How to become an influencer? They'll teach you

When most teens his age are cramming for board exams or worrying about college admissions, 15-year-old Manvik Kakar is aspiring to be a digital content creator. “I recently enrolled in a short communication course to learn the art of public speaking and blogging,” says Kakar.The lure of digital stardom, personal brand building and income potential is making content creation a sought-after profession among young people. In 2022, there were about 80mn content creators in India. This number is set to cross 100mn in 2023, according to Zefmo, an influencer marketing firm.Manish Pandey, content coach and brand consultant, says one reason for this rush is because the entry barrier is very low.“All you need is an internet device, audio and video capturing capabilities. But it’s not as easy as it looks,” points out Pandey, adding that the success rate is similar to any other competitive profession.To help them crack the algorithm, many are turning to content coaches or influencer schools. “Algorithms keep changing and one must constantly keep updated on what kind of videos Instagram or YouTube pushes,” says a content creator. medium102282982Spearkraft, a brand consultancy with a multi-city presence, has launched the Spearkraft Academy, which pitches itself as the first school for influencers.“We offer a variety of courses right from how to create and edit content, personal grooming, wardrobe management and even body language. We collaborate with influencers having more than 1mn followers to conduct master classes too,” says Soumyabrata Sengupta, executive director of Spearkraft.Micro and nano influencers are the biggest clients for content coaches as they are still on their growth path and usually require assistance to boost their profiles at this stage. Micro influencers are those who have up to one lakh followers and nano influencers are those with up to 10,000 followers.Hyderabad-based Ishika Pansari, a content coach, says all kinds of people approach her for consultation, from small business owners to nail artists and skincare creators. “I have coached over 600 people in six months,” she claims. As part of her sessions, she does profile audits and suggests content ideas.Patience paysRight from barter deals to brand collaborations and ad-generated revenues, there are several opportunities to earn in the content creation space. However, coaches say that money should be the last thing that creators should think about when they start out on their journey.“The most important ingredient in making money is patience and consistency,” says Pandey. And, of course, content that is structured well and strategically posted.Damini Chaudhary, a 22-year-old aspiring food, fashion and lifestyle influencer, relies on barter deals and brand collaborations as she builds a larger presence in the creator ecosystem.“I have about 7,000 followers and I just completed a course on personal styling and image management to help me enhance my personality,” she says.After completing her course, Damini says she has become a more confident speaker and has made some changes to her overall presentation and approach. medium102282996Content coaches feel that having the spark or ability to connect with audiences can’t be taught. However, technical aspects like how to collaborate with a brand, how to negotiate with a brand, how to elevate your content and how to use better camera angles are something that can be worked upon. If the commercial aspects are taken care of, the monetisation potential can be huge.Online video platform YouTube’s ecosystem has contributed more than ₹10,000 crore to India’s gross domestic product (GDP) and supported more than 7.5 lakh full-time equivalent jobs in the country, according to a YouTube impact report based on analysis by Oxford Economics.“On YouTube, for every 1mn views, creators roughly make $200. Earlier, to start earning on YouTube, creators needed 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time. YouTube recently reduced it [to a requirement of] 500 subscribers,” says Sachin Bhatia, co-founder and chief executive officer of Good Creator Co, an influencer marketing platform.“For Instagram, creators need a minimum of 10,000 followers to monetise. One million views can fetch between $100 and $300,” he adds.No surprise then that there is a market for such classes. Many also turn to online learning platforms like Skillshare and Udemy for content creation courses. Many of these contain handy tips like what is the best time of the day to post, what kind of equipment is required and what lighting works best.One thing is clear though — going viral isn’t easy.