Being an online influencer is not usually the goal of startup founders, but it is something that can help. Influence is a distribution model, and if you have a working distribution model you can often build some kind of business or startup around this means of delivering value.
Here are some thoughts about becoming an online influencer, courtesy of David Spark:
- You must create content
- Go after a niche
- Create a regular series
- Request to interview other influencers
- Offer yourself up for interviews too
- Contribute, for free, to well-trafficked media outlets
- Go after your industry's "whale" publications (i.e. the biggest publishers in your niche)
- Connect your story with a current trend
- Connect your brand with a much bigger brand
- Engage with your audience
There's no reason you can't become an influencer as well as starting a startup. The two definitely play on each other. But you'll have to remember that consistency is key to being a successful content producer (whether a performing artist, a writer, a singer, etc), and that is often difficult to achieve with the hectic schedule of a startup.
Another interesting link around this topic, if you're inclined to read more, is Merlin Mann and John Gruber's panel on obsession + topic + voice (transcribed here).
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