Influencer Tips & Tricks

I have been blogging for over a year now. I can definitely say it has gone very fast and has been an incredible journey so far. Despite having a background in marketing prior to training to be a Teacher, blogging was not popular when I went to university. Neither was the concept of ‘social media marketing.’ I have learnt a lot in the last 12 months so I thought it would be a great idea to share my tips and tricks in collaboration with the Influence Network.

Digital Creator or Influencer?

I much prefer the term ‘digital creator’ than ‘influencer’ the reason being the role revolves around digital content creation including photography, videography and online content. In order to be successful creating good quality images and videos is critical. Especially if you want to collaborate with your favourite brands.

I have always had an interest in photography and videography. Ever since I was little, I have always wanted to have a professional camera. We first purchased one when our boys were little. We don’t have any professional photography training but there are many courses available online and this is something we are interested in the future

Photo editing is something I had never really tried before I had used Instagram. I started using the filters available on the app but have recently found some of my fantastic apps that come with a number of great presets. My favourite is ADOBE Lightroom but I also use VSCO. For video editing on my YouTube channel I currently use IMOVIE. For my phone I have been using VLLO. I spend a large amount of my time on editing as it is my favourite thing to do!

Building your socials

Building your social is key to becoming a successful Influencer. If you have great content that's always a good start but you have to 'market' your blog or page. Some people choose a social network to focus on and grow from there. When I first started the social network I used was Instagram. I love taking photos and it seemed a great way to share my love or photography, travel and teaching.

However, Instagram has an algorithm, which governs the way your posts are shown and appear in your feed. There are a few techniques and tips you can use to improve your reach. If you have an account on Instagram you can change your account to ' Creator Account' this allows you to see invaluable insights such as your reach. Key things are broken down such as audience demographics and how many impressions (views your photos has had). This is important as after a few weeks you can analyse your results and see which photos have performed well.

The importance of hashtags

Hashtags are so important! Instagram hashtags are very popular and the maximum number you can add to a post is 30. Some people use less but I always try to stick to 30. What hashtags shall I use to help my reach? There are so many and it can be quite confusing at first. If I have visited an area I might try and choose hashtags relevant to that area. For example we went to visit the Cotswolds recently so I would search the #cotswolds and instagram will have similar ones you can pick from there. Hashtags can also be used on Twitter, Facebook and don't forget Instagram stories, reels and IGTV.

Networking

There is no 'I' in team! I love this saying and it is very true. Working online can be very practical for a work life balance as a busy mum, but it can also be quite a lonely job too. There is a big community online of bloggers so it is really helpful to network and make new friends along the way. Working with PR agencies is very common online too and often if you work with a brand you won't be dealing with the brand directly but a PR agency representing the brand. Key questions I have found to ask are if there are any brand guidelines (instructions on how the copy and images should look). Also ask the timeframe required. Organisation is key, as it can get quite hectic if you are working for more than one brand at a time. I have a weekly planner so I know which days I am posting on each week.

Disclaimer-This post is a paid collaboration with the Influence Network all thoughts are my own. Any tips and suggestions are based on my own experience and are not a guarantee of success.

www.rowenasteachandtravel.co.uk