What It Takes To Be A Successful Social Media Model | Influencer
Nowadays it’s become impossible to talk about the current state of modeling without mentioning social media. Tools like Instagram and Twitter have boasted public interest in models and created a profitable new income source that several stars have begun to utilize, and the advantages of social media are clear. It offers models the chance to grow, without joining an agency, while simultaneously providing fans and brands with a direct connection.
There are many people who scrutinize society who consider themselves models through social outlets. This new form of modeling isn’t traditional and there aren’t many guidelines for what one can make of themselves.
“Many people criticize Instagram models, and while they might not be as professional as agency models in the sense that they aren’t always paid or don’t have the typical body requirements, they’re still models… they just use a different spin on it by using a online platform,” said sociology senior Gabrielle Mills.
Anyone with a phone or a laptop can create a social media outlet and begin to post photos. The two main things needed is good internet and a photographer. The person behind the camera plays a big role in how popular a model can get. The better the photo is the more people will see it and share it, therefore the models following will grow.
“The role of the photographer is huge… through the angles and editing they use they can definitely make the photo more appealing… they can also make the person look more flattering, it’s also important that the photographer makes the model feel comfortable,” said Mills.
Modeling through social media gives people a way to create an image for themselves that they want. When working with an agency it becomes difficult to have any say in what is acceptable. Most if not all agencies have set sizes for height and weight, and if those sizes aren’t met you are out of luck. This is because they want a certain image, they don’t want to step out of what isn’t their norm.
“Once I tried to join a modeling agency when I was younger and they turned me down because they said my hips were too wide and my weight was too heavy… they said if I could fix those things I would be able to join but honestly, I was pretty turned off by all of that,” said economics senior Jenny Xiao.
A way that models have been gaining major following on social media is through the use of hashtags. This is a way for users to apply dynamic, user-generated tagging which makes it possible for others to easily find posts or text that are related to what they are interested in. This way models can be found through simple hashtags such as “#StreetFashion.”
“Use social media to your advantage, by using hashtags you can snag attention of people who are looking into certain categories… this is also a great way to collaborate with other models and photographers,” said Xiao.
Though people who model through social media may not be getting paid as much as agency workers, they can definitely grow and gain that level of professionalism. It takes time but staying positive and consistent helps. Many upcoming social media models receive perks such as brand deals, sponsorships, and gain a following. Eventually some people find themselves working with bigger companies and pages.
“Stay up to date about the social events going on in your community, go to these events. It’s extremely important to make connections and to stay alert about what people your age are interested in,” said Mills.
Sources: Gabrielle Mills 832–622–6464 | Jenny Xiao 832–209–9969
