If you were to ask most of the youth today about their preferred career choice, a good number would mention being a blogger/influencer. Whether beauty, fashion or lifestyle, social media influencers have somewhat shaped the industry, added value and brought on more revenue and business to brands, making them an important feature in how the market runs today. While it does take effort and talent to be able to bring forth products and ideas for a particular brand to an audience, virtually, it has also become easy to see how theses influencer have become brands themselves!

Today, we see top brands shower these Instagram stars with some of their best, most high-end merchandise, and even feature them in their campaigns. Because selling and marketing product through these influential celebrities and personalities is slowly contributing to the rise of the millennial generation. And on behalf of them, I ask this question,

What does it take to ace social media in 2019?

I asked the best of the best, and here’s what they had to say:

1. Malini Agarwal

I think the secret to social media is keeping it authentic. Stop worrying about the number of likes and followers you have and focus on your content. And remember, social media is all about being “social”. Make sure you reply, engage and interact with your audience on a regular basis. Golden rule: followers are people too. Treat them like you would your friends.

2. Aanam Chasmawala

Consistency! It’s the key tip for keeping your social media game strong. Post often and make the most of everything around you to make content out of it.

3. Shereen Sikka

Whether you’re a beginner or an influencer who is starting off make sure that your content is your biggest and highest priority. One needs to focus on the fact that you’re getting great content out of whatever you’re doing. So, that means even if you have to go out and buy products that you want to talk about, you don’t have to wait for the brand to send you products, go out and buy and test them for yourself. And most importantly, stop stressing on the number of followers, instead make sure you have great content. Because if your content is good, automatically collaborations and followers will just follow.

4. Scherezade Shroff

Being genuine and authentic with your audience is key. Because there’s no point in pretending to be someone your not—there’s no long-term value in that. I also think that one shouldn’t collaborate with brands just for the $$$. See if you really resonate with the brand and its values before associating with them.

5. Masoom Minawala

One tip that I think is super important is that everyone needs to stop treating the internet as “the internet” and as some sort of like an unearthly movement but just treat it as real life. The exact advice I would give anyone looking to succeed on the internet or social media is—there is no one like you so the day you will reach your highest potential within this social media movement is the day you completely embrace your uniqueness, and be able to understand that the only way to succeed is to bring something to the table which no one else is already bringing, and the only way to do that is by being one hundred percent truly yourself.

At the end of the day, it’s about the impact you make and the carbon footprint you leave on the internet. And just like the pros mentioned above, there’s no exact formula or method to the madness, just be your truest self!

And something I’d like to add in here as well… As long as it makes you feel good, do it. Mistakes are inevitable so don’t take the internet too seriously. And always curate the kind of content you would gravitate to as a viewer.

Kbyeee. Hope you create the feed of your dreams and have the best journey!