Hi all,
Hope everyone is getting ready for the summer!
Jody (@muaythaijody) is a skincare, beauty and makeup influencer in New Jersey. She reviews all kinds of beauty products and is an expert of these products. Read on to know how she started and some practical tips!!
Sections:
About Jody
Tips + Advice
Working with brands
About Jody
Tell us a little about your background. When did you start creating content? What got you to start?
I started creating content in 2016. I used to see people review things on Amazon for free and I wanted to do the same. At some point, Amazon made it against their Terms of Service and actually blocked (yes they blocked me) people from writing any reviews at all (my ban lasted over a year). At that point I started posting all my free item reviews on Instagram, I subscribed to subscription boxes so I could have content and also started doing YouTube unboxing videos.
Do you see creating content as your full-time job or more of a hobby that you do in your free time?
I have a full-time job but I consider this a part-time job as it takes up most of my free time and weekends.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced or you are facing as a creator/influencer?
Trying to stick out in a large pool of amazing, talented, beautiful content creators can be very challenging at times. I also find that taking pics of myself, by myself is very challenging!
Tips for other creators:
What kinds of tools do you use to stay consistent and active on your social media?
I use my iPhone to take pictures and videos, and I use InShot video editing software when I want to make a video.
What are some tips for creators who are just getting started?
Lighting is everything. Make sure you have good lighting when taking pictures. Natural sunlight is best. You can find many 'props' at the Dollar Store; white poster board is a good background and only costs $1, you can even get some fake flowers or seasonal decorations. Engagement is also key, responding to comments is important. If you don't have content to review, just review a product you already love and share it. Don't get discouraged, we all start at the same place (unless you're a Kardashian)!!
Do you have any specific goals set for yourself for the coming months?
Achieving my 4,000 hours of watch time on YouTube (feel free to watch all my videos) and becoming monetized is my current goal. I would also love to make some more long-lasting recurring partnerships with brands and host more sponsored content.
How do you balance your personal and work life?
My planner helps keep me organized so I can see what I need to do for the day. Siri helps me too with verbal reminders but if I am busy at work and away from my phone I don't hear them. A personal assistant would be nice!!
How did you “learn” the ways of content creation? Are there any resources you see as absolutely necessary?
This is really tough! I have read a lot on the internet and watched plenty of YouTube videos on this. There is a ton of information out there to sift through. It helps to keep up with the current trends on your platform and see what is popular. It's also important to keep up with the latest features of your platform. The most important thing you can do is be authentic and do you! I love to help new content creators because when I was a newbie starting out I didn't get much help at all. And after all this time, I am still learning new things!!
What kind of advice do you have for creators who are not seeing any progress or success?
Don't get discouraged! We all start with 0 followers and it takes a long time to get some decent engagement. Don't start this thinking that you can make enough money to support yourself right away, it's not going to happen. I still don't, but I am very passionate about what I do. Just keep doing what you are doing and most importantly, enjoy it!
What are some of the biggest misconceptions that people have about you that you’d like to address?
I think the biggest misconception is that I don't work, that I live a life of luxury, getting lots of products for free then simply take a pic, post it and that's it. It's much more than that. I actually work full time, I get up at 4 am every day, drive an hour to work (one way) so I have 10 hour days, then I come home and play catch up with my content creation. I really put a lot of time and effort into this, I research brands to see what they stand for and why they started their company, this is all-important to me. Sometimes it can take hours just to get one picture for a post. I also like to respond to all my comments which is important to me but also very time-consuming.
Working with brands:
What have you found to be the biggest challenge in working with brands?
The only challenge I've encountered is when a brand wants to approve your content before it goes live and they need a change. Also, some of the platforms I work on with brands are not user friendly.
What brands have you worked with in the past? What are some that you would like to work with?
I have worked with so many amazing brands like Ipsy, Pixi, Michael Todd Beauty, Spa Sciences, Artis, Peter Thomas Roth, Husquvarna, DermaE, Exuviance, Freshly and so many more. I would love to work with Dyson, Sephora, Ulta... there are so many!!
There have been many times over the years where I have been discouraged but I kept at it. I am so happy to have met so many other wonderful content creators throughout the years. I am looking forward to making new collaborations and continuing with my current ones this year!
Love,
Corcus Team
If you are interested in being part of this series, please email creator@corcus.io.