Even though bloggers or influencers have been around for a while now…I think the idea of this career is still slightly confusing or mysterious to people (which I totally get. I sometimes feel the same way lol). Whenever I do q&a’s on IG stories, I get SO many questions about blogging, my job, tips for getting into this field, etc…So, today I thought you guys might enjoy learning 5 things about being an influencer that you might not know! I want to peel the curtain back a bit on some questions y’all might have and let you into my world a little more!
1. #ad does not mean #untrue
I’m always really surprised when I will post an IG story that has #ad on it…to receive responses from people asking “do you actually like this product?” I think so many of you will see the #ad and automatically think ‘she’s getting paid to say this so it’s not even true’. I can’t speak for other influencers but for myself…that could not be further from the truth! Here’s the best way I know how to explain it:
Think of some of your favorite brands – whether it’s in the fashion, beauty, fitness world…or something else. For me, what comes to mind: Free People, Lululemon, Sephora, Nordstrom, Madewell, etc. Imagine one of these brands you absolutely love and use or wear almost every single day…and then one day, you get an email from said brand and they are offering to pay you to promote their products you are already using and loving in a daily basis! It’s honestly such an honor and always feels like a ‘pinch me dream job’ moment! I share things with you guys every single day that I love – a new face mask, a great pair of denim shorts, what breakfast I’m loving…sometimes I get paid to share some of these things with y’all, and sometimes I don’t! But whether the instagram post or story is paid or not…I never share things with you guys that I do not genuinely love and support with every fiber of my being!
Again, I can’t speak for every influencer out there. But, I hope you are following people that you trust! I get offers from brands almost every single day that I turn down, if they aren’t products I really love or believe in. The brands I say yes to…I say yes because I love the company, their product, their mission, and it’s something I genuinely want to share with you guys!
2. “days off” don’t really exist, unless you make them exist
Prior to COVID, travel was a very big part of our lives / my blog! I love it and miss it a ton. For those of you who have been following me for a while, it probably looked like I was just jet setting from one luxurious vacation to the next! Which is partially true and it’s a part of my job I truly love. BUT, what you might not see is that these “vacations” are 80% work, 20% play haha. I am definitely not complaining and LOVE getting to work from anywhere. But, Michael and I spend a TON of time shooting on these trips. We are either shooting for upcoming campaigns I have coming up and/or shooting content for the resort collaboration and/or shooting outfits for me to share with you guys. If I ever go on a trip that is ‘free’, the resort has a ton of requirements for the content I need to create for them – a specified number & type of photos, required hashtags, etc. So on these trips we typically have a meeting with the marketing manager of the hotel, we shoot content, submit content for approval, etc. It’s a blast, but it’s also a lot of work!
Even when I’m not traveling…it’s really hard for me to ‘not work’ on the weekends. There are still blog posts that need to get written, emails that need to be answered, photos that need to be shot, stuff I want to share with you guys, etc. Part of this is because I LOVE my job as an influencer! These things are FUN for me and I love connecting with you guys! But, just like with any job, it’s so important to take time off, take time to rest, unplug, be with family, and not work. This is true for anyone who is an entrepreneur or business owner – not just influencers. Work never really stops, unless you consciously make it stop.
The longer I’ve been doing this full time, the better I’ve gotten about truly taking weekends off and setting other boundaries up between work and life! But it’s a daily struggle!
3. this isn’t a one man show!
Again, I can’t speak for every influencer. I’m sure there are plenty of bloggers out there running their businesses completely alone. However, I’ve found that’s usually not the case and it’s not the case for me! It’s easy to assume I work alone since you really only ever see my face on my blog + instagram. But, there’s no way I could do this job well and still be a mom and wife and friend without the help of my team! I personally have one full time assistant, a management team, someone who helps with my SEO, and a husband who also helps with taxes / payroll, photography, and some tech stuff as well. Other than Michael (obviously) I don’t necessarily see my team every single day, but we are in constant communication via text, phone, zoom, or email almost 7 days a week! I am so beyond thankful for the help, input, and creativity they all provide!
4. The constant fight to develop “thick skin”
As an influencer, you are choosing to put yourself and your life out there on the internet for thousands of people to watch, judge, critique, admire, or whatever else they want to do with it. I used to always tell girls who wanted to get into this career that you have to develop thick skin, because people can be so brutal. I remember the very first mean comment I ever got, when I had just been blogging for a few months. It ripped me apart! I was so devastated. The comment was about my physical appearance and it 1) hurt my feelings 2) blew me away that someone could leave such a mean comment about me in such a public way and they don’t even know me!
Since then…my skin has definitely gotten much thicker! People can / will make rude comments about my appearance all the time and those don’t really bug me anymore haha. I’m able to just shake it off and move on. BUT…other types of comments that go beyond physical appearance can still cut me pretty deep / mess with me more than they should. I’ve learned that it’s not about ‘developing thick skin’. For me…it’s about daily being in the Word first thing in the morning. Spending time with Jesus and filling my mind with the TRUTH about who HE says that I am. It’s about finding my security in Christ’s love for me and learning to stand firm and boldly in that!
During seasons of my life where I wasn’t as consistent with spending time with God first thing in the morning…people’s comments got to me WAY more. But when I start my day off with Jesus, filling my mind with His truth and who He says that I am…I’m able to brush off rude comments and not let it deter my mood or security. And actually pray for these people who are being hateful.
ALL that to say: something about being an influencer that you might not know…yes, you have to develop thick skin. But, the way I do that is by standing firmly in the truth of who Jesus says that I am, and striving to please HIM above all else.
5. I wake up everyday and thank God for giving me this job + platform
Just like every job, there are ups and downs to being an influencer. I definitely have days where I just want to get off all social media, stay in bed and not work, not have my life be so public, etc. But overall, day in and day out, I cannot put into words how THANKFUL I am for this job and for you guys! I will never forget, summer of 2014 when I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt God was calling me to a career change, into “blogging” full time. I absolutely LOVE what I do. I love putting together outfits to share with you guys, I love sharing new skincare products that have greatly improved my skin, or a workout that I know will help you guys look and feel stronger. Books I’m reading that have encouraged my heart. A new recipe Michael and I tried and loved. And your DM’s telling me that you bought a book I suggested or tried a recipe I shared or bought an outfit from me and how happy those things made you…it means the world to me! I love doing what I do so much and it truly is such an honor to have you follow along with my life, both here and on instagram!
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I hope this post helped shed some light into this career called blogging! Again, I can never put into words how thankful I am for this community and y’alls support! Let me know if you have any other questions I can answer for you guys in the comments below!
Thanks for reading and I hope y’all have a great weekend!
xo Lauren
