#BloggerLife: Are you a blogger, an Influencer, or both?

Blogger vs. Influencer? It’s a discussion that’s become more prevalent as influencer marketing grows. Everyone wants to be popular online. Everyone wants followers. And, everyone wants to work with brands. But which lane is best for you to achieve that goal? In this post I’ll discuss the difference between the Blogger and the Influencer, and which category is best for you!

In my post, Blogging While Broke, I discussed how most bloggers don’t make money from their endeavors. As I continued this #bloggerlife series, I realized, I needed to make a distinction between BLOGGING and being a social media influencer. Because, if you are trying to operate in the wrong lane, you may be wasting your time and losing money.

fabglance-graffiti-nashville-blogger — Am I a blogger, an influencer, or both?

Before we get into specifics, let me give it to you simple:

An influencer shows you what they know. A blogger teaches you what they know. A reader can leave fulfilled, from both, only if the influencer or blogger does their job effectively. – @fabglance

A Blogger creates online content about a certain niche. Food, fashion, travel, and entertainment are the most popular blog topics. Blogs are updated regularly and usually garner traffic from readers looking for detailed info about a certain topic. A blog is used to introduce readers to a topic through the eyes of a writer. The average blog post should be 400-1000 words. The best blog posts use sourced content with a unique point of view. Blogging is usually more time consuming than creating a social media post. Often, the pay off is slow. However, blogs help build reader trust in whatever topic is being discussed. Blog authors are often revered higher than traditional journalists IF their content is trustworthy. Brands like working with bloggers because posts can stay live and searchable for years giving their product better SEO rates.

An Online Influencer typically creates content for a social media platform. A blogger can be an influencer, and an influencer can have a blog. But the two have some distinctions. Influencers are usually VISUALLY driven, creating content for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and/or Tumblr. Rarely, do influencers create blog content. If the influencer does have a blog, it’s a place to deposit additional photos, unused from social media content. Influencers give you THEM, their life, and their viewpoint, in less than 300 words (think Kim Kardashian). Influencers usually have a large following that consumes quick content at high rates. Brands like to work with influencers, because their posts have a quicker turnaround and more immediate engagement.

Whew, that was was alot! But it’s important to understand that bloggers and influencers often cross into each other’s territory, which causes confusion for readers and brands. Easily, if you DO NOT operate A BLOG, you are not a blogger, you are an online influencer. If you run and regularly update a blog, in addition to using social media for promotion, you are a blogger. Now, don’t get your panties in a bunch, being ‘just an influencer’ isn’t a bad thing. Neither is being a ‘just a blogger’. And sometimes bloggers become influencers and vice-versa.

nashville blogger-fabglance — Talking #BLOGGERLIFE with Nashville Blogger, Karla.

I call myself a blogger and a writer because the written word is where I thrive. I love writing stories (I wrote a whole book, Jack and Ahlia) and helping people tell their story (especially working with brands). I’ll never admit to having the best photos, although I’m cute in front of the camera. But writing is my first love. I happen to be a stylish girl who writes really good posts. My social media presence is good, but not perfection.

So, can you be both? Certainly. But if you are, you must rock it in both categories. Update your blog with motivational and informative posts. BE CONSISTENT. Don’t just drop a photo on your website or social media platform and walk away. Give your reader some inside details. Tell us how this photo makes you feel and how we should feel reading your post or viewing your photos. What were you thinking that day and how is this photo important? Brands select bloggers and influencers because of our effect and impact. Can your PHOTO or STORY help sell their product – that’s the real question!

Lastly, expect to get attitude from the old guard – I’m talking about newspapers, magazines, and ‘real’ journalists. Bloggers and influencers are continuously fighting for respect from these organizations. That’s why we must be vigilante in our approach to sharing content. If invited to an event as PRESS, be professional. Complete your blog post and/or social share in a timely manner. Read your contracts thoroughly and always send a thank you note.

Gaining respect as a blogger and influencer is all about the respect you give your chosen topic/task. Don’t call yourself a blogger if you don’t own a blog. Stop it. But be an amazing influencer, if that’s what you’d rather do.