Over the weekend, the ESSENCE GU Disruptor Summit gathered the Internet’s biggest influencers for a conversation about the steps they took to turn social media into their full-time careers. Halie Rose, Alicia Scott, and Kayla Nicole inspired attendees to upgrade their online presence and leverage their social platforms for success.
Moderated by GU’s Managing Editor Danielle Wright and entrepreneur Raven Tracy, the conversation touched on whether visual aesthetics can make or break a person’s feed. In a digital era where presentation matters, Nicole chimed in on how she doesn’t abide by that notion. Instead, she explained how she approaches her feed with minimal effort. At most, the influencer revealed that she focuses on switching up the thumbnails on her Instagram profile.
“Mine is just random,” Nicole tells GU. “It’s sporadic. But that also reflects my brand and the authenticity I try to lead with on social media. You have to find what works for you.”
On the other hand, Tracy shared that creating an aesthetically pleasing page for her clothing brand contributes to the success of her business. As owner of Body by Raven Tracy, the designer has cultivated an online community of 204K supporters whom she calls her Body Babes. Whether it be sending out mass text threads with personal messages or uplifting her supporters by posting inspirational quotes, connecting with her audience is her priority.
“People like to feel connected to something, and I’m not just trying to push clothes,” Tracy says. “It’s sisterhood, it’s creative, it’s community. It’s the whole thing. It all goes hand in hand for me.”
Scott, the founder and CEO of Range Beauty, has learned how to utilize trends that work for her brand. Because social media constantly changes, the entrepreneur encouraged the crowd to engage in trends that align with the message that they’re trying to convey to their audience.
“You don’t need to follow every trend,” Scott says. “Every trend isn’t going to make sense for your page, audience, or brand…Find the ones that make sense for you and what you’re delivering so that your audience and customers aren’t confused.” Nicole also added that following other accounts can help with staying informed on different trends and inspire ideas for creating content.
The conversation took a turn to address the darkside of being influencers. As motivating as social media can be, it can also be toxic— which the panelists know firsthand.
They highlighted the importance of mental health and knowing when to log off the apps. A social media break can take different forms. Deleting the platforms for a period of time is one route people take to distance themselves. Others may keep the apps but log out of their accounts to avoid temptation. Regardless of what a “break” looks like, the panelist urged attendees to put their well-being first.
“Take that space to care for you because that’s the most important,” Nicole says. “You only get one life, body and mind. Take care of that first.”
Rose, creator of the social group Strictly For The Girls, jumped in, adding, “No response is the best response. There’s just nothing to respond to when you get negative energy. These people are probably not even anywhere and, most likely, they want to be where you are. Nine times out of ten, that’s where it comes from.”
When it comes to balancing their personal and professional brands, Rose shared how she’s realized it takes separating the two. “I realized that separating my personal brand with my business and what I show to the Internet is important,” she continues. “I’m always going to be myself online, but my peace and family are everything.”
Underneath the large following counts and likes, the influential powerhouses reminded the crowd that social media is their job, not their entire personality. “This [social media] is not who you are as a whole person,” Scott says. “Make sure you remember that. Also, tap into other things.”
Nicole adds: “You’ll be surprised how much inspiration you find outside of the app in the real world with real people that you’re trying to appeal to online.”