Who Runs Instagram? Female Influencers
When we scroll down our Instagram feeds, we tend to overlook a lot of details. In marketing, details can make or break a brand, but many influencers out there seem to navigate the meticulous details of social media with fluid ease. Influencers out there navigate those details with their own flair that establishes a connection between the influencer and their community.
An amazing strength about influencer marketing is that an influencer can come from anywhere. Moms, fashion enthusiasts and content creators are merely a few options in a pool of hundreds of categories that influencers can fall under. In this blog, Hollywood Branded unpacks the strategies of three influential women and how they master the craft of influencer marketing through Instagram.
Fact: Women Dominate Influencer Marketing
At first glance, influencer marketing seems like a business full of women, and that’s because it is. About 77 percent of all influencers are women, and that shouldn’t come as a surprise either. According to a digital marketing study, 86 percent of women reported using social media for purchasing advice. The theme of this is crystal clear: we take a social media post from our favorite influencers like a suggestion just as we do from our friends, family, etc. The lure of trusting our favorite faces as recommenders for the products and services we use every day is becoming essential to marketing, especially among newer generations. As 70 percent of teens trust influencers more than traditional celebrities, women in the field will only continue to redefine and push the potential of influencer marketing. Here are three out of hundreds (maybe thousands) of examples of influential women with entrepreneurial passions and highly effective influencer strategies on their Instagram platforms.
1. Ayesha Curry: 6.7M followers
NBA MVP and Golden State Warrior Steph Curry can amaze us with his skills on the court all he wants while we drop our jaw at the impact that his wife has on our Instagram feeds. Ayesha Curry was never formally trained to be a culinary figure, but her strength and passion as a mother and her dedication to the culinary arts only stun us. Curry loves to provide her fanbase with her recipes, and she frequently partners with culinary organizations to make that happen. As an example, Curry partners with the National Mango Board (yes, that exists and yes, mangos taste amazing enough to have that), posting drool-worthy recipes such as the one below that make us want to start chopping mangos ASAP.
Curry has also left her mark on the cosmetics industry. She happens to be the first Covergirl spokesperson that is neither an actress nor a musician, a suiting indicator of how the modern-day influencer doesn’t need to be a celebrity to be powerful. In true Ayesha Curry fashion, she often posts her own make-up routines to share with her followers.
Though Curry may not be an actress, she’s certainly not a stranger to television. Besides being host for her own cooking show on the Food Network, Ayesha is host, judge and executive producer for ABC’s Family Food Fight. You can always catch her providing her fans with behind-the-scenes content and updates about the reality show’s production directly through Instagram.
Evidently, Curry knows exactly what she’s doing, and we applaud her for that and especially as a door-opener for women of color in the industry.
2. Eva Longoria: 6.8M followers
Though we laughed at the shenanigans of Gabrielle Solis and our other beloved yet desperate housewives in the iconic ABC soap opera, Desperate Housewives, Eva Longoria is a powerful figure on our phone screens as she was on our television screens. Looking at her Instagram profile, Longoria’s advocacy for her many projects and interests are amplified through partnerships. For exhibit A we turn our attention to her new show on ABC which she serves as executive producer for, Grand Hotel. The show is distinguishable with its predominantly-Latinx cast, a feat Longoria and others celebrate. As a content creator, she regularly posts promotional content and pictures on set exclusively through her Instagram account.
Longoria’s support and representation for the Latinx community doesn’t stop with television. She frequently works with Latinx magazine “Hola! USA.” As a Latina, Longoria repeatedly advocates for the needs and experiences of other Latinx folks in the country and is never afraid to hold someone or something accountable for their actions. The content she posts and collaborates on with “Hola! USA” is enlightening for everybody and a necessity.
Outside of her work in activism and content creation, Longoria is also as influential on the red carpet. Longoria serves as an ambassador for L’Óreal, and she’s got the looks and fits to prove it. Whether she’s in Miami or Cannes, Longoria is always keeping her fans updated with her latest outfits, hairstyles and more. With L’Óreal as a partner, Longoria reminds her followers that they can get the Eva Longoria look too.
3. Lauren Conrad: 6.1M followers
In previous years, mothers and influencer marketing didn’t always go together. Brands and companies alike had the misconceived notion that mothers didn’t use Instagram or that they are too mature for any partnered content to be effective for them. Boy, were we completely, oh-so very wrong. Enter Lauren Conrad, designer for her own clothing brand, co-founder of her own non-profit organization, and host for her own podcast show, all meanwhile being a mother to her adorable son (whom she posts pictures of very often). One of Conrad’s frequent partners is non-profit charity “Baby2Baby,” which aims to provide underprivileged children around the world with basic and necessary supplies such as water, clothing, etc. Conrad’s content and advocacy with the charity prove to be meaningful to a maturing social media generation.
Conrad’s passion for supporting the welfare of children everywhere doesn’t stop there; she also spotlights the important work of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Don’t be surprised to see her supporting the hospital’s latest campaign, as the hospital’s mission to provide free medical care for children in need resonates with her at a personal level.
The Future is Female
Women are more powerful as an influential force now more than ever and using their voice to support other women with the leverage of social media and brand partnerships prove to be powerful messages. Though gender inequality within the entertainment industry is alive and well, especially for women of color, and must continue being addressed and dismantled for years to come, celebrating the work of women is also a necessity. Ladies, we thank you for opening the doors for future generations to come.
Curious to learn more about other ways influencers have helped brands build trust with their consumers?
- Cannabis Celebrity Influencer Marketing [Infographic]
- 3 Examples Of Influencer Marketing Gone Wrong
- Successful Influencer Marketing On A Small Budget
- How To #12: 6 Steps To Create A Celebrity Social Media Campaign
- Marketing From An Influencer's Perspective
