by Isabella Avila and Sophie Best.
Ever wondered what a day in the life of influencers really looks like? From early morning skincare routines to late-night content edits, their work is a carefully curated mix of creativity, strategy, and nonstop engagement. Influencers juggle brand deals, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes planning to keep their followers entertained and inspired. But beyond the picture-perfect feeds lies a daily grind filled with product testing, content creation, and business decisions. Let’s take a closer look at how influencers balance their life and work while using some of the trendiest products on the market.
Many influencers have spoken out about content creation being a full-time job! Beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueira has received backlash for pointing out the hours she spends working. On the other hand, Alix Earle has been outspoken about other jobs that come along with being an influencer. Although a main platform could be Tik Tok, she also posts on Instagram, Snapchat and films a podcast! It depends on the niche and content your favorite influencer posts, but here is a day in the life of an influencer!
6:30 AM – Rise and Shine
Most influencers start their day early, especially if they need to catch the best morning light for photos or film content before the day gets hectic. Many kick off their morning with meditation, journaling, or a quick workout to set the tone for a productive day. Fitness influencers are among the content creators that may wake up the earliest in order to film in an empty gym. Influencers plan their content schedule, review brand collaborations, and check their emails and messages from brands, managers, or followers.
9:00 AM – Shooting Content
This is where the magic happens. Whether it’s filming Tik Toks, recording YouTube videos, or taking Instagram-worthy pictures, content creation takes time and effort. Lighting, angles, and multiple takes are all part of the process. Some influencers batch content, filming multiple videos or taking several outfit photos in one session. Lifestyle influencer from Miami, Sophia Nepola, consistently will post a “GRWM” video followed by a video showing off her outfit for the night. That gives her 2 posts at least per day.
12:00 PM – Engagement and Community Building
Posting content is only half the battle. Engagement is key! Influencers spend time responding to comments, interacting with followers, and sharing relatable content. They also network with other creators, join collaborations, and participate in trending challenges to stay relevant. Many times, influencers will respond to comments a few minutes or hours after posting. Many influencers have tapped into treating comments with their audience as texts with friends, keeping a relatable brand.
2:30 PM – Brand Collaborations and Sponsored Content
Branded content is huge for influencers! On Tik Tok, brands can push out influencer content on ads and have potential to be seen by tens of millions of people. A major part of an influencer’s income comes from brand deals, and many will set aside time to create content specifically for brands. Many times, filming content for brands requires a trip to the post office to pick up packages from a PO box. This time also allows for influencers to review contracts with future collaborators.
4:00 PM – Editing and Post-Production
Filming is just the beginning—now it’s time to edit. Whether it’s color correcting photos, cutting clips for Reels, or adding captions to TikTok’s, this process can take hours. Many influencers use apps like Adobe Lightroom, Cap Cut, or Final Cut Pro to ensure their content looks polished and professional. Now, aside from Tik Tok and YouTube, some influencers do not spend as much time editing photos because day to day content on Instagram has become relatively casual, with many posting random photo dumps to give their audiences a closer look into their daily lives.
6:00 PM – Posting and More Engagement
Prime posting times often fall in the evening, when most followers are online. Influencers schedule or manually post content, then immediately engage with comments and shares to boost their post’s visibility. And don’t forget dinner! Cooking influencers, this time is for you! Cooking videos and even streams are super popular and have high “save rates” because people will use recipes later on, I know I do!
9:00 PM – Night Routine and Reflection
Winding down, influencers may do skincare, journal, or plan the next day’s content. They check engagement metrics, note what performed well, and tweak their strategies accordingly.
10:30 PM – Sleep (or More Content Planning!)
Though the work never really stops, influencers try to get a good night’s sleep to do it all over again tomorrow.
Products/platforms influencers use in their day:
- Ring lights and tripods
- Cell phones – to keep in contact, snap photos or mobile videos and upload!
- Computers like a MacBook or Dell laptops
- Planners or digital note keeping apps like Good Notes
- Google Calanders or Outlook
- Blue light glasses – to keep from getting headaches from working off a screen
- Active wear from places like Lululemon or Alo
- Wireless microphones like Rode Wireless GO, DJI Mic and Shure MV88+
- Vlog and picture cameras – many influencers favor the Canon G7X and Sony Zv-1
- Self-care products like candles, workout equipment, skincare products and reflection journals
Being an influencer isn’t just about snapping photos and making videos—it’s about consistency, creativity, and building a loyal audience. While the perks can be glamorous, like spending other days on brand trips or traveling, the dedication behind the scenes is what truly makes an influencer successful.
Would you want to live a day in an influencer’s shoes?
