Although we are very aware of all the jobs technology has replaced, it has also opened up a whole new world of opportunity:

Social media.

Social media, in itself, can be a job, too, and students at Air Academy are inspired to pursue the world of business through a platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram.

“The pros are you get to control your work and have fun doing it; I see no cons,” said sophomore Quianna Wilkins.

The great thing about social media and building a career from it is that anybody can begin a start-up at any age. From babies to elders, creators are popping up all across the board. Students can make money off of nearly any small business if they know how to play their cards right.

Julie Ledbetter, lifestyle coach, visited the Air Academy DECA class and spoke about her business, which is operated through Instagram. The students got a glimpse into the lifestyle of a successful woman using a media platform for her business. 

AAHS DECA teacher Aly Johnson shares her opinion. “I wouldn’t encourage students to be an influencer per se; I would encourage them to chase after their passion and to share their passion. If that just so happens to coincide with being able to be sponsored and getting paid for putting out their passion [on social media,] then that is what I would encourage,” she said.

Social Media influencers can make up to or over 3,000 dollars per Instagram post. Salary depends on the number of followers, who they are being sponsored by, and how many clicks and interactions they get on each post.

Even though there is a possibility to make good money off of posting on social media, which is a perk, making money takes time and effort, so being passionate about the content is a necessity when it comes to first starting up.

There are many websites and YouTube videos revealing the secrets of becoming Instagram famous and step by step guides to becoming popular on social media but do people really know what’s it like to be an influencer and what it takes to make a career out of it? 

Trying to please almost everyone and the consistency and grind of posting every day may be harder than it seems. The internet is always evolving and keeping up with all of it can be a struggle.

Companies look for large influencers to sponsor, so to increase popularity and put their business on the radar influencers must contact the companies themselves. It’s about working your way up the totem pole. Stay patient and remember growing a following takes time. Some tips are to stay consistent, unique, and focus on the quality of the content.