More than just an Islander.
The 22 year-old ‘social media influencer from Hertfordshire’ who become one of the ‘most popular and successful Islanders’ on the show… ring a bell?
In a short space of time Molly-Mae has touched endless heights on reaching her followers through her influencer status with a staggering 6.2 million Instagram followers.
But how does her online presence make her so successful and how is she able to continuously gain attention from fans?
Influencer online ‘to do list’:
- Authenticity- a genuine display of passion and honesty
- The right marketing- understanding your target market to build a brand that people want to follow
- Platform Presence- connecting via multiple channels to boost influence
From Instagram stories to posting polls, Molly has ticked the checklist in term of the amount of engagement she has with her followers and this engagement plays a big part if one wants to be successful in building the influencer image.
I spy with my little…‘insights’?
…As it says on the tin.
Tools like these benefit influencers like Molly to gain an understanding of her target audience which facilitates her reach on gaining wider attention, constantly maintaining her image.
Molly regularly engages with polls asking her fans to answer questions such as what she should wear on her birthday, creating a filter of friendship with her fans.
Citing Steven Woods research, a good influencer is one who builds trust with their followers “to where a paid product in a post seems authentic”, and Molly does just that. Despite her promoting PrettyLittleThing, she does so with a genuine love for the brand wanting her fans to enjoy her products just as much as she does.
YouTube
From YouTube user statistics, people watch over a billion hours of videos daily. Taking advantage of the mass users, Molly has expanded her presence onto YouTube, displaying her more authentic and vulnerable side with life updates, connecting with her viewers on a deeper level.
Ability to story tell is an important factor which Molly captures in her videos to allow her followers to become more invested in her daily life.
Molly also uses the platform to market the brands that she works with such as PrettyLittleThing by doing hauls on her favourite buys, creating a synergetic three way relationship between brand, influencer, and the audience.
Displaying too much?
Molly sometimes receives many criticisms sharing her opinions on certain topics. On her holiday to Italy, Molly expressed her dissatisfaction with Italian food on Instagram labelling it as “shocking” and “grim”. The result was facing immense backlash on twitter where everyone expressed their views on her opinions.
Influencer or not, some things must be kept to ourselves and there remains a fine line between what is acceptable, especially online. Being too open has its consequences in the presence of online masses, and Molly has been caught in that web… more than once.
