Instagram is a visual medium and your images will engage viewers who want to buy or learn something. Instagram influencers can make some extra cash if they choose a few products and share their thoughts on why they like or don’t like them.

Understand what being an influencer is

First things first. You must understand the importance of you in your own professional journey, and exactly what it is you're doing and/or how you're doing it.

Most influencers don't pay themselves to endorse products, yet people have been doing it forever (Gwyneth Paltrow, a name that immediately comes to mind).

The deal with this, though, is that people may not know what to buy or what they need (or want) in general, yet they trust their opinions because of who they are as an individual.

A common misconception with being an influencer is that you can just tag your friends and family and expect to make a dollar per post. It's not that simple.

Most influencers will only do these things for an influencer they have a strong connection with, and some might only endorse certain items, but they usually have a stronger brand connection and following than their potential followers.

You also should understand that influencers aren't the most powerful people in the world, yet there are a lot of people looking up to them. You must always remember to maintain your personal brand in all your accounts so that potential customers get to know you and your work.

Here’s how it works

Simply put, Instagram is a visual medium. Take some time to consider why you do what you do.

If you are an avid social media user, you probably feel great about what you post online. When you’re not posting content to Instagram, what are you doing?

Consider the value you give to your followers and consider why you would promote a product in your feed or post to your story. You don’t have to sell anything to Instagram, though.

An influencer is one who is paying attention to the choices their followers make about things. A common practice is to post photos of the product and hashtag it with the #youcangetwhat you get.

In the past, we’ve done similar posts in this space about the benefits of living in a town and then followed it up with this post from the Boston Globe about why you might want to move to that town.

Instagram fakes

Social media users want to see authentic experiences. For example, someone who might be interested in a brick-and-mortar store should be able to visit the store and feel the products in person before she makes a purchasing decision.

If the store is a total fake, she will think it is too good to be true and will avoid the store.

Remember when brands used to spend money to create these advertisements and create the actual environment for a billboard? Nowadays, that is not necessary.

Companies simply update the photos on Instagram and just add a location tag to the photo. The people who live there will be flattered to see the ad for that store or restaurant and will likely buy the product to try it out.

If you can provide some insight about how you use the product, that would be a bonus. Be Authentic!

If the brand is really real, people will care.

Keep track of your ranking

A lot of influencers get into the habit of slapping up a ton of posts without thinking through the consequences.

The quality of your posts matters more than quantity, and that's all relative. You'll get higher engagement and earn more clicks if you post around certain events, big milestones, or major trends.

Just understand that you will not be ranked number one at all times (especially since Instagram sometimes tweaks the algorithm at random), and posting for cheap likes and free publicity is not a viable business model.

It can be difficult to set consistent hours and stick to them, and in order to figure this out, you need to keep tabs on your ranking. To do this, it's important to look at what platforms you're getting traction with, and what influencers have gained the most exposure with those platforms.

Find out what your ideal client wants

Once you have a clear understanding of what you're doing, you can begin to narrow your focus. Figure out which pieces of content generate the most engagement, and you'll get a sense of what your ideal client is looking for.

Remember that everyone is different, and what works for one person might be a complete flop for another.

Be consistent

The greatest fear for a brand’s social media manager is posting a brand’s message every day. This can drain a company’s resources.

Too much text on a photo can be counterproductive. Be sure you are promoting a well-thought out, engaging and honest image.

Check the comments and look at engagement rates. You will likely be surprised at how much social chatter you get if your content is authentic and fun.

The more engagement, the more your followers will buy your product or make a visit to your store.