Beauty Influencer Kimberly White On How To Build Your Online Brand
There was a time when my style inspo came solely from TV shows or even popular magazines. Now I simply click on an influencer's profile, and boom a beauty how-to, the latest fashion trend, and sometimes just pure entertainment. It's no wonder that influencer-marketing has become the successful business that it has. As an entrepreneur, I'm always curious to know more about a brand's process. What works and what doesn't? How am I able to make my passions profitable?
A few months ago at the Aunt Jackie's Grapeseed Collection event, I met beauty influencer Kimberly White. We chatted about the highs and lows of being a creative, and she schooled me on the importance of high quality content and consistency. I knew she'd be the right person to explain more on brand-building and landing paid partnerships.
Check out our conversation below.
Tell me a little bit about your brand.
Courtesy of Kimberly White
I created my brand to inspire women to be comfortable in their own skin, while being their most authentic selves. My purpose is to provide hair and skincare information, while showcasing the latest fashion and beauty trends. There aren't many kinky-haired brown-skinned girls represented in the media, so I love being a positive example for others who look like me.
How did you build your following?
I started to build my following by sharing pictures of my natural hair journey. I cut off my heat damaged ends in 2016 and created a pic stitch of the process to share on my Instagram. From there, I continued to show my various hairstyles, the products I was using, and I also created a YouTube channel to help build my audience.
When sharing my pictures on Instagram, I tagged many natural hair pages with large followings, and would often get reposted, so new people would find and follow me through those pages. I also posted consistently to my Instagram page almost every day. Over this past year, I transitioned into lifestyle blogging, where I continue to share hair content, along with beauty, fashion, and more.
How important is hashtagging?
Courtesy of Kimberly White
Using the right hashtags is extremely important if you are looking to build an engaged audience and grow your following. You need to make sure you're using specific hashtags that your target audience will be searching for.
For instance, if you are an Atlanta-based fashion blogger and use hashtags such as #Style or #Atlanta, your posts are a lot less likely to be noticed since those hashtags are very broad. Using hashtags that aren't specific enough, will make it more difficult to stand out amongst other posts that are using those same hashtags.
Narrowing things down by using #AtlantaStyle or #AtlFashion will increase the chances of your posts being found by your target audience and increase your chances of becoming one of the top posts under that particular hashtag.
Can you tell me about your advice for new influencers?
It's important to not give up too soon, and not be afraid to pivot and try something new if you're not getting your desired results. Building a social media following isn't going to happen overnight and takes patience.
One of the biggest mistakes I see new influencers make is not posting consistently enough. It's going to take more than one or two videos and photos, and there will be a lot of trial and error, but keep going!
Also try to not pay too much attention to what everyone else is doing, and don't be afraid to be yourself! Being different and embracing the qualities that make you unique is what other people, who are similar to you, will resonate with and follow you for. Be yourself!
What was your biggest influencer mistake?
One of my biggest influencer mistakes was not reading a contract thoroughly before signing it. After a few emails back and forth with a brand that wanted to collaborate, we agreed that I would create one YouTube video.
A contract was forwarded over that had "2" beside the requested number of YouTube videos. I signed before I saw that, so I ended up having to record 2 videos for this brand instead of 1. This was one of my first paid collaborations, so I quickly learned to read contracts more than once and make sure all the details reflect what was discussed. It's also better to jump on a call with a brand if you can, as things can easily be misconstrued via email.
What advice do you have for people who are trying to land paid brand partnerships?
Courtesy of Kimberly White
My number one piece of advice is to create high quality content that is worth brands paying for. Also, tag the brands that you are using and wearing in your posts so they will notice you. Brands are watching, and WILL reach out if they love your work and want to partner with you!
If you want to land paid partnerships, be willing to invest your own money first into your equipment, photography, and more. Also do not be afraid to approach companies and pitch yourself for brand work, and do not let hearing the word "no" discourage you.
Keep up with Kimberly White on IG and FB at @officiallyKimwhite and on Twitter at OfficiallyKimw.
Featured image via Kimberly White
Kirby Carroll grew up in VA but now calls Atlanta, GA home. She has a passion for creating content and helping brands grow through storytelling and public relations. When not immersed in work, you can find her sipping a mimosa at brunch or bingeing a new TV drama on Netflix. Keep up with her on social media at @askKirbyCarroll.
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Jada Pinkett Smith Says Her Hair Is 'Try'n Make A Comeback' Following Alopecia Revelation
Actress Jada Pickett Smith has provided an update about her journey with alopecia years after discussing the struggles she endured with the condition.
According to the National Institutes of Health, alopecia is an autoimmune disease in which the "immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss."
The site also states that those suffering from alopecia could lose their hair in small patches or large clumps. Alopecia can affect men and women of all races equally, and signs of the condition could occur at any age. Despite the negative impact, there are no known causes for alopecia. However, medical professionals claim that genetics and environmental factors can play a significant role.
In a recent Instagram post, Pinkett Smith revealed that her hair is attempting to "make a comeback" as she showcased a past bald photo of herself and a present-day image. In the newer snapshot, the mother of two is seen rocking her hair growth.
In addition to the upload, Pinkett Smith informed her followers that even though she is still experiencing "trouble spots," it is still being determined if she will continue growing out her hair.
"This here hair is act'n like it's try'n [to] make a comeback. Still have some trouble spots but — we'll see," she wrote.
Jada On Her Experience With Alopecia
Pinkett Smith initially opened up about her experience with alopecia during a 2018 Red Table Talk episode. In the show, the star revealed that she excessively wore turbans and cut her hair because it was falling out.
"A lot of people have been asking why I've been wearing turbans. Well, I haven't talked about it. It's not easy to talk about, but I am going to talk about it," she said. "I was in the shower one day and had just handfuls of hair in my hands, and I was just like, 'Oh my god, am I going bald?' It was one of those times in my life where I was literally shaking in fear. That's why I cut my hair and why I continue to cut it."
Years later, in July 2021,The Matrix Resurrections alum shaved her head bald due to her hair loss. In December of that same year, Pinkett Smith showed her legions of followers in a video the side effects she had been experiencing, including an unexpected bald line that appeared across her skull as she sported a low buzz cut.
"Y'all know I've been struggling with alopecia," she stated while describing the bald line. Now this is going to be a little bit more difficult for me to hide, so I thought I'd just share it so y’all not asking any questions. I'm just gonna make me a little crown — that's what Mama's gonna do."
With Pinkett Smith sharing her alopecia journey, it could inspire others to be open and support others going through similar struggles.
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Featured image by Amy Sussman/WireImage