How to Become a Content Creator or Micro-Influencer in the UK

What Is a Micro-Influencer?

There's no official definition, and the cut-offs vary. Micro-influencers are often creators with about 10,000 to 100,000 followers (some sources stop at 50,000), and those with 1,000 to 10,000 are often called nano-influencers. What matters isn't the number on its own but the trust: a smaller audience that listens to you is valuable to brands.

Step 1: Choose Your Focus

Pick a topic you'd happily talk about every week: food, beauty, fitness, parenting, tech, travel or your local area. A clear focus helps the right people find you, and helps brands see where you fit.

Step 2: Set Up Your Profile

• Use a clear photo and a name people can remember.
• Write a short bio that says what you post.
• Make sure you can see your stats: Instagram shows them on public accounts, and TikTok shows them in TikTok Studio. On TikTok, keep a personal account if you might join its Creator Rewards Programme, as business accounts can’t.
• Add a link, so brands and followers can find more.

Step 3: Post Regularly and Learn What Works

Choose a schedule you can keep, even if it's two or three videos a week. Watch your stats to see which videos people finish, share and save, and make more like those.

• Open with a hook in the first two seconds.
• Keep videos short and to the point.
• Use natural light and clear sound.
• Join trends when they fit your style.

Step 4: Build Real Engagement

Reply to comments, answer questions in new videos and collaborate with creators in your niche. Real engagement is what brands look for. Bought followers and fake views won't help: brands look out for them, and on Brief72, if a post shows signs of fake views, our team reviews the fee, and it's paid in full or not at all.

Step 5: Land Your First Paid Work

Once you have an engaged audience, you can start looking for paid work. You can pitch brands you love directly, or join a platform where brands post paid briefs.

On Brief72, you can apply once you're 18 or over with 1,000 followers on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube. Each brief shows what you'll be paid. Once you're approved for a campaign, you have 72 hours to make your video, and once the video itself is approved, 48 hours to post it. Find out how it works for creators.

Step 6: Do It Properly

• Label paid posts as ads, at the start, including posts about free products. The ASA's guidance for influencers explains how.
• Be honest about what you think of a product.
• Keep a record of what you earn, including the value of free products. If your side income adds up to more than £1,000 in a tax year, before any costs, you’ll need to register for Self Assessment. Up to that, HMRC’s trading allowance usually means you don’t need to tell HMRC.