Social Media Influencers: Before Reading

Reading: B1
Social media influencers

Read a blogpost about the impact of social media influencers in the business world to practise and
improve your reading skills.
Before reading
Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.
Preparation task
Match the definitions (a–h) with the vocabulary (1–8).
Vocabulary Definitions
1. …… expertise………. A. something that is popular right now
2. …… a trend…………. B. the people who watch or follow a public event,
3. …… an audience…… e.g. a film or concert
4. …… consistent……… C. expert knowledge or skill in an area
5. …… catchy………….. D. to ask someone to pay
6. …… to charge……… E. a specialized area
7. …… a bio……………. F. a short introduction of a person (short for
biography’)
8. …… a niche…………
G. doing something in the same way over time
H. attractive and easily remembered
Reading text: Social media influencers

It is estimated that about 40 per cent of the world’s population use social media, and many of
these billions of social media users look up to influencers to help them decide what to buy and
what trends to follow.
So what is an influencer and how do we become one?
An influencer is a person who can influence the decisions of their followers because of their
relationship with their audience and their knowledge and expertise in a particular area, e.g.
fashion, travel or technology.
Influencers often have a large following of people who pay close attention to their views. They
have the power to persuade people to buy things, and influencers are now seen by many
companies as a direct way to customers’ hearts. Brands are now asking powerful influencers to
market their products. With some influencers charging up to $25,000 for one social media post, it
is no surprise that more and more people are keen to become influencers too. If you are one of
them, then here are five tips on how to do it.
© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

1. Choose your niche
What is the area that you know most about? What do you feel most excited talking about?
Find the specific area that you’re most interested in and develop it.
2. Choose your medium and write an interesting bio
Most influencers these days are bloggers and micro-bloggers. Decide which medium – such as
your own online blog, Instagram or Snapchat – is the best way to connect with your followers
and chat about your niche area. When you have done that, write an attention grabbing bio that
describes you and your speciality area in an interesting and unique way. Make sure that people
who read your bio will want to follow you.
3. Post regularly and consistently
Many influencers post daily on their social media accounts. The more you post, the more likely
people will follow you. Also, ensure that your posts are consistent and possibly follow a theme.
4. Tell an interesting story
Whether it is a photo or a comment that you are posting, use it to tell a story that will catch the
attention of your followers and help them connect with you.
5. Make sure people can easily find your content
Publicise your posts on a variety of social media, use hashtags and catchy titles and make
sure that they can be easily found. There is no point writing the most exciting blogposts or
posting the most attractive photographs if no one is going to see them.
Most importantly, if you want to become a social media influencer, you need to have patience.
Keep posting and your following will gradually increase. Good luck!
Tasks
Task 1
Choose the best answer.
1. A social media influencer is not someone who …

a. guides the decisions of their followers.
b. is an expert in a particular area.
c. pays their followers to buy products.
d. has many followers who pay attention to their opinions.
2. Companies want to use influencers to help …
a. sell their products to their followers.
b. develop new products.
c. write their blogposts.
d. design their websites.

3. If you want to be an influencer, your bio on your social media account shouldn’t …
a. say who you are.
b. talk about your niche area.
c. be interesting.
d. be the same as other people’s bios.
4. You should make sure that you post …

a. once a month.
b. every day for the first month and then once a month after that.
c. about similar subjects.
d. about all sorts of different things.
5. You can make sure that people find your post by …
a. using hashtags.
b. using funny or memorable titles.
c. using different social media to link to your post.
d. doing all of the above.
6. What should the title of this blogpost be?
a. Five ways to influence people
b. Five ways to use influencers in marketing
c. Five tips on becoming a social media influencer
d. Five tips on making money as an influencer
Task 2
Are the sentences true or false?
Answer
1. An influencer needs to know about as True False

many topics as possible, e.g. fashion, travel,
technology, etc.
2. Companies are paying some influencers up True False

to $25,000 to post about their products.
3. Most influencers write regular posts on True False

their blogs or micro-blogs.
4. You can chat with your followers using your True False
bio.
5. Your posts should not only be attractive but True False

should tell a story.
6. You can become a social media influencer True False

in a short time.
1 It is false since in the text it is specified that the influencers are based on a niche
4 Is false since in the text it is specified that this is not possible
6 It is false since this process is long and very patient
Discussion
Do you know of any social media influencers? What are their niche areas?
In my social networks I follow a few influencers, however there is one that catches my attention,
Junda MC, since its content is aimed at young people and promotes Apps such as Rappi, DIDI or
Laika.
En mis redes sociales sigo a pocos influencers, sin embargo hay uno que me llama mucho la
atencion,Junda MC, ya que su conteido va dirgido a nostros los jovenes y promociona Apps como
Rappi, DIDI o Laika.
If you became a social media influencer, what medium would you use and what would you
post about?
If I became an influencer of social networks, the medium that I would use would be instagram since
it is one of the most important social networks and that people consume the most and I would
publish about music, singers and sports that interest young people.
Si me convirtiera en influencer de las redes sociales el medio que utilizaría seria Instagram ya que
es una de las redes sociales mas importante y que las personas mas consume y publicaría sobre
música, cantantes y deportes que interesen a los jóvenes.

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Reading: B1

Social media influencers

Reading text: Social media influencers

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

1. A social media influencer is not someone who …

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

4. You should make sure that you post …

1. An influencer needs to know about as True False

2. Companies are paying some influencers up True False

3. Most influencers write regular posts on True False

5. Your posts should not only be attractive but True False

6. You can become a social media influencer True False

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

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