Is being an influencer a real job? – is a question that comes up every now and then. Well, the glamorous lifestyle that people see on social media is a result of extremely long hours of hard work, research and involves a huge array of skillsets. An influencer wears many hats to produce the most relevant creative pieces of work.  

Among the new generation of creators, the eruption of financial and business creators stood out. People in India lack financial literacy and Finance professionals are capitalising on this demand by addressing how to diversify revenue streams and equip today's youngsters with financial and technological knowledge. It is no secret that new-age content creators are driving the country's financial development – which answers our question that being a finfluencer can be considered as a full time job and can be taken up as a career option. Here’s few reasons which will make you believe in this unconventional field of profession:

Raking the moolahs/stable source of income

People are now realising that they can monetise their hobbies and take more control of their careers, alongside exploring a potential to make a whooping six figures. As per Statista, earnings of finance creators globally on social media have more than quadrupled in five years, going from $1.7 billion in 2016 to approximately $14 billion in 2021.  

Regularised under SEBI

Finfluencers have lakhs of followers with their investment advice being closely followed by millions of people across the country. SEBI is working on guidelines for these finfluencers. So just like any other job – these finfluencers will be bound by certain norms and restrictions by SEBI, yet have the leeway to product content of their choice on their chosen social media platforms. This initiative by SEBI would be appreciated by the fin-influencer community because it shows that the government recognises the role of content creators and is working to make influencers a reliable source of information.

Age no bar

Age is no bar to pursue your passion; students these days are turning to entrepreneurship at a very early stage and social media platforms enable them to do so. Moreover, retired experts who have years of knowledge can now monetise their experience at the convenience of sitting at their homes. It has a low barrier to entry that makes it accessible to anyone with the tenacity to try. Additionally being a content creator no longer requires you to have multiple degrees; if one is passionate about the topic and loves to share about it – he can.  

Need of the hour

Despite harbouring 20 per cent of the world's population, approximately only 24 per cent of residents residing in India are aware of basic financial principles. Financial literacy is still not considered as a basic life skill despite it being of utmost importance. The level of financial literacy of people is an important measure of their capacity to make financial decisions and India is attempting to close this gap. The pandemic has acted as a testament to the importance of building a well-thought-out financial foundation, which has increased the popularity of financial creators. However the gap still exists and finance influencers

Passion as your profession

The opportunity to transform your passion into a profession is no more a distant dream. Finance Influencers use their knowledge in a niche sector to attract a like-minded audience via social media platforms. In this way, they share their thoughts and emotionally connect with their audience, thereby creating community whilst they make a living out of it.  

Covid was a strong catalyst for the rise of finfluencers. Being a content creator is one of the most desirable jobs in the world right now and the creator economy is having a moment unlike any other industry in the 21st century. Being a social media influencer has the potential to pay more than most conventional day jobs and is quickly becoming a full-time profession for many.

What is less well recognised is how much strategy, hard work and perseverance are required to obtain those benefits. With the knowledge, a smart phone and commitment, anyone can join the 50 million creators who have found personal joy and financial success in the creator economy.