Interview with Authority Magazine

5 ways to create a large and engaged social media community

I recently sat down with Journalist Karen Mangia to discuss 5 ways to cultivate a large & engaged social media community!
Currently, this interview is available on Authority magazines' website, but I would like to leave it here with some additional notes (and resources) for those looking to grow their social media presence in 2022.

K: This series of interviews examines the true nature of influence through conversations
with influential people. As a part of this series I had the pleasure of interviewing Ashley M Lands.

Ashley Lands has positioned her brand and network to be a premier resource for Luxury Brands thanks to the following of more than 100,000 loyal Followers and Blog Subscribers. Lands has been featured in Vogue Magazine, appeared on MTV, and has been interviewed by dozens of other notable publications throughout her career. Today, she spends a lot of time at home in New York City growing her Digital Marketing Agency — Stuff Oui Love.

Karen: Thank you for making time to visit with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. How did you discover your career path and what got you to where you are today?

Ashley: Having majored in Broadcasting and Journalism, I’ve always been intrigued by stories. However, my career trajectory brought me into contact with Fashion, and allowed me to experience the world of modeling. It was always the creative direction of a photoshoot that really appealed to me. I loved that aspect of the business. In my mind, I always envisioned building a business where I could develop artistic photoshoots and tell stories for brands. I can remember watching the photoshoots and advertising strategies happening on the show MadMen and thinking, “I would love to do that.”.

K: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned along the way that influences how you operate now?

A: I’d give anything if someone had yelled at me on the subway five years ago, “PICK A NICHE!” When it comes to influencers and content creators choosing a specific niche and becoming a top-paid expert in that field — the data is overwhelming. But what is a niche? ‘Fashion,’ is a ridiculously broad term. A fashion blogger who focuses on eco-friendly brands is much more defined. Fellow blogger Haley Ivers has an amazing article on How to find your Instagram Niche when you have too many interests, I highly recommend giving it a look!
You can niche anything, including a vibe or an “aesthetic” as everyone likes to say. ‘Preppy’ is an aesthetic, so is ‘Goth’. Either of these can be niched down into an art form. It’s just a matter of discovering your truest self and making that your thing!

K: What words of advice would you offer to aspiring influencers and content creators, knowing what you know now?

1. Take control of all media going across your platforms.
For me this meant learning Photoshop and Lightroom so I could edit both content shot for me, and material I shot myself. I actually outlined this journey visually in this video, I think the pictures speak for themselves!
In recent years, I have edited 95% of the images featured on my blog and Instagram. By having that skill set, I am able to create and express myself the way I want. Never undervalue the value of a skill set.

2. Diversify your Platforms (the places you share your content)
Having a website with a blog space has allowed me to collect emails over the past six (about to be 7) years. This has proven to be extremely beneficial in the area of paid collaboration. Some businesses still value one email subscriber over 100 followers. Keeping that in mind, it is very important to have multiple places to share the content you are creating.

From AShley: Ways I have gained emails in the last 6 years
(this website launched in 2014)

- Promoting my Blog through Pinterest and having the destination link directly to my subscription page.
- Sharing photo guides and blog launches that lead to this type of page
- IG Giveaways that lead to a destination link where you enter via email
- Facebook Giveaways that lead to a destination link where you enter via email
- Having my social media destination links be my subscription page
- Sharing subscription and services links in Interviews and Podcasts
- Having every page of my website from 2014 - 2021 have a CTA and subscription link
- Pop- ups
And of course.. sharing amazing content!

3. Be Picky
This is SO important. I turn down 80–90% of the collaboration offers I receive in my inbox. Here’s my philosophy, don’t collect JUNK. I’m not calling anyone brand “junk”, different people have different values and likes. But, in my opinion, supporting products in which I have no interest would be the pinnacle of collecting junk. I want to get behind the things I am most interested in, to fall in love with the people and things in my life. My company’s name is a pun, but it’s pronounced Stuff We Love. That in essence is my mission statement. I am truly sharing the stuff I love with my followers and those around me.

Karen mangia: I’m going to try a few of your tips, and I’m hopeful our readers will, too. Now it’s time for the big reveal — the moment our readers have been anticipating. What are your “five strategies to cultivate a large & engaged social media community?’
Please share a story or example for each.

here we go..

#1: Pick a niche

“Finding a niche” was a slow progression for me as I did not originally understand the importance of it. I say this because I’d like to inspire others to do the opposite of what I did! My career has taken me to a variety of exciting places. I’ve worked in Fashion Modeling, Hosting, Performing, Acting, as well as Travel Blogging. I brought my Instagram along for the ride. As a result, I received collaboration proposals with everything from Haute Couture fashion houses, to tire companies, dance shoe brands, suitcase companies, and many others. Why? Because, I didn’t have a defined niche on my Instagram. I wasn’t initially considering the fact that Instagram collaborations could be a viable business opportunity for me. The pandemic gave me the opportunity to sit down and think about what I wanted to do with all of these social media platforms. I found the answer I was looking for in F Scott Fitzgerald’s work, particularly The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald had a fantastic way of describing the world. You feel as if you are a part of something stunning and royal, both romantic and illustrious. I knew that was what I wanted to start doing. To plan out photoshoots that encompassed all of that emotion and be able to share those stories. This gave me my niche. From the fashion brand to the opulent hotels built in the Era of Gatsby, these are the brands that truly love our content and want to partner with Stuff Oui Love. By having a clear and defined niche you are attracting the types of collaboration offers that you want.

