Last summer, in an uninspired and creative funk, I created an Instagram skincare blog. I’ve always been really into skincare and been the go-to person in my friend group for skin advice, but I never did anything more than talk their ears off about and spend WAY too much money on new launches. Because I was spending so much time on my phone, I started to see a ton of “skinsta” accounts and thought it would be a fun outlet for me to rant about products and focus all my skincare energy. As I approach almost a year of having this account, I’ve learned a lot about Instagram, PR, and the general ins and outs of navigating the content creator world. My account is still super tiny and intimate (with just around 800 followers), but here are some things I’ve learned that I think can be helpful for accounts of any size!
PR
I never thought I’d hear from brands as a small account, but I’ve had the chance to try out products from really cool, popular brands. The first PR opportunity I got came around when I was at about 600 followers, which is pretty crazy! I’ve learned that many brands are genuinely more interested in engagement and quality of content than many followers, promising for smaller creators. All of the opportunities I’ve received so far have been products sent in exchange for content (usually one-story post, one feed post). Typically, brands will send you one or more products and ask you to review them (honestly!) and post about them on your page. Some brands will ask you to submit photos beforehand, and some are okay with you just posting whatever. I’ve been contacted via my DMs and also my business email linked to my account. Whatever the offer might be, I suggest reading the details of any offers and asking as many questions as you can! This step is critical when working on paid opportunities with brands.
Creativity!
I’ve never been the most creative photographer or artist, but playing around with photos on my account has been super fun. Most of my photos are pretty simplistic, but I enjoy taking the time to set up lovely backdrops, find good lighting, and arrange products to get that perfect shot. Many creators have a specific “theme” on their feeds, whether color schemes or particular layouts. I don’t stick to a specific theme on my page. I touch up the lighting on photos using photoshop, but other than that, I don’t do much else! I’ve found that this works best for me, but I also think that having a super creative and intricate editing style is fantastic to see. I’ve had a fun time taking more artsy photos, like texture shots, and participating in trends that I’m seeing from my online friends.
Instagram Ins & Outs
Since I started my account, a lot has changed with Instagram, from reels to shopping features and overall layout changes. Unfortunately, a lot of people have seen these changes negatively impacting the reach of their content. I keep tabs on my Instagram insights and track the best days and times where my followers are active. I’ve found that using hashtags has been pretty effective in increasing engagement on my posts. I use 4-6 specific hashtags for the products/brands in my posts and a longer list of more general hashtags that deal with the skincare community. Usually, around a quarter of my likes and comments come from people who found my post through hashtags. The remaining people come from people I engage with regularly. Because I’m in school full time and have a few internships, I usually dedicate just a few days a week to “engagement” and connecting with people that have similar interests to me. Being genuine has allowed me to connect and engage with really amazing people who always show mutual support on my page.
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The biggest piece of advice I can give is to be real and post what you enjoy because your authenticity will show through and appeal to everyone! I’m not so worried about numbers and analytics, which has let me enjoy posting and keeping up with my page. I love the little zkincare community I’ve created and am excited to see where it goes this year!
If you’re curious and want to see more about my experience as a skincare content creator, find me at @zkincare :)