Hi All! Thanks so much for tuning in again to the third interview of our series! We have been lucky enough to get in contact with a few instagram 'influencers', providing us with great insights into the business aspect of managing blogs, instagram pages, and some tips and tricks to get started! Keep reading on to learn from our third influencer, Shania!
A bit about Shania...
Shania has a passion for fashion and styling and has grown her following with her unique content to over 24,000 followers! Shania inspires many young girls with her realistic and attainable content that allows her to really develop connections with her audience. In doing so, Shania has grown her following and begun working with brands to develop her content further. To learn a bit more about how Shania began her journey on instagram and some of her top tips read on!
Some of Shania's content:
Via Instagram - @shanikufner_ https://www.instagram.com/shaniakufner_/?hl=en
In your fashion and lifestyle based content, why do you believe that people would prefer to follow you over someone with a larger following? I feel that people may prefer to follow me over someone with a larger following as I am more connected to my followers, I’ll actively speak to them, reply to comments etc and that might give them more of a connection to me than to someone with a larger following. I also feel that there aren’t many content creators with a more realistic body type like mine, so people may choose to follow me for some more realistic inspiration rather than getting inspiration from someone they feel they’d never be able to look like.
What encouraged you to get started on instagram? I’ve always been passionate about fashion and styling, so it made sense to start capturing that and posting it on Instagram. I was too self conscious to start posting stuff on Youtube, so I thought Instagram would be easier as you don’t have to speak to the camera and the content is a lot easier to create. I also really wanted to get free clothing from brands, so that was a big incentive for me to give this a shot and start trying to make something of myself on Instagram.
Do you work with brands? If so, how was your experience? Yes I do work with brands, It’s a really good experience. It started out with just free clothes in return for posts, and has advanced to actually working with brands on a paid basis to promote their clothing/accessories/footwear etc. Brand reps are super nice and it is nice to build relationships with brands that I used to shop with and could never of imagined being able to work with.
What would you recommend to someone who was just starting on instagram? I’d recommend to stay true to yourself, post what you genuinely love and don’t feel the need to conform to social norms. Don’t expect the progress to be fast, it’s a slow grind to make something of yourself on Instagram, I still have so far to go, but it is worth the time. Create content that is consistent and eye catching and that will attract people to your account and make them want to stay.
What do you like the most of being an influencer? As I mentioned above, I love being able to build relationships with brands that I used to shop with and could never of imagined being able to work with. It’s great to not have to pay for my clothes anymore, and helps me save that money to use on other things. I love being able to inspire girls that don’t fit the ‘norm’ on Instagram that have realistic body types, and encourage them to feel confident to wear whatever they want, regardless of their body type. I think there is a serious need for more realistic looking girls on Instagram, and I’m proud to be one of them and to relate to so many of my followers in that aspect.
So... what can we take away from Shania's advice?
Be real... be confident!
As Shania mentioned, people choose to follow her because she encourages realistic body standards. This resonates with an audience who can't achieve the unrealistic standards set for young girls by many large influencers who edit and enhance their bodies. If you have an interest in fashion or styling, every body type needs to be represented, and you could appeal to a large audience by being more real and confident!
Instagram is a great place to start...
Much like Shania, you may find interests in different platforms, but Instagram is a great place to start! You can let your content speak for itself!
Relationships with brands is key...
It is essential that you establish and build trusting relationships with brands. Much like Shania, you won't earn money immediately, but posting products to promote brands and getting in touch to start establishing these relationships is the only way you can get yourself out there! Then you can continue to just grow from there.
Stay original!
Being unique and yourself, not conforming to social norms will stand out and attract audiences that want to establish a real connection with you. Progress may be slow but it is better to remain true to yourself and grow a positive platform that will eventually become rewarding. Stand out against the crowd!
Thank you so much to Shania for taking the time to give us some incredible insights into the world of Instagram, and her experience as an 'influencer' working with brands and creating inspiring content!
Was this blog helpful? If you're interested in more of the interview series, let us know who'd you like to hear about next in the comments!
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