Recently, on an online marketing forum called Blackhat World, an anonymous user shared a case study of a successful project they are working on with an AI influencer. This is the latest example of the growing trend of using AI-generated characters as social media influencers. We've previously covered the case study of Aitana Lopez, an AI influencer created by a Spanish digital marketing agency that earns $11,000 per month.
For those unfamiliar, AI influencers are digital characters that are designed to look and act like real people, but they are powered by artificial intelligence. These AI-based influencers are gaining large followings on platforms like Instagram, and their creators are finding innovative ways to make money from their online presence.
In this article, we're going to take a close look at the case study shared by the anonymous marketer. We'll explain how they created this AI influencer, the strategies they've used to promote and market the character, and the $25,000 in revenue they've already generated so far. The article will also cover the marketer's plans to grow the AI influencer's earnings even further, with the goal of reaching $100,000 in revenue by the end of this year.
An example of an AI influencer
The idea
The idea for this AI influencer actually started out kind of by accident. The creator was browsing Reddit and exploring ways to use AI to automatically generate images for a blog they were working on. That's when they stumbled upon the amazing potential of AI-generated images.
Totally fired up by the possibilities, the creator decided to put the blog project aside and instead focus on creating their own unique AI model. They used a local version of Stable Diffusion, along with an easy-to-use Stable Diffusion interface called Comfy UI.
After about a week of testing out different settings, the creator was finally able to develop a marketable female influencer character with a consistent look - a set face and body type that they could work with.
The Instagram launch
After creating the AI model, the creator started up an Instagram account for their new influencer. Even though Instagram is already filled with AI influencers, this didn't discourage the creator at all.
At first, growing the account was kind of slow going. However, by connecting with other AI influencer accounts and using some effective social media growth tactics like SFS (Shoutout For Shoutout), they started to gain more and more followers.
It took about a month to reach that first 1,000 followers milestone. But then the next 1,000 came in really quickly, in just two weeks. And by the second and third months, the account had reached 10,000 followers.
The creator also established a presence for the AI influencer on Twitter, but that grew at around half the pace of the Instagram account. Instagram remained the main driver of traffic, accounting for 70-80% of the visits to the influencer's paid sites and content.
So they were really able to build up a solid following for this AI-powered persona, primarily through strategic growth on Instagram.
Exponential growth and engagement
As the AI influencer's online presence grew, the growth rate sped up. Right now, the Instagram account is gaining between 300 and 500 new followers every day, with some days even seeing over 1,000 new followers. The Twitter growth is a bit more unpredictable, but overall, the follower counts on both platforms are really impressive.
Currently, the creator says that the Instagram account has about 50,000 followers, and the Twitter account has between 15,000 and 25,000 followers. This large follower base shows how appealing the AI influencer is and how effective the creator's growth strategies have been.
Monetizing the AI Influencer
With a growing online presence, the creator focused on making money. The AI influencer makes money in different ways, mainly by selling adult content on platforms like Patreon and Fanvue.
On Patreon, a subscription-based site, the influencer earns between $2,500 and $3,000 per month. On Fanvue, an alternative to OnlyFans that allows AI models, they make around $1,000 per month. The creator also just launched a chatbot, which has brought in about $300 in its first month.
On top of that, the influencer has been getting a lot of tips from excited followers, which has added up to around $6,000.
The road to $100,000
In just 5 months, the AI influencer has already reached a quarter of the creator's $100,000 goal, earning a total of $25,000 so far. This strong start has motivated the creator to keep documenting the journey and sharing what they've learned with the online community.
By the end of 2024, the creator plans to be close to that $100,000 milestone. And based on the current growth rate, they're well on their way to hitting that target.
The creator's openness to answer questions and provide transparency has earned them support and enthusiasm from other entrepreneurs and AI enthusiasts.
Strategies for success
The AI influencer's success is due to a mix of strategic decisions and effective growth tactics. By taking a legitimate approach and avoiding bots or coding, the creator has built an authentic and engaging online presence. Networking with other AI influencers has been key for expanding their reach.
The biggest takeaway point in his case study is using the Shoutout For Shoutout strategy for social media growth.
We have seen this strategy being used to promote and blow up new accounts of OnlyFans models to the extent of some reaching 10,000 followers in one week. So this method is also viable for promoting AI influencers.
Finding and joining SFS online communities
The key to growing the account quickly is finding and joining SFS communities on Instagram. These are groups where influencers and models coordinate shoutout exchanges. You can search for terms like "OnlyFans SFS" or “Fanvue SFS” on Google to find them.
The typical SFS agreement is a "⅓" ratio - for every 1 shoutout you ask others to do, you have to reshare 3 posts from other members. This keeps it a fair, reciprocal arrangement.
Some SFS groups may have other rules to join, like sending a direct message or commenting on a post. Make sure you follow their guidelines to get approved.
To save time, you can use tools to automate the resharing process and ensure you're meeting the ratio. Or you can hire someone from within the SFS community to handle the outreach for you, usually for around $20/week.
The most important thing is to be consistent and persistent. Keep engaging with the SFS groups, following the ratio, and posting new content regularly. Over time, this will steadily grow the AI influencer's following and drive more traffic to their paid platforms.
The future of AI influencers
The success of this AI influencer shows just how much potential AI-generated online personas have when it comes to social media and making money. As AI technology keeps advancing, the line between virtual and real influencers is getting more and more blurred. The ability to create captivating, engaging digital personas opens up lots of new possibilities for creators, marketers, and businesses.
AI influencers offer a level of flexibility, scalability, and creative control that traditional influencers just can't match. As more creators explore this emerging field, we're likely to see a big increase in the number of AI influencers popping up across different niches and platforms.
