Being a social media influencer is heady business. And the business part is not just metaphorical. There can be big money involved. So big that agents now match the social media influencers with brands they can associate themselves with.
This started with bloggers. But it quickly moved on to those with a following on other platforms, ranging from Twitter to Instagram. But bloggers, including Mommy Bloggers, still play major roles as influencers.
For my legal blog Law and More, frequently I am contacted to push some service. The fee offered ranges from $250 to $2,500. Yes, I acknowledge my association with the company doing the paying.
For this blog, the less sophisticated crowd approaches me about featuring their services. Those range from coaching to real estate. Usually, I just don't respond. They are inept about how a promotion can be framed to be both effective and fit in with the blog personality.
But, being an influencer can be hard work. You really have to sing for your supper. That's what Josi Denise found out. Her background was marketing so she understood the game. After she quit her marketing job to be a full-time mommy, she had the time to build her blog "American Mama." And her business as an influencer.
She did make money. But staging the kids for the photos aligned with promotional story lines became tedious. As every marketer knows, constantly positioning and packaging whatever can be a deadening experience. Maybe that's why Don Draper on "Mad Men" sought stimulation through booze and women.
Also, the promotions are all Happy Valley stuff. You can't talk about the dark side of life. Denise's marriage was not going well.
In the New York Post, Denise explains why she pulled the plug on being an influencer. However, in her place are millions of others who intend to keep making a living doing that.
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