community*
Teri-Jane Row Instagram: @choosearow Facebook: Choose a Row www.choosearow.com
Teri-Jane started her blog during a difficult time in her life. “I was battling with infertility, and needed an outlet, to reach out and share my thoughts with like-minded people,” she says. “When it seemed like all was lost, I gave up. It was only when I was pregnant with my daughter that the flame to write and share was ignited again.” While pregnant with her first child, Teri-Jane lost her mom to cancer. “I felt lost as a new mom, and I reached out to other moms from all over the world and found a community of women who supported me – and I them.”
When it seemed like all was lost, I gave up. It was only when I was pregnant with my daughter that the flame to write and share was ignited again” “The whole point of social media is to be ‘social’ and not just post photos,” says Teri-Jane – who found her voice again and felt inspired to share her journey. TeriJane’s posts are focused on parenting, her own journey as a mom, travels, social media tips and products she and her
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family love and recommend. Although anyone can become an influencer, it all comes down to the quality of posts and the level of engagement you get from your audience. “Marketing agencies like to work with influencers as they are able to review their products and reach audiences in an authentic way. Within the community influencers are able to help small businesses reach new markets by sharing their products in a unique way, or within the home environment. “People will follow you because you resonate with them, and brands will want to work with you if they believe you fit their target audience and can promote their products effectively,” continues Teri-Jane. “I think I have an advantage in some areas, as I come from a marketing background
review. But there are a lot of costs involved – such as website hosting fees, the camera/phone you use, the extra items you may buy for a shoot, and boosting of posts to reach a bigger audience. There’s also the time you put into it – from conceptualising the post and taking the photo or video, to writing the caption and then engaging with your audience and answering all the questions you may get on that campaign.”
Find your
VOICE
KATRINE ANKER-NILSSEN CHATS TO FOUR LOCAL INFLUENCERS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY and run social media pages for businesses. I am able to understand the business side of being an influencer, and the objectives of clients and what they would like to achieve from their campaigns.” Ninety percent of influencers in South Africa are not able to make a full-time living off being an influencer. “You can’t really pay your bills with a product exchange, but if you are lucky you may get paid for a campaign,” says Teri-Jane. “Paid campaigns are growing in momentum as agencies are realising the worth of influencers,” she continues. “Some people may not understand why an influencer would get paid and receive a product to
Diana Thompson
Instagram: @the_housewife_diaries Facebook: The Housewife Diaries www.thehousewifediaries.co.za “If I love a product and use it continually, I want the world to know how it is helping me in my everyday life,” says Diana – who strives to instil a trust in her followers on the subjects and messages sent out. “If you are successful in your stories, you will develop a relationship with your followers and receive positive feedback as they experience the same things you have shared. It’s not about how many followers you have, it’s more about the quality of the connection you have with your followers. “I do it for the love of it, and if I improve even just one person’s day, then I have had a positive influence – which means the most to me. After all there is no better referral than a referral from a friend, and I see my followers as my
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