Accountable by Influence

Accountability has been a recent topic between me and other blogger friends. After being invited to speak to the youth at a church, it hit me how accountable we are as influencers. I mean do you really know who is watching you? Yes many analytics tools will tell you who your audience is, but do you know who the small 5% are for example?

I spoke to the youth about my day job in digital marketing, and my night job as a budding influencer. The audience ranged from kids as 8 up until adults as old as 29. When I asked “who is your favourite influencer or blogger?” They all said “Patricia Bright“, whom I also respect for her work and successes. There are a handful of influencers who are women of colour, who are presented with the same opportunities as she has. Which as an industry needs to change, however Patricia Bright has paved the way. We need to see more influencers of colour being featured in campaigns and getting the same equal opportunities.

As an influencer, who is influencing people of any age, your audience is watching you. They are watching the message you are putting out there, and in cases aspiring to experience the same success as you.

Accountable by Influence 3 - Top Shop Skirt, Zara leather jacket and Malone Souilers Donna metallic shoes - Style and the Sass

Why are we Accountable as Influencers?

By definition, to have ‘influence’ is the capacity to have an effect on the behaviour of someone or something. Influencers born out of the digital world and social media, have the power to influence customers at the various stages of the buying cycle. Hence the boom in influencer marketing. The development of an ancient marketing tactic of word-of-mouth, amplified thanks to social media, influencer and amplifiers and our need to consume content.

So as an ‘influencer’ do you know who you are influencing? Are you aware of the messages you are putting across? How young are the people watching you, and why? Do you know how your audience is being influenced by you? Truth of the matter is… you may never be too sure. However these questions are key to bare in mind. I wondered why on earth an 8 year old would be watching YouTube channels, on topics they may not be able to relate to. But I realised that influencers are becoming celebrities in their own right. Young people are aspiring to be like them. Young people now wake up saying “I want to be a full-time blogger”, not a vet or an archeologist (as I once thought haha!). It’s a career that young people now aspire too work in, and there isn’t an age limit to get started!

In a previous post (6 Months Blogging), I mentioned that a career as a full time blogger or influencer is a career opportunity that comes to you. You can’t wake up and expect to be an influencer, and make money. Blogging is a slow burner, and it takes time to build a successful blog, hence why roughly 90% of bloggers quit*. Blog, make YouTube videos, curate aesthetically pleasing feeds and create content out of your passions. If money and the flashy lifestyle and press trips to LA is your motivation, you will give up pretty quickly. After all, the influencers who inspire us like Patricia Bright are where they are today, because of their passion, authenticity and consistency.

Accountable by Influence 4 - Top Shop Skirt, Zara leather jacket and Malone Souilers Donna metallic shoes - Style and the Sass

My Manifesto & What to Expect From Me

I recognise I’m accountable and responsible as a budding influencer. Accountable for the things I say and do, that may influence someone. I aim to use my testimony and what I share of my life to inspire females.

I want to let people know that it doesn’t matter about your past, or what you been through. You can achieve anything. You can also get through anything. I’ve had some tough, horrible times in my life and when I look back, I can’t believe I made it. So I will try to share more of this as I’m led, after all I don’t know who I may encourage.

Lastly I aim to share my passions; fashion, beauty and my faith. So don’t be surprised if one minute I’m talking about my new Prada handbag, and the next how faithful God has been by reason of my tithes. I want to share this and inspire people to know how to put a simple outfit together. In addition, why it’s important to be yourself, and that it’s okay to embrace change. This blog won’t stay the same, but it will stay true to me. We are accountable by influence.