Do you have to be an extrovert or at least like socializing to be an influencer?
There would be times you would get invited to events and stuff. I don't really like going, but I'd go if ever some of my friends were going, but if they weren't, I wouldn't go as well because I'm just the worst at socializing. I don't know. I don't want to come off as mataray, but if you don't talk to me, I won't talk to you. I'm just really not a conversation starter.
Do you hang out with other influencers outside of work?
I'm friends with a few other influencers, but I seldom go out and hang with them. I don't know, they don't gravitate towards me for some reason. I think there's too much ego... you know? Like, people care about who has more followers, who's the prettiest, or who takes the best Instagram pictures... so like, there's always a bit competition of... you know? I think, my friends and I always try to bring each other up and help each other grow.
Have you ever had any beef with someone?
I wouldn't say beef... but at the same time I guess I could imagine some people not liking me or thinking that I'm angry with them, because I can't control what other people think. But, if anyone right now is reading this and they think I have beef with them, I just want to get it out there that I don't! At the end of the day, I have a lot more things to worry about than some little beef.
In general, what do you think of Filipino IG influencers as a community ?
It's okay... you know people do their own thing. If they're happy with it, they're happy with it. Like, I can't just throw out a comment and say "Oh that's the wrong way of "influencing!" If they enjoy what they're doing, more power to them.
How do you do influencing "right?"
As long as you're telling the truth, then that's good. Like, I know some people would post products and say "I'm trying this product and it's really good for my skin!" But then that package just got sent to them and they haven't really tried it. That's bad Influencing because people are really going to buy it and possibly get ripped off.
Have you ever gotten a product that you didn't like? How did you get out of promoting it?
I haven't really gotten a product I didn't like because most brands let me choose which products I want to promote. Like, if there's a bikini I want, that's the one they'll send me and I would wear. It's pretty much my choice.
What do you think about those influencers that get into the news for asking hotels to let them stay for free in exchange for blogging about their establishment? Is that a common thing?
I don't do that but I've heard a lot of influencers do. I mean, they got some confidence in themselves, that's for sure. I'm scared to ask my sister for clothes so I could never imagine myself asking to stay at some hotel for free. I just can't.
Okay, so you never approached a brand before?
Never.
So how do you earn from Instagram?
Okay, so if a brand sends you something, you can ask them to pay per post that you do with their product. So for example, a swimsuit brand sends me three swimsuits, so I pose in one swimsuit and I post, like, one picture on Instagram. Sometimes, I would tell them they can send me, like, PXXXX for one picture. So, for three pictures , so in total I get about PXXXX.
Is that amount directly affected by the number of followers you have?
Yeah. If they think that I have followers that would really buy and enjoy their product then they would probably pay more since they'll get more value from my posts.
But, what if suddenly, one day, brands stop sending money? How are you going to make a living?
My grandma still sends me money. She's still in the US so I still have an allowance, but as much as possible, I really depend on the money I get from swimsuit brands on Instagram because ever since I was 15 years old, I have never bought a single swimsuit.
If any brands are reading right now, what would other products besides swimsuits would you like to endorse?
I'd really like to be approached by a soju brand. I love grapefruit-flavored soju. That would be the best.
