Emily For President x Influencer Collab
Always the influencee, never the influencer
I’ll say it: sometimes, I like to be influenced!! I like girlies telling me what new skincare product to try or where to find cute dresses that cost $300 that I won’t buy but will make up scenarios in which I desperately need them.
This week, I asked a bunch of my favorite micro- and bookfluencers (aka my friends ❤️❤️) to share their experiences, thoughts, gripes, and more with the rest of us simple people.
Please be prepared to be…under the influence.1
What is your @?
Jess, 41, she/her: @Jessisreadingbetweenthewines
Bella, 20, she/her: @bellasavignano
Teddy, 24, she/her: @from_teddy
Vanessa, 28, she/her: @vanessaferrans
Sherri, 34, she/her: @whatsherrireads
Diana, 23, she/her: @99livesofabookgirl
Alyssa, 25, she/her: @alyssavanars
Gill, 25, she/her: @oogillem
M, 23, she/her: Anon.
What inspired you to start your account/your influencing journey?
Jess: My love of reading and desire to talk to people who loved reading as much as I did.
Bella: I was 13 and all the kids were doing it. As for influencing, I do as much as I can through roughly one post per month. No clue how influencers post so much.
Teddy: As a type of diary accounting my life.
Vanessa: After moving from my country to a city I knew no one else besides my husband, I felt alone and craved to be a part of a community. Also, a lot of items in the markets were suddenly accessible to me. I grew up saving my allowance to buy overpriced American magazines with the new styles and current cool things knowing that I wouldn’t be able to buy them back home but that changed once I moved here and everything was sort of overwhelming.
Sherri: I had more to say about books than anyone in my real life wanted to hear about. Transferring my many bookish thoughts to social media seemed like a good move. Also not ashamed to admit—I am in it for the free books!!!
Diana: I wanted to start a bookstagram because I really wanted to connect with other readers. I've always loved reading and could talk about books for hours. When I came across this entire community of book lovers, it felt like the perfect place to jump in!
Alyssa: I worked in digital content and for an influencer in Atlanta where I learned what the whole shebang entails. I started getting emails for free things from brands I already loved and thought, “Why would I pay for things if I could just take a quick pic of them for free?”
Gill: If I’m spending money on things, I may as well try to make money off of it.
What are your short-term and long-term goals for your account?
Jess: I’m super happy where I am and am enjoying all the reviews and creativity I get to post. No major goals now, but when I started I wanted to get enough followers to get physical copies of books from publishers and I do now.
Bella: Short-term: look hot. Long-term: inspire rage and jealousy (kidding, mostly).
Teddy: I would love to see it grow into a visual diary of my life that I share with others. Short-term: a girl has got to start.
Vanessa: Short-term: try to keep up with the new things like reels and etc without letting it take control of my real life. Long-term: be able to create a community in which I’m in a position to uplift more Latin creators and immigrants starting from scratch in this country.
Sherri: This question makes me feel like a bad influencer since I haven't really made many goals. One short-term goal is to get to 5k followers, though that was also last year's short-term goal...
Diana: I'd like to hold myself accountable for being more consistently active on the account. Long-term: I'd like to continue growing my audience and connecting with more readers!
Alyssa: Short-term is to not care what anyone thinks and long-term is to not care what anyone thinks.
Gill: Short-term: grow followers. Long-term: brand partnerships.
What is the biggest misconception you get when you tell people you're an influencer?
Jess: I don’t tell people I’m an influencer. Maybe if I get a lot bigger I will.
Teddy: That it’s another venture everyone tries without putting thought behind it. Oh, and that it’s about vanity.
Vanessa: That I like taking pictures of myself or that I record everything. I probably should but I enjoy having something in the day that’s only mine. Also that all the free stuff that I receive is truly free when I honestly see it as work and things I have to use or try.
Diana: I don't really consider myself an influencer, but I feel like that term makes people think you're fake or trying too hard. For me, it's more about sharing my thoughts on books and connecting with readers versus promoting myself. In general, I feel like being an "influencer" is definitely misrepresented.
Alyssa: I don’t tell people this because people think it means I care more about making appearances than getting free stuff. I, in fact, enjoy the art of digital content and free stuff more so than the opinions and validation of others.
