Rizer Social Creator Spotlight — The Makings of Natosh Renée
This interview is designed to profile popular influencers and minority small business owners making waves. The purpose of this Q&A is to inspire and provide helpful tips to like-minded individuals, providing a resource for all stakeholders in the influencer marketing industry. This is the first part of a series Rizer Social Blog will be featuring, looking for influencers who are making an impact in their communities online.
In the world of influencer marketing, you are only as relevant as the content you produce. No matter what you are selling, the content you create will go a long way in setting you apart from the competition. One of the young influencers really making an impact in the Greater Toronto Area and abroad is Youtuber, music artist and, clothing and beauty company owner, Natosh Renée. She is a lifestyle and beauty vlogger with a penchant for content creation. With more than 12,000 followers on Instagram and more than 5,000 on YouTube subscribers, Renee has been working non-stop to establish herself in the industry.
She currently has a new album due in 2021 but first, she stopped by to talk to us about her journey and some of the helpful tips that have shaped her path to get here. The owner of Luna Merelda, an online clothing store, and founder of Natosh Renée Beauty is doing everything she can to accomplish her dreams. Learn more about how she got started below:
1. RS: Tell me about your budding music career?
NR: I’m working on a new album for 2021. I released a few singles over the last year and that made me happy because music is my first love and passion. During the pandemic though it wasn’t lucrative so I switched over to selling my own branded products online.
2. RS: Tell me about your beauty line and associated products?
NR: On my birthday, I launched my very first line of cosmetics being 3D mink lashes online “Natosh Renée Beauty”. It did really well, which inspired me to add lip glosses, which will be launching this November along with holiday lash kits.
3. RS: What inspired you to become an “Influencer”? What previous experience (eg photoshoots) did you pull from to inspire you?
NR: I’ve always been photogenic and love posting content on a daily basis, so becoming an influencer wasn’t really intentional, I was born a social butterfly lol. It doesn’t feel like something I had to learn at all.
4. RS: You have more than 12,000 followers. How have you built an audience?
NR: My audience followed me from YouTube and Facebook, some even from MySpace days. I post high-quality images on a regular basis and engage with my following a lot.
5. RS: Do you believe that social media ad campaigns have helped you in your strategy to grow your audience or is it the organic authentic following you try to build and maintain? Talk to us about your approach to content creation and marketing?
NR: I have tried using IG ads for my business and didn’t really see much from it. I’m more of a direct marketer. I will DM, share and talk directly to my followers. I ask them to re-post things that are important to me and I post daily on my story and my page if it’s something I’m selling. I’m definitely a believer of good marketing ads but I have yet to find a good strategy.
6. RS: How important has it been for you to connect and partner with other influencers and popular types in your industry? How have those partnerships boosted your audience/following?
NR: I think it’s very vital to cross promote and repost for those people you feel have a similar audience to yourself. I’m careful though to not be a social climber. If I’m seen with someone, I genuinely like them and built a real relationship. People can tell when the content is forced and for views.
7. RS: What social media platform works best for you and why? Instagram is key but so is YouTube? How do you decide what platform to do what?
NR: I use both YouTube and Instagram. If I have something to share that helps in detail, YouTube. If it’s a photo or quick tip my page or story. I’m getting into (Instagram) fashion reels. I think it’s very good for exposure as well.
8. RS: What is your mission and goal with your overall brand? If it’s to inspire, say why? If it’s about money, explain path it took to get here?
NR: My goal is to positively influence young women on how to look and feel beautiful. I am a Jill-of-all-trades and get begged to share my talents on Instagram, so I do so. Eventually, I want it to become my full source of income. I have what it takes to be a very popular youtuber/influencer. I see that for myself.
9. RS: How has the pandemic changed your approach to content production?
NR: It’s made me think: If not now, then never. I have the extra time and motivation to produce so I’m doing it more for sure. I’m aiming to post on YouTube 3 times a week. I feel that’s a good pace to build a following. You never know what video will blow up.
10. RS: What do you have planned for 2021?
NR: I recently launched my new clothing line, Luna Merelda. I have started selling my lashes on there and will be adding my lip glosses this winter as well. I plan to grow my social media platforms more and to see them generate a higher income for me. My intent is simply to always be creating and helping women.
