With the ever-growing trends of Social Media and pop culture influences, more people have wanted to become influencers online. This article will give you three simple tips on how YOU can become an influencer yourself in South Korea!
Now the influencer and entertainment market in Korea is booming right now, which means that mostly anyone can become an influencer if the work is put into it.
For me, promoting brands and Korea/Korean Culture has become the norm in recent years, however before moving to Korea I had found it a lot harder to do.
So let's look at these three simple steps on how you can become an influencer yourself!
So how can you become an influencer?
Step 1:
Well, as you may have guessed it is not going to happen over night, however I strongly recommend making a new social media account which is public, as the growth will later talk for itself, and also open you up to more followers and brands.
Make sure to you write your bio in English and Korean as this will also help you to gain more attraction an ensure that you use relevant hash tags when you post, both to the product or place, but also in both languages.
Step 2:
Here is where you need to be persistent in contacting brands or companies. This may seem like the hard part, but maintaining a relationship is key to your success and will open you up to more opportunities later on.
Also be sure to follow these companies on social media, for any updates on opportunities.
Many Korean beauty brands and food companies are always looking for people from overseas to try their products and review them, in exchange for making a post about the product on social media to encourage more people to buy the product, some of which are also paid opportunities which is what you want to be aiming for.
Step 3:
Making content, is really important and it's recommended to post regularly to keep your following and growth. For me, I tend to make a post once a week, however it's sometimes more depending on the amount of products I have to review.
In terms of stories, they can be fun and engaging to keep the audiences attention, however when you are working with a brand on a post, reel or story, be sure to follow their guidelines but for the most part you are encourages to be creative, which means coming up with fresh ideas all of the time. For me, that is one of the most.
Of course, the travel market in Korea and with Korea named the destination to visit in 2024 (see my other article) there are many opportunities to promote regional Korea, festivals in Korea and the Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism, also run programs which have kicked off for 2024 known as Honorary Reporters and K-Influencers. Which I have been part of since 2020, and Honorary Reporters have allowed me to travel around Korea to some amazing places and offer monetary incentives for outstanding work.
The Social Media market is huge and ever growing, which means that there is always new opportunities for different nationalities too. The influencer marketing sector which involves brand endorsements and collaborations is a great way to expose yourself to the market and Korean companies. Though it's good to start this will smaller companies who are looking to expand their presence online.
So what are you waiting for?
Let us know in the comments below about your journey!