Gill: Honestly no misconception because everyone thinks influencers are self-absorbed with a spending problem and that’s exactly what I am.
What was YOUR biggest misconception about influencing?
Jess: How much effort it takes to post most days.
Teddy: How easy it was going to be. I really thought if you buy the right equipment, you were 90% done.
Vanessa: That just because a video went viral, I’m set, but no, it’s a lot of work plus editing takes soooooo much time. Also, that it’s an easy job when in reality you have to wear so many different hats and work way more hours than if you were working a real job. Plus, I get tired of listening to my own voice quickly.
Diana: Definitely similar to what other people think—that influencing is fake!
Alyssa: It’s fun—because it’s not always fun! Making anything you like your job in some capacity makes it way less fun. The obligation to post something takes away from the joy of doing whatever it is you’re doing, which is why I don’t actively try to grow my following.
Gill: Money came easy and posting did not take too long.
M: The biggest misconception is that it’s effortless. I had the pleasure of assisting an influencer who had a very detailed and organized calendar. Everything from her shoots or what PR event was showing up to that week was planned.
What is your overall relationship with social media like?
Jess: I only do Bookstagram. The other areas were getting too toxic.
Bella: Bad™—it has me in a chokehold. I deleted TikTok and my screen time went down by three hours per day.
Teddy: I limit my time interacting with larger accounts, but love smaller accounts showcasing their lives.
Vanessa: It’s a love/hate relationship. I get amazing comments about how I’ve helped people achieve a healthier relationship with their hair and also made some great friends along the way but I hate how we are supposed to be available all day every day. I can be outside having a great time with my family on a Sunday and then I receive a word email that I have to answer because at the end of the day I need to pay the bills and some things that can’t wait until tomorrow.
Sherri: Mostly positive. I primarily scroll and feel inspired, entertained, or educated by the posts I see. I hit that unfollow/mute button pretty fast if someone's feed gives me too many negative vibes. Though I hope to post consistently, I don't beat myself up about taking breaks and prioritizing my real-life relationships and responsibilities.
Diana: Love/hate. I personally like being able to connect with people and stay updated on others’ lives. At the same time, it can be so tiring and too much.
Alyssa: It’s gotten to such a good place. I still catch myself engaging in negative behaviors but I’ve found when I continue to remind myself that people’s socials are only a fragment of who they are, I take everything on a lighter note. I compare less and I enjoy it more. I also just love how people find new and innovative ways to express themselves and for most of our generation it’s through social media. I don’t think it’s always healthy, and that’s why balance is my number one buddy.
I don’t have notifications on for my social media and I try to post things (stories, etc) after the fact so I can enjoy what’s happening in the moment. Taking a picture for personal memory makes it mean more than taking a picture for others. that means that the value you found in it wasn’t just for show.
Gill: I still spend too much time on it, and it definitely makes me hyper-fixate on my flaws (she’s skinnier, she has cooler clothes, she has clearer skin, etc) but I still enjoy my time on it.
Is there a science to influencing? What helps some people blow up quickly while others pay their dues for a lot longer?
Jess: Making voice-over reels seems to work the best on bookstagram.
Teddy: The more unique or niche your content is the faster it moves through those communities and then mainstream.
Vanessa: I think it comes down to being authentic nowadays. There are so many people out there with the same content and the same look, it’s way more than looking a certain way—it’s hard work, discipline, and consistency. And also knowing your worth.
Sherri: If there is, could someone please let me know what it is?! I think consistency is key—both in actually posting regularly and also in keeping a uniform voice in the content you're sharing.
Diana: I think consistency is key! Similar to selling books, it takes someone on average 7 times to truly remember a book and look to buy it. When creating a blog community, you want to be posting content consistently and engaging with your audience. Additionally, giveaways always help gain followers and views quickly!!
Alyssa: If you want to be a clickbait monster, that’s a sure way to blow up. But if you don’t, most people just won’t find you all that interesting or different and that’s just fine by me.
Gill: I really think a lot of it is just like exposure. Just like you can hate a song the first time you hear it on the radio but love it by the 50th time you hear it in a week— influencing is similar. Eventually, you grow to like someone or something because they are just everywhere you turn.
