Becoming a social media star is not easy, especially now that everyone is fighting for people’s attention online. With over 1 billion active users, Instagram has become one of the go-to platforms for influencers and creators to share their craft and monetize their content.

When browsing for tips, one of the most common pieces of advice you will get about becoming an influencer is “find your niche.”

A niche is a particular segment, demographic, or interest group you want to create your content for.

But finding your niche is not as easy as most of us think. Influencers and content creators often go through a lot of experimentation before finding that one content that clicks and solidifies their internet presence.

So, how do you find your niche?

Olga Andrienko, VP of Brand Marketing at SEMrush, suggests writing down 25-30 topics within your area of expertise and the niche you want to be in.

Then, start producing content, recording videos, taking pictures, and writing the posts (via Medium).

But what if you cannot decide which among your interests/areas of expertise to focus on?

Pamela Chen of Luna Prosperity assures us that it is okay. You only have to find a way to tie them all together.

Being an influencer requires forging connections both with your audience and fellow creators. According to a survey, (56%) of Instagram users said that “the platform makes them feel more connected to the people they know,” while 52% revealed that being on the platform provides them with a sense of community.

Vegan Ballerina Agnes Muljadi knows the importance of connections too well. Hence, she made sure to dedicate ample time to connect with people with similar interests when she was new on the platform. She told Medium:

“When I started my Instagram account, I used to be on the platform a minimum of 3–6 hours a day. I connected with pretty much everyone I could find who shared my interests. To this day those people who I discovered early on are still my strongest and most consistent supporters.”

Aside from connecting with your audience, reaching out to other influencers on your niche via collaboration can also help you reach more people who might also be interested in what you do and share.

There is a reason why Instagram content creators rave about Reels in recent months. Instagram is now moving away from being just a photo-sharing platform and has incorporated more video-sharing features. The good thing about Reels is that it now gives your videos a chance to go viral. Plenty of content creators swear by using Reels to help grow their following. One of them is Karen Cheng, who grow her account to a whopping 1 million followers after utilizing Reels.

“The fastest way to grow on IG right now…Is to post reels! You may have heard this advice before many times… and I can confirm it’s true,” she wrote on Instagram during the first part of a series of Reels she created about how she grew her account to 1 million followers.

We know how important analytics is when measuring our performance on Instagram. However, you shall not let it gauge your value as a person or your work. It is always healthy to draw boundaries, and do not feel bad whenever your content does not hit your expected numbers. 

Instagram is not just a place where people go to get entertained. It is also a platform where people learn. Creators are raking in millions of income by sharing tips and tutorials on Instagram. Daisy Terrell is among those influencers who knew the power of teaching to garner views and engagement.

“My fake freckles video has more than 1 million minutes of watch time…and it’s not even a great video,” the Co-Owner, Sand Sun & Messy Buns told Medium.

Terrell shot the video with no proper lighting or sound equipment while evacuated from school due to the hurricane. But that does not matter. People watched her video because they saw her fake freckles on her blog and social media and wanted to learn how she makes them look so natural.

There is no need for expensive equipment. As long as you teach something useful or share valuable information with your followers, you are already one step closer to success.

Huda Kattan, the incredible woman behind the multi-billion-dollar brand Huda Beauty started working as an influencer after getting fired from her recruitment job.

Instead of wallowing on the loss, Kattan decided to use this as an opportunity to explore her other options. She decided to pursue a career she truly loved and enrolled in a makeup school in Los Angeles. She returned to Dubai and started her blog, Huda Beauty, in 2010. Now, her brand is known and revered worldwide. She has launched a successful makeup line and continues to be one of the most trusted beauty gurus worldwide. 

Khaby Lame, the international internet sensation who rose to fame for his iconic facial expressions, posts nearly every single day to TikTok and all day every day to Instagram Stories. “The secret is endurance above all,” he told The New York Times regarding his success. 

Felix Kjellberg, aka PewDiePie, is one of the Gods of YouTube and social media. The video game content creator has an estimated net worth of around $35-$55 million.

When BBC asked about his advice for vlogging success, he said:
“Keep having fun with it and don’t try too hard. I think a lot of people try and mimic other people too much. Go your own path,”

“Try out different things, that’s how I started off. I started off doing Call of Duty stuff, not a lot of people know that. It’s a fun game. “But all of sudden I was like, I want to try something else, so I tried playing this horror game and that’s where I think my initial boom started, from trying something else.

Like PewDiePie, Arielle Charnas knows the importance of trying to be different.

“Find something that makes you different — bring something different to the table— because so many people are doing it.” the fashion blogger turned influencer told Fashionista in an interview.

But besides trying to be unique, she also emphasizes the importance of learning as much as you can.

“Go to any Instagram class you can go to networking, hashtags, the Explore page, all those tips that Instagram gives out are so important, and incorporating video. Video is making a huge mark on the social media platform right now.”

Last but most importantly, do not forget to have fun. Social media has a lot of ups and downs, and people could be cruel. As you gain more attention, you will attract both supporters and haters. You must have the mental fortitude to stay above unconstructive criticism and bashing. Social Media star Addison Rae knows this.

The TikTok star turned actress looks up to Kourtney and the Kardashian/Jenner family on her journey to success in the industry. Addison seeks Kourtney’s advice on fame and talks about it in her interview with Glamour.

“Something that she (Kourtney) told me was, ‘Make sure you’re always enjoying what you’re doing because this is the life you’re living. ”