By Brianne Garrett

In TikTok’s early days of mostly dance challenges and lip-syncing exchanges, Shola West, a Gen Z career advocate, speaker and educator, spotted a gap.

“I decided I wanted to come on the platform to share tips and tricks from my career working in the media industry,” she says.

Now affectionately known as the “Big Sis to Young Creatives” — with accolades including Forbes 30 Under 30 — West is building a digital brand around providing career advice to rising professionals.

“I didn’t go into it thinking it would be a social media business per se,” says West. “It was about adding value.”

Now, it’s her full-time business.

The social media entrepreneur makes her money from brand partnerships, workshops, and other aligned collaborations.

Want to learn more? You’re in luck. I chatted with some of the best in social media entrepreneurship and I’m diving into trends, tips, and more below.

Table of Contents

• What is social media entrepreneurship?
• Why is social media entrepreneurship so popular?
• Top Social Media Entrepreneurship Trends
• Tips for Social Media Entrepreneurs

What is social media entrepreneurship?

Social media entrepreneurship entails building a business using social media as the predominant method of driving sales and marketing.

The concept goes hand-in-hand with a surging “creator economy” — the term used to describe influencers or content creators who leverage their digital platforms to produce, distribute, and monetize their content, often generating revenue from brand partnerships, paid advertisements, and affiliate links.

Other forms of social media entrepreneurs might have businesses in sectors such as ecommerce, consulting, and beyond.

Why is social media entrepreneurship so popular?

It’s rare to encounter a business that’s not tapping into social media in some way. In the U.S. alone, 77% of small businesses use social media for essential functions like sales, marketing, and customer service.

It’s no wonder, as these same online platforms are the hunting grounds for buyers: One in four consumers prefer searching for brands on social media platforms over search engines. And when it comes to how consumers value individual creators, 49% make daily, weekly, or monthly purchases based on influencer posts.

I think it’s safe to say social media is a lucrative channel for entrepreneurs. It’s also a low-cost, high-reward business tool for people with creative minds but tight budgets.

Top Social Media Entrepreneurship Trends

1. Short-form video is dominating.

Across the board, social media platforms are really pushing and prioritizing video right now. Short-form video is the fastest-growing content category on LinkedIn, and the platform recently started testing a vertical video feed (similar to the formats on Instagram and TikTok).

“I’ve been seeing an explosion of video podcast interviews,” says Gigi Robinson, founder of Hosts of Influence. “It’s allowed for opportunities where you can better relate to a brand, or a founder of a brand, which may make you a more …read more

Source:: HubSpot Blog

Author: Aaron