#2 Each platform individually, or together?

Nobody talks about it, but you CAN have a completely different strategy for each social media platform and be successful on all of them. The word ‘strategy’ is crucial here. In 2021 I made the decision that I really wanted to share my social media know-how and assist others who are just getting started! Because I use Instagram as a ‘digital art gallery’, it didn’t feel like a good fit for education. I started a Tiktok account as it felt like the perfect fit for education. On my tiktok account I share basic day-to-day social media tips. In less than one year over 30,000 people have joined my page (@ashleymlands). On the Tiktok platform my strategy, visuals, and posting style are a million times different than Instagram. Despite this, both platforms work for me. I like to refer to my Instagram and Blog as ‘compiemtary platforms’. I try to make my blog a larger extension of my Instagram presence. This is effective for me. Experiment with this idea to find a flow that works best for you. Do you work as a chef? I’m confident a blog and Pinterest would be fantastic for you! Playing around on all platforms will help you see what and
where things can easily complement one another!

#3. Big Picture

When you post on social media, are you looking to entertain, educate, inspire, or convert people? If you are not sure, I recommend you simply highlight that sentence above and read the thousands of articles offered about it! Pinterest is my go-to when it comes to getting my head organized. Visualizing is key. Every job I book, I am creating a ‘board’ that lays out the visuals I want to create. If you’re there to educate, pull pins with the best content on the internet and get an idea of what it would look like if you put your own spin on it all. If you’re there to covert (which typically points to sales) go find your biggest competitor and deconstruct every single ad campaign they have ever created. What are they doing that you’re missing, and how can you achieve this for yourself? Understanding not only the ‘style’ of your content but the purpose will allow you to walk yourself into your next step. Which is…

#4 Collaborate

It’s called ‘social media’. In the 17th century, English poet John Donne famously stated that “no man is an island.” That is especially true in the realm of social media. Understanding the value of collaboration and incorporating it with a distinct and unified front when it comes to your posting style and values may be the missing component! So, what exactly is a collaboration? Let us begin with the unavoidable: You must seek out people who are experts in your field. This can include two influencers collaborating on a photoshoot, a brand hiring an influencer, or a brand hosting a giveaway alongside another brand. If you sell handmade ethical clothing with a focus on fair-trade and quality, mass-produced products with no values are probably not the best giveaway partners for you. You should look for a brand that sells handbags of the same quality and value as your clothing! Because their audience will enjoy both of your products, and vice versa!

#5 Pricing your Services

If you have a brand Photoshoot happening with multiple looks, these are some things I recommend thinking about:
We research the brands we are going to work with, their styles, and the styles of their competitors. We then present the brand with a mood-board depicting how that shoot concept could look. If they like the presentation, we’ll start gathering outfits. Wardrobe can be complex; will you need to buy anything specific? Is it necessary to find a stylist who will bring their own designer pieces? Then there’s the question of location… will the shoot be outside? If that is the case, we may require weather days that the team has to be available for. Do we need a permit if it’s inside? If we don’t have a permit, do we have a backup location if we are asked to leave? If video is to be included, we may need to bring in a videographer. Keep in mind that not all photographers are videographers. To achieve true quality, you may require both. Then you’ll need the client’s products. Is it being shipped to you? Is it necessary for them to drop it off and then pick it up? All of that preparation takes place before the actual shooting ever begins. If you’re an influencer and you’re the subject of the shoot, you need to make time for hair and makeup prior to the shoot. Do you have a makeup kit and the products required to get yourself camera ready? Following the shooting, the edits must be completed. Photoshop states this about the time it takes to edit images: “For professionally retouched portraits, the editing time taken per photo would be 1.5 hours. For a batch of 10 photos, that would require at least 10 hours when edited non-stop.” After the editing is done, you will need to schedule the posts across the agreed-upon platforms. Prior to posting, you must conduct hashtag research for each post and have the brand approve collaboration features. Once you post, you need to engage with your audience and reply to comments. All of these factors contribute to photoshoots and collaborations. Break it down hour by hour, take into account each person you need to work with on the project, each expense, and then price accordingly.
If you’re like me — (and the many content creators who entered this business because they love art and advertising) you need to realize that if you want to create something truly incredible and memorable, you’re probably not charging enough. Magic doesn’t just happen, you have to create it!

K: What do you do to create a greater sense of connection and community among your fans?

Understanding your fans & followers is crucial. Instagram polling has (and continues to be) my greatest tool. People love to share about themselves. Allowing my followers to share their own opinions by voting on topics gives me so many wonderful insights. For instance, not only can I tell brands that my followers voted 89% in favor of silk over cotton. I can also tell you the style of cars they like, the style of clothes, and the artwork they enjoy. What a cool thing to know! I do my absolute best to create space where we all get to enjoy the stuff ‘oui’ love.

K: What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?

A: I’d love that! Links to all my Content, Articles, Services, and more can be found at the landing page of: ashleymlands.com 

I offer free training for new influencers, bloggers, and brands on my Tiktok. I am also in the stage of developing a free-training portal that you can access here.

If you want to see what my collaborations and images look like in real-time, head over to my IG @ashleymlands.

K: Thank you for these thought provoking insights.

Here’s to your continued success!

@ashleymlands on Instagram

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