5 Things Every Aspiring Ethical Influencer Should Know About the Field of Influencing
<< That’s me, Amber Powers.
Award-winning content marketer, a champion for the voices of women, and an advocate for authentically and ethically influencing.
Have you ever scrolled through Instagram and saw someone sharing a brand they love and thought, hey, I could do that!? You absolutely can. Influencing isn’t just about gorgeous aesthetics and clever captions. It’s not only for skinny people or people who can dance. It’s about connection, authenticity, and aligning with your core values. This piece is to introduce you to the world of influencing, specifically the growing space of ethical influencing.
If you’ve ever wondered what ethical influencing is or whether you have what it takes to become an ethical influencer, keep reading. There are five key bits of information every aspiring ethical influencer should know.
Understanding types of influencers
You might be wondering if you need a massive following to become an influencer. The answer: absolutely not.
In fact, some of the most powerful influencers have smaller follower counts. Here’s a quick breakdown of influencer categories by number of followers:
Nano-Influencers (Less than 1,000 followers): These are the community-builders, the ones who deeply connect with their audience. If you have 800 followers who trust your recommendations, you’re already influencing. Nano-influencers tend to work with niche brands and can often secure paid partnerships with a small but mighty following.
Micro-Influencers (1,000 - 10,000 followers): Brands love working with micro-influencers because their audiences are engaged, loyal, and invested. You might start to see collaborations with mid-sized companies or receive PR packages (freebies from brands looking for organic shoutouts).
Macro-Influencers (100,000 - 1 million followers): Macro-influencers are the heavy hitters. They’re often partnering with larger brands and running full-scale campaigns. While the paycheck can be significant, the pressure to maintain engagement at this level is real.
Mega-Influencers (1Million+ followers): Once you hit mega-influencer status, you pretty much name your price, and you also have a team to support your content creation, scripting, video editing, etc… You’ll likely have an agency that vets the offers coming in. If you’ve positioned yourself properly and your core values are easy to see from the content you post, you should be drawing companies that align.
No matter where you fall on the spectrum, the secret to thriving as an influencer is engagement over numbers, and in case you haven’t heard it enough times yet, authenticity. A nano-influencer with 5,000 highly engaged followers will often outshine a macro-influencer with lukewarm engagement. It’s not just about who’s looking at you; it’s about who’s listening and responding.
If you want to see the amounts you could be making as an ethical influencer, check out these numbers from Shopify.
Types of projects for ethical influencers
There are so many types of collaborations you’ll be asked to work on as an influencer.
UGC: UGC stands for user-generated content. Truthfully, you don’t even need to be an influencer to gain UGC contracts. Just a good portfolio and a wish list of brands you want to create content for. Generally speaking, you’re not usually required to post this content on your own social media platforms. Think of it as a paid acting gig. You can find out more about UGC here.
Sponsored Posts: Brands pay you to create content that features their product or service. Rates depend on your follower count, engagement, and niche. These posts, reels, stories, videos or blogs are posted on your platform to gain access to your audience.
Affiliate Marketing: Share brands you love when they align with you and what you talk about on social media, video or blogging platforms. When you share your unique code or link, you earn a percentage of sales when your audience purchases.
Product Collaborations: Partner with brands to create and sell a product with your name on it.
Brand Ambassadorships: Longer-term partnerships where you’re the face of a brand or product over months or even years.
Sponsorships: These are generally longer-term contracts (6 months or a year minimum) where brands aligned with your product, message, or values partner with you to be mentioned in your copy. They may send you products to wear or use organically while on film as well.
The beauty of ethical influencing is that it’s not just about chasing dollars—it’s about aligning with brands that share your values. This is how you stay true to yourself and continue finding joy in the creation process. You can trade time for money anywhere. Do what you love for brands you love.
Authenticity Is Your Superpower
So listen, the best way to build a following isn’t to try and be what you think your audience wants. It’s to show up as your authentic self.
I’ve seen it too many times—people burn out trying to be someone they’re not, playing a role 24/7, or chasing trends that don’t feel true to them. If you’re a full-time influencer and your content feels inauthentic, you’ll hit a wall fast. Instead, lean into who you truly are. Your quirks, your humor, your imperfections—that’s the magic your audience craves. In fact, here’s a link to one of my favorite creators, Elyse Myers, talking about exactly this.
The right people will find you when you’re unapologetically yourself. You don’t need to convince everyone to follow you. You need to draw in the right people who vibe with you and your message.
Turn away money
Yep, you read that right. As an ethical influencer, you’re going to be turning away money. Maybe not at first, but the more you grow, the more brands will reach out. Many of those brands are only interested in the number of people following you. They want their brand to reach the masses. Just remember that ethical influencing isn’t just about what you say yes to; it’s also about what you’re willing to walk away from. Not every opportunity is the right one.
Here’s what ethical influencers do:
Vet Brands Carefully: Do their values align with yours? Are their products something you’d use or recommend to a close friend?
Stay Transparent: Always disclose paid partnerships or gifted items. Your audience’s trust is sacred. Plus, in the US, it’s against FTC law not to disclose this information. To read more about FTC law as it applies to sponsorships and affiliate relationships, click here.
Prioritize Authenticity Over Profit: If a high-paying deal doesn’t feel right, pass on it. Your integrity is worth more than a paycheck. And remember, your gut is right a vast majority of the time. Listen to it.
Read your contracts. Again, please pay attention to this. Read your contracts. Do not blindly sign something you’re going to regret later. Brands have tried to sneak some really dumb shit into contracts that I’ve seen. Save yourself months of frustration by spending a few minutes reading through the contract before you sign it. Saying no can feel scary, especially when you’re starting out, but staying true to your values will set you apart and build trust with your audience. And trust? That’s priceless.
Building a Community Takes Time
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is an engaged, loyal audience. Becoming an ethical influencer requires patience and consistency. Here’s how to nurture your community:
Provide Value: Share content that educates, inspires, or entertains. It’s not about you; it’s about what your audience can take away from your content.
Engage Authentically: Respond to comments and DMs. Show your audience that you care about them as people, not just as numbers.
Regulate Content: Remember that people love to buy, but they don’t like to be sold to. Every post should not be a sales pitch for you or anyone else. Make a plan for your maximum number of posts, stories, videos, or reels that will be dedicated to promotional or sponsored posts before you start seeking brand partnerships.
Be Consistent: Whether you’re posting daily or weekly, stick to a schedule your audience can count on.
The relationships you build with your followers are what truly matters. Your audience will cheer you on, share your content, and support you as you grow.
Ready to Become an Ethical Influencer?
If you’re ready to do this, but you’re not quite sure where to start, don’t worry—you don’t have to figure it all out alone. Whether you’re a nano-influencer just starting or a micro-influencer looking to level up, I’m here to help you map out a strategy that feels true to you and your values.
With over 20 years of marketing experience, I’ve seen firsthand the power of authentic connection. I started my career in public speaking - the OGs of influencers. I specialize in helping aspiring influencers like you find clarity in your messaging, getting clear on your core values, build engaged communities, and create income streams that align with who you are.
If you’re ready to take the next step, fill out the contact form on my website here. Let’s chat about how we can bring your vision to life and make your ethical influencing dreams a reality.
The world needs more influencers who lead with integrity, heart, and authenticity.