I think my follower would see straight through me if I tried to maintain some sort of aspirational standard. I always assume that my follower knows that I don’t have it all figured out and that no one’s life is quite as amazing as it may seem. Of course, this isn’t a universal approach, but I think the point here is that whether you lean towards aspirational or authentic (at all costs), it is worth your while to go through the exercise of defining it for yourself. If your ethos is crystal clear, you can ensure that a consistent approach is maintained throughout – one that speaks to the integrity you want to build to ensure longevity.
Mike Sharman believes that “a few experiences have shown that we don’t want to be duped into following people who are selling us a lifestyle. I think aspiration has matured more into an authentic space.”
Katinka Oosthuizen says her advice to her 16-year-old self (the age at which she started vlogging) would be:
Post more content! I was so scared to post. I wanted to do a lot of stuff but I was always worried about what kids would say at school. I only realised after school that I never would’ve fitted in anyway, no matter how hard I tried. I think I held back a lot and did what I could with the confidence I had then. I wish I had taken more risks and had less stage fright then. I went through such an insecure period after someone once commented that I had gained weight, when I actually hadn’t. I obviously realise now why people at school never understood me, but I wish I had known then that there was no point in being worried about what people would say at school.
TikTok star Wian van den Berg is by far the most productive influencer I spoke to and he believes that this approach applies universally.
I think the mistake everyone, regardless of their platform, makes is to try to be too perfect. It’s impossible. No one can be 100% perfect all the time. I think that’s the mistake everyone makes, thinking that they’d rather not post something because it won’t be perfect enough. They don’t want to take the risk. They don’t want to make a video in their room because they think it needs to be shot at the beach or at the mall. They don’t want to do something when they’ve just come home from work.
I know that something needs to be good to go viral, but it’s just as important for it to actually exist. When people ask what matters more between quality and quantity, I always answer that they are both important. You can post six videos in the next ten minutes, easily. Anyone can. But these videos obviously then risk being not worth much, to anyone. However, you also can’t allow perfectionism to paralyse you, to hold you back. Everyone is busy; we all have hectic schedules. But if you really look at your day, you’ll find you have time. It’s like any business, it requires time.
He says that some of the easiest clips he’s made have yielded the best results.
Sometimes the silly pranks I do with my mom, when I don’t have the time to do my typical videos, do much better than my magic videos. Think of it as documenting, rather than creating. Try to work it into your life in a way that is easy. When you’re watching TV, watch TV and make a post about it. When you walk into work, walk into work and turn it into a bit of content.
Nadia Jaftha’s journey as an influencer took off after she started out as a fashion blogger and then began sharing the pranks she played on her mom, Nawal, which went viral. She concedes that this is still what her audience comes back for, even though she has gone on very glamorous trips and has shared loads of really gorgeous bikini shots in between.
I think my brand is more about relatability than aspirational content. I never want to feel like I’m too far out of reach. I want people to look at me and say, “She did it, so why can’t I do it?” You can be both aspirational and relatable, but it’s all about balance – that’s what I try to do. I definitely think I speak to the girl who is insecure and the girl who is confident. I never want anybody to feel excluded from my content, so I try to balance it out. I’ll post funny videos with my mom, videos with my friends, outfit pictures, lifestyle pictures and business pictures.
Maps Maponyane started his career doing modelling in a gap year in 2009, but has earned his reputation in the entertainment and even advertising world in the decade since then, thanks to his fine understanding of branding and his insight into what people want. Maps is the kind of person other people talk about. People who run brands love bringing him in as an influencer or host on their events because he always delivers. Other influencers will tell you that they approach him for advice and sound counsel. Advertising industry professionals look to him as a great authentic voice in the market, a tastemaker and a curator. He speaks with great grace about the responsibility he feels as an influencer:
It’s super important to be real about what your life is really like; to be normal and authentic. There’s too much of us sharing that “living my best life” idea, because each of those posts slowly adds to the mental anguish someone might experience from looking at your supposedly superior “best life” – until that follower starts asking, “Am I just not living life?” or “Why am I even here? My life isn”t worth living ...’ It
