Not that long ago, words like “content,” “influencer,” and “social media” were virtual unknowns when it came to describing a job. Today, however, all those words have found their place in more than one career choice. Most notable and controversial was the rise of the influencer and the related marketing ecosystem.

“The thing about being an influencer, an online content creator, or social media personality, is that everyone thinks all it takes is good looks and internet access,” says Jackie Leigh. “But it’s not that easy.”

Between her Instagram and TikTok, Jackie Leigh has a six-figure following. Not enormous numbers out there, but enough to get her some attention from businesses who’d like her to promote their products. Her accounts are growing, too, and she’s recently branched out onto OnlyFans. Many accounts require lots of content, which takes time and effort to create.

“Even if you want to do a simple shoot, something low-key, not like a big production, there are still so many things that need to be done,” Jackie Leigh explains. “There is a wardrobe to pick, location to find, and even if that’s kept to the basic level – for every good picture you put online, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of pictures you have to take to get to that one.”

In an era when everyone is sharing as much as they can online, doing it professionally almost feels like cheating. In Jackie’s experience, however, sharing on the level of people who get the influencer status isn’t like regular posting, tweeting, or updating one’s status.

“It takes courage to get started with this seriously,” she explains. “People will overthink, question, doubt, and end up paralyzed and without content. One of my greatest strengths has been not having that pause reflex and just going for it whenever I believe there’s something I should post. It takes guts, and it takes a level of confidence.”

The attention influencers get isn’t only the good kind of attention. Online discourse tends to swerve in a rude and abusive direction. As prominent members of online communities, influencers can act as lightning rods for such bursts. Unfortunately, that’s not the worst it gets – people will threaten, stalk, and try to harm influencers.

“When I was just getting my foot into the business, I had a situation where I was ambushed at school, in front of the students, and hurt,” Jackie Leigh recalls. “There’s been some contempt against me and the attention I was getting because of my online presence, which culminated with this. So I eventually started taking classes online because I didn’t want to go to a place where people could just jump me.”

The bad doesn’t end there, either. Even though Jackie Leigh doesn’t have these problems, spending that much time online and trying to look good can seriously erode people’s self-image. Competing against other young, good-looking people for attention online can leave lasting effects on people who are not grounded and strong in a particular way.

“People also forget there’s skill involved in becoming an influencer,” Jackie Leigh adds. “On TikTok, you have to be ready to identify trends and jump on them quickly. You should also know and understand your audience and develop something uniquely identifying you. So for anyone looking at online influencing or content creation as a profession or a passion, I’d just say – take it seriously, approach it like it’s work, but try to have fun, too.”