If you saw the title of this article you would probably tell me I’m lying.
I am telling the truth when I say you can become an influencer without showing your face.
When people think of an online influencer they think of a an Instagram star, someone with millions of followers, or a YouTuber with millions of subscribers.
Here’s the official definition of an influencer on Wikipedia.
Influencers are someone (or something) with the power to affect the buying habits or quantifiable actions of others by uploading some form of original—often sponsored—content to social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat or other online channels.
Lets break this down a little bit.
Why Do We Follow Influencers?
There is always something we like about that person.
It’s their personality. We might like their face, their voice, their sense of humor, etc.
Even if you’re doing nothing and sitting in front of a camera talking about something interesting, people will keep coming back.
Because they like YOU, your personality and they resonate with you.
There are thousands of channels out there that don’t show their face but always have something interesting to show, say or do.
And they’ve racked up hundreds of thousands of subscribers/followers doing so.
Influencers that don’t show their face have to bring out their personality in a different way.
They usually have a sense of humor that others enjoy, a nice voice, interesting mannerisms, etc.
I mean, anyone can showcase a product and provide their opinion, but if they are boring, no one will subscribe.
Being interesting is key.
Pros and Cons of Being a Faceless Influencer
Pros
- Anonymity (huge plus when dealing with negative comments and hate)
- Sponsorships
- Can still make money
Cons
- Not as famous
- Difficult to stay anonymous when other creators want to collab
- Takes years of work before seeing any results
Is It Easier or Harder When Showing Your Face?
Those showing their face will have an edge against those not showing their face.
It’s simply going to be easier because you can bring out your personality easier.
Those not showing their face need to do more to show their personality. Typically it’ll take even longer than normal and require more work.
Do I Recommend Being a Faceless Influencer?
Look;
I’m not saying it can’t be done.
I’m not saying you can’t make it happen.
I’m not saying it’ll be easy.
Because it’s the opposite of those things.
Being a faceless influencer is a different ball game, and it has its pros and cons.
It takes years of dedication to get anywhere within this industry because everyone’s doing it.
Here’s how to look at it.
Chances are you will fail if you’re in it for the money.
You have a better chance at making it if you enjoy what you’re doing.
That’s the difference between a successful influencer and a failure.
Considering all the pros and cons I have mentioned, I still don’t think it’s a good idea for the average person.
A better scenario is being a blogging influencer.
What is a Blogging Influencer? Is That a Real Thing?
It sure is.
This is the type of influencing I love the most.
With blogging you gain everything a social media influencer has but without the fame and negativity that comes with it.
With blogging you can stay completely anonymous and use a pen name instead.
A pen name is an ID you give yourself so you can stay anonymous. This is completely legal by the way.
Personally I use my real name and real photos and bring out my personality with my writing.
Social media requires huge dedication. It takes years and years of grinding even before making a dent in the market and getting a slice of the pie.
I find blogging far better since I don’t have to spend 10 hours a day creating videos, photos, editing, etc.
Or taking 200 pictures with 5 different outfits in 10 different locations just to find a couple of perfect pics for the good ol’ gram.
I simply write an article and publish it all within a few hours.
Social media is a 24/7 job.
As a blogger I can choose whenever I want to post and don’t face the consequences of not getting paid, unlike social media influencers.
Pros and Cons of Blogging
Pros
- Can get just as rich as an influencer
- Can choose when to work
- Less stressful
- Not exposed to as much negativity
- Can get traffic and money in a MUCH faster time frame
- Can stay completely anonymous
Cons
- Not everyone likes writing
- Not as much fame and popularity
- Collaborating isn’t as popular
How Does Blogging Work?
A blog is a website usually owned by one person, designed for the sole purpose of providing helpful content.
This website you’re on now is a blog.
My goal for this blog is to teach aspiring influencers how to make money, get famous, get more subscribers, followers, and everything else about social media.
How we monetize the site and make money is different across the board.
Some use advertising, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, email marketing, and more.
I use affiliate marketing for most of my websites because it’s such a simple concept.
Affiliate marketing is the act of selling other peoples product and earning a commission for the sale.
The buyer does not pay more, and the affiliate (me) has minimal responsibility.
Everything like customer service, payments, shipping and inventory is handled by the seller.
It’s a hands-off approach to making money online which is why I love it so much.
Getting Started
There are plenty of affiliate marketing courses out there but none of them come close to Wealthy Affiliate.
It is the “all-in-one” bundle…everything from web hosting, over-the-shoulder videos tutorials, Friday night LIVE webinars, live support, and much more.
I am a member and have been since 2016 when I started my very first website.
This is my 4th but you don’t necessarily need 4.
All it takes is one blog to earn money. With the right training and dedication it can happen.
If you check out Wealthy Affiliate and sign up (there’s a free trial) you will get direct access to me.
I’m a busy man but there are few things I keep up with. That is comments on my blogs and helping my referrals.
Conclusion
Yes it’s 100% possible to become an influencer without showing your face, but it’s not the be-all-end-all.
There are much more alternatives, blogging being my favorite.
I have given you the information necessary and now the rest is up to you.
Let me know in the comments below what you think about faceless influencers, or if you’d rather give blogging a go.
Brandon
My name is Brandon and this is my website. I'm just a normal guy that had dreams, dreams that would keep me up at night because I wanted them so badly. Now I'm living my dreams of being an influencer and making a good living doing so. Broke Influencers is another of my creations where I teach people how to get rich being an online influencer, or die trying. There is no in between.