in their own right, can make that much money. However, you may not make that much money without a smaller influencer account.

It all depends on your sponsorships and the revenue streams you choose. However, there are micro-influencer accounts that make a humble wage. Being popular on social media does not automatically mean a lot of money. However, if you can make enough money to get by on Instagram, that is considered a success.

Their Lives Aren’t Perfect

Social media makes people filter out the low points in their lives. You hear about someone’s vacations, marriage proposals, and similar actions, but you’ll never hear about their downs unless they want you to.

The truth is, influencers are just like you and me. Your life may have its good points, but it can have a lot of boring or downright awful parts, too. The same applies to the influencer’s life. The only difference is that they are not obligated to talk about it. Remember to never compare yourself to who you see on social media, as you never know their whole story.

They May Not Be Who They Say They Are

Influencers are a persona; sometimes, that persona is not necessarily who the person is. Some influencers keep it real, but you never know who an influencer is unless you know them personally. Their personal beliefs they tell you may not be theirs. Their vegan diets may not be genuine, with the influencer eating a steak when no one is looking.

This isn’t to say that you can’t learn valuable life lessons from Instagram influencers or see them as role models. However, always be mindful that not everyone is who they say they are on social media.

It’s Strategy Mixed With a Little Luck

How did the influencer become famous? Some people believe it’s algorithmic luck, but strategy is often involved. Influencers study trends and their potential audience and create content as a response. Not all content will stick, but the content that gains a following is a learning lesson. Soon, the influencer refines what they post until they gain more followers.

This isn’t to say there isn’t luck involved; sometimes, the algorithm can pick up on a post for no known reason. And who a person knows may be of an influence, too. However, many influencers get to where they are through hard work. If you feel like you can’t become famous because of your birth circumstances, remember that social media gives people a fairer shot than most places in life.

Final Thoughts

Instagram influencers are people, too, and they have jobs that can be challenging. You never know what is going on beyond the scenes, and not knowing what to expect can turn many people away from pursuing a career as an influencer. However, if the influencer life is still tempting to you, it can be pretty rewarding.

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