M: I feel like there is a science to influencing. I have done a few social media and marketing internships for fashion brands and they do countless hours of market research and storyboard planning before even posting a story. It’s a very strike when the irons hot thing, like doing a trendy TikTok dance or using a very popular sound might make you blow up. Social media is more data and numbers-based than we might think.
What are some roadblocks you've faced while growing your presence?
Jess: If I support causes I lose followers who don’t agree with my beliefs.
Teddy: Motivation—when you don’t go viral immediately, it takes a toll.
Vanessa: My accent. I mispronounced the word “comb” on my most watched video (1. something million views) and people definitely let me know… also only accepting $100 from companies for basically doing a whole campaign and giving them my left kidney because I didn’t know the market.
Sherri: Algorithms and Instagram's focus on reels. Although it's easy to blame low engagement on these factors, another personal roadblock is time. I haven't dedicated the time to growing my following like I did when I initially started.
Diana: The Instagram algorithm!! It's hard to get your posts to everyone because things get hidden! Still don't know how to fix this.
Gill: I get embarrassed sometimes LOL
What is the number one thing you'd love to change about influencer culture?
Jess: The Instagram algorithm.
Teddy: Overconsumption of goods. I’d love to see more people reusing what they have at home.
Vanessa: If we could help each other more but unfortunately a lot of influencers don’t share their knowledge with the ones that are starting which sucks because that ends up damaging the market for everyone since there’s always someone who’ll do the job for $20 and a Starbucks gift card.
Diana: Having it be accepted as a more honest and genuine community.
Alyssa: Photo-focused spots—going places just to take a picture of it. Coachella has some of the best music in the world and y’all are sleeping on it to catch the right picture. Learn when to put your phone down and what it means to actually influence. I don’t aspire to be like someone who pays thousands of dollars to miss Doja Cat live.
Gill: Changing the face of influencer culture and also promoting accountability. So many influencers’ whole platform is built on body checking while simultaneously saying, “I just nourish my body how I want to and no restrictions and everything’s great I don’t have an eating disorder I just eat clean :)” but you can also see right through it and see the disordered behavior.
By showing that the prettier and skinnier girlies are popping off most consistently, I think we’re getting the second wave of eating disorder Tumblr.
What is your favorite part of influencer culture?
Jess: The community.
Teddy: Seeing the varied lives people live.
Vanessa: Meeting people all around the world and being able to connect with brands as one day, I’d love to have a brand of my own.
Diana: Sharing!! Finding like-minded people to talk books with :)
Alyssa: No more gatekeeping!! I love discovering new products and influencing today seems to be about sharing the latest and greatest.
Gill: Honestly I just love keeping up. I heard someone say once that the second you stop keeping up with the TikTokers and influencers and social media figures that have become today’s youth’s big celebrities, that’s when you’re old. So ya I am a 25-year-old woman who used a Lil Huddy song to teach a spin class because I need to maintain my youth.
Is there anything not addressed by these questions that you'd like to add?
Bella: I would like to add that the concept of someone being an "influencer" as a sole title is absolutely mind-boggling to me. Like, the concept of a very successful fashion journalist being a fashion influencer makes sense because through their work as a journalist, they're ultimately influencing what people see, buy, etc.
But setting out to influence people to buy things for no other reason than being paid to do so is so dystopic. Very much capitalist hellscape. And that's not a criticism of the individuals doing it, because we do ultimately live in a capitalist hellscape and that's a pretty fun way to pay the bills, but jeez, the system is wack.
Vanessa: I feel like everyone wants to be an influencer now and get free things but I believe that anónimos [anonymity] is the biggest luxury nowadays. In a perfect world, I’d love to be the person behind the business and not in front of it because then my image and how I look are not attached to it.
If you gain weight or have a full-blown acne breakout (which I did) everyone lets you know about it as if you weren’t judging yourself the whole 5 hours you spent editing that video and debating if it was good enough to upload or not. I ended up doing so because it felt real… just to be torn down being told to drink more water to fix my skin. It takes a lot to put yourself out there.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this!!! They’re all so amazing and cool and you should check out each of their accounts!!
Don’t act like you wouldn’t have made the exact same joke in my shoes!!