In Tikkok’s early days of mostly dance challenges and lip synchronization exchanges, Shola West, a Gen Z career lawyer, talked, speaks and teaches, a hole.
“I decided I would come on the platform to share tips and tricks from my career working in the media industry,” she says.
Now lovingly known as “Big Sis for Young Ads” – with recognitions, including Forbes 30 under 30 – West is building a digital brand about giving career counseling to rising professionals.
“I did not go into it and thought that it would in itself be a social media company,” says West. “It was about adding value.”
Now it’s her full -time business.
The social media entrepreneur earns her money from fire partnerships, workshops and other customized collaborations.
Wanna learn more? You are lucky. I chatted with some of the best entrepreneurship on social media and I dive into trends, tips and more below.
Table of contents
What is the entrepreneurship of social media?
Entrepreneurship on social media involves building a business using social media as the dominant method of running sales and marketing.
The concept goes hand in hand with a growing “Creator Economics” expression used to describe influences or content creators who utilize their digital platforms to produce, distribute and make money on their content, often generating income from fire partnerships, paid advertisements and associated links.
Other forms of entrepreneurs on social media may have companies in sectors such as E -trade, advice and beyond.
Why is social media entrepreneurship so popular?
It is rare to encounter a company that does not somehow tap on social media. In the US alone, 77% of small businesses use social media for important features such as sales, marketing and customer service.
It’s no wonder as the same online platforms are the hunting area for buyers: One in four consumers prefer to search for brands on social media platforms rather than search engines. And when it comes to how consumers value individual creators, 49% daily, weekly or monthly purchases based on influencer positions.
I think it’s safe to say social media is a lucrative channel for entrepreneurs. It is also a cheap tool with high reward for people with creative minds, but tight budgets.
Top Social Media Entrepreneurship Trends
1 .. Map form video dominates.
Across the line is pushing and prioritizing social media platforms really video right now. The category of short form is the fastest growing content category on LinkedIn, and the platform recently began testing a vertical VideoFeed (similar to the formats on Instagram and Tiktok).
“I’ve seen an explosion of Videopodcast interviews,” says Gigi Robinson, founder of Hosts of Influence. “It is allowed for opportunities where you can better relate to a fire or founder of a fire, which can make you a more loyal customer.
2. People will see behind the scenes.
On a similar note, How-The-Sausage-Isade content blooms.
“Some brands are doing quite well,” says Emma Sneddon, a freelance -social media manager who refers to examples such as Refy and Free Soul.
In the Free Soul Post below, the brand International Women’s Day celebrated with different events – and a video that not only showed what the brand is about, but the people behind it.
“Instead of saying, ‘Here’s our product, you have to buy it,’ they show more content behind the scenes. They get their employees involved. ‘
3. There is an increase in influencer -marketing.
“We are moving towards more authenticity over aesthetics,” Sneddon also shared with me. “Social media entrepreneurs start focusing on raw, relatable, more personality -related content.”
As the brands move on, many turn to micro -influents (creators with 10,000 to 99,999 followers) rather than celebrities to show their products and services through original content.
Tireenth’s percentage of marketers have worked with micro -influencers in the last year, and 47% say this group generated the most marketing success.
“Back in the day, people felt that you had to have a million followers to get partnerships to land the brand to get opportunities,” says West. “That’s not the case anymore. If you have a strong niche and a well -engaged society, even if you have 5K supporters, you’re still able to access.”
Tips for entrepreneurs on social media
1. Don’t be afraid of carving a niche.
In a saturated industry that presents something new by leaning into your unique experience, expertise and interests, is what sets you apart. That’s what West did and she tells me it works in her favor.
Similarly, my newsletter, podcast and community platform Stella are a network that specifically connects black women in media. It is with design – and it works: Niches society can create greater user engagement and loyalty. They also promote a stronger sense of affliction and relatability.
2. Be adaptable.
Part of the mastering of social media is experimenting across platforms.
“I think platform diversification is key,” says Robinson. Don’t be afraid to add and develop – often what awaits are massive rewards and new customers. Also, don’t be afraid to turn. “
For example, the Substack Creator Launched Accelerator Fund that incentivesed creators to migrate their subscriber society to its platform and offer a variety of tools and services.
3. Be consistent but intentional.
Develop a plan on social media that best fits your business model – and stick to it. But don’t be spoiled by the notion that you have to send on a particular cadence just because you see it from another person or fire.
“Consistency for everyone looks different,” Sneddon tells me. “I always say quality over quantity. You want your posts to be value -driven and actually add something to your audience. You don’t want to send every day just to try to stay consistent.”
Regardless of the frequency, social media maintenance can be boring. Planners like Vista Social and Buffer are useful alternatives to manual posting, and I know a lot of companies and creators who have had good results with them.
Most social media platforms also have built -in planning tools you can use.
And if you ever feel burnt out creatively, West has a tip: She says that AI, when used responsibly, can be a great resource to help generate new content ideas.
E.g. HAVE HUBSPOT an AI-driven blogide generator tool that can help you brainstorm ideas when you’re stuck or hang an idea for something you can work with.
Source
4. Collect your own data.
If there is something we learned from Tiktok’s temporary American ban, it is that we cannot take on platforms – and the data that comes with it – will exist forever.
Create your own E -Mail marketing system to make sure you collect E emails and other relevant information from your online community.
5. Build a Society.
Successful entrepreneurs on social media, says Robinson, knows the difference between an audience and a society. The biggest differentiate lies in commitment.
“Your audience is the people who often support you, but your communities are the people who buy into you. When you are able to succeed with social media, you are able to convert and you are able to make money because people want access to you.”
In other words, society is central to conversions.
Sneddon agrees. She says you should constantly be “engage in your audience, ask them questions and answer comments.”
She adds, “This will build your community and get people back to your side because they know you will interact.”
Don’t be afraid to self -promote.
If I could share a main takeaway from these conversations – and my own experiences – it would be that you have to run your business yourself. This is why one of the best strategies for maintaining a career as an entrepreneur on social media is self -promotion.
“Closed mouths are not fed,” says Robinson. She has been locked in 15 appearances since the beginning of 2025 by sharing her previous work high across her social media channels. After all, work leads to new work.