infiltrend-logoInfiltrend Agency White
  • About
  • What we do
  • Our Work
  • Contact

First Guest Interview

July 24, 2017infiltrend

First Guest Interview

In the last few years, the word influencer has spread like wild fire amongst most marketing strategy discussions. We now hear of 18year olds considering the influencer route as a career choice.

Being an influencer is tough work. Many started out using blogs or social media platform, which are the main tools for influencers, as a way to release their creative juices. They perhaps did not expect that over time,  they would become key factors in the digital and content marketing sphere. Their favourite brands are now reaching out to them to collaborate as part of their marketing strategies.

But this has happened, and rightly so. As we know, influencers have the attention of an audience. That audience is made up of potential customers and customers of a brand in the same industry.

Influencers who have a serious blog and large following are busy. They are busy maintaining their authenticity as an influencer, they are busy managing the content they plan to post, they want to retain and acquire a loyal audience and in the meantime, they need to manage their brand relationships. It’s a lot of work but they do now form part of the content marketing era and they are a communication strategy that works.

At Infiltrend, we hand-pick influencers. Our influencers are all well versed with the influencer marketing terminology and the world that comes with it. They are also really passionate about the community they have built and content they produce.

Each month we will highlight a different influencer to learn about how they started, and how they have managed to gather and keep the following that they have while maintaining an offline life too.

Our first interview is with Kate from Cheltenhamanman, she is a lifestyle and parenting influencer.


Chelthenhammaman Guest Interview

1. To someone reading this, how would you describe CheltenhamMaman?

CheltenhamMaman is an on and offline community of mothers with the website www.cheltenhammaman.co.uk as it’s hub. The site offers a blog which is open to all mums to contribute to, it offers events on all subjects motherhood, business and style and it is also a notice board for services that are available to make the lives of mums locally fuller, better and easier.

2. When and why did you start CheltenhamMamana?

I set the site up in June of 2016 as a potential alternative to my full-time job in the NHS. I had just had my third baby and was determined to find a way to make work work for my family and inspired by Mothers Meeting in London I set to work to create something similar yet unique in my home county of Gloucestershire.

3. You have now created a community not just a blog, was this your initial intention?

To be honest there was no intention initially. I planned a launch event with Mother Pukka as the guest speaker where we would debate whether mums really can have it all and beyond that I had no real strategy. I spent a year being open to every opportunity that came my way and the result is that this safe bubble of motherhood has emerged really authentically responding to what people around me seem to want rather that what I thought they needed

4. Did you have any previous experience to help you with the journey that CheltenhamMaman has taken you on?

As I said I worked in the NHS as a GP Practice Manager. I have some HR skills and experience which helps me to coach other women to be the person they want to be but most importantly it just taught me to get on with it. I’m pretty decisive when it comes to work and I don’t ruminate over my ideas for too long. If I think something might work I just get on with it – the worst thing that can happen is that it fails and though that hurts briefly – you learn from it so it’s not really all that bad

5. Do you see a difference between the content you post on your blog and content you post on social media?

Yes I do. My Instagram account is definitely more about me and I share a lot more of myself than I do on the blog or on my Facebook. I’m unique in that I mainly operate as a business but I do some micro influencing on Instagram and on the blog. I’m just open to all avenues really and my audience seems to have accepted that in order for me to do all of the things I do for them for free (weekly buggy walks in the park, formatting the four blogs a week that are just experiences of motherhood) I have to earn a living by working with brands who fit into my niche area.

6. Do you plan your content at all? Does the planning vary from blog to social media platforms?

I plan very little. I really like my social media to be fresh and current and an accurate reflection of how I am feeling. I publish new content most days of the week and I share it as soon as I’ve published it so I don’t feel the need to schedule. I know scheduling works for some but at the moment it’s not for me.

7. Although I know the answer to this, what are you favourite social media platforms and why?

I love Instagram 97% of the time but have to be careful to drag myself out of the vortex of it from time to time and spend more time in the real world! I don’t enjoy being on Facebook personally but it is the main driver of traffic to my site and therefore the main generator of my income so I spend a lot of time on it and respect its power even if it’s not my preferred platform. Twitter ….. oh I struggle with Twitter – in fact I’ve just outsourced it to a recently graduated Digital Mum and she’s doing a fabulous job as I have no idea what I’m doing over there.

8. Has social media helped with your growth?

Absolutely. When I collaborate with other organisations they often ask me if I will get flyers printed and distribute them for our joint events and they are surprised when I say that I’ve never needed to do this. I generate all of my income via social media. It’s free and if you get it right your message can go viral so I don’t feel the need to market myself anywhere else.

9. What inspires you and how do you remain creative?

I’ve always loved to write and over the years I’ve started and not finished many books. Blogging is the perfect creative outlet for me as I can create with words and mini stories without needing to commit to a huge project. Writing comes naturally to me and once I get going I don’t have to think too much about the words – they just come.

10.Do you have any tips for growing an audience and keeping it?

I post a lot. I remember one of my friends (when I had just started) commenting that I was very prolific on social media – I think she was implying that she thought I was losing my mind and I know there are people out there who think exactly that. If you want to succeed in this game though you have to keep putting yourself out there and learn to ‘talk’ to your perfect audience. Don’t create your posts with a filter of what you think people want to see; picture your perfect reader, your ideal customer and just write/post for them and keep at it. It will build slowly but surely. People can smell a lack of authenticity and it’s the quickest way to lose an audience – just be yourself. Not everyone will love you but some people will – those are the only people that matter.

11. How do you balance your online life with your outside life? Do you ever feel you need a digital detox?

Not very well. In fact, I’ve been having some help with this from a professional coach. She’s suggested I schedule a four-day digital detox every month and I think it’s a really good idea as I do struggle to switch off. When it’s your own business it’s very easy to think you have to constantly push it forward and onwards – If I don’t post on social media people don’t buy tickets to my events or read the blog or do any of the things I need them to do to earn my living, but switching off every now and again is so important. It recharges your creative batteries and also just reminds you of why you’re doing it all! I started this out of a desire to spend more time with my family – there’s no point in it if I’m constantly staring at a screen.

Previous post Influence your way to new customers Next post How to become an Infiltrend influencer

Fancy a chat?
Drop us a line.

Email
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Contact
© Infiltrend 2022. All rights reserved
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Read More ACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT