How did you start?
I started Somewhat Simple on a whim one day as a way of keeping in touch with family and friends when we moved from Orange County to Phoenix in 2005.
Where do you find inspiration?
EVERYWHERE! Pinterest and Instagram, magazines, and visits with friends and family.
What do you post about?
All things Food and Lifestyle – favorite family recipes, simple projects, organization tips, family travel ideas, printables, activities and MORE!
What does your audience relate most to?
Our audience loves our simple and affordable approach to running a household – easy recipes the whole family will love, simple projects to help update a home without breaking the bank, and fun ways to create memories along the way.
What has been your favorite experience as an Influencer:
I have had some pretty awesome opportunities over the years, but my favorite collaboration to date was when I worked with La-Z-Boy in the Fall of 2019 for the La-Z-Boy Design Dash. Not only was it a super fun competition where my design skills were pushed to new limits, but I meet some amazing influencers and real-life friends.
What 3 things does anyone starting as an Influencer need to know?
1- Photography Matters. Big, bright and beautiful photos are key, no matter what niche you are in.
2 – Be Consistent. Set a posting schedule you are comfortable with and stick with it… no matter what!
3 – Have Fun, and Have Patience. Making money as an influencer doesn’t happen overnight, but if you are doing what you love you’ll find joy in the entire process.
What is the best thing about being an influencer?
The thing I love most is the fact that I am able to help provide for my family from the comfort of my home doing all the things that I love! My job is my hobby – how fun is that?!
What’s the largest challenge you face as an influencer? How do you overcome it?
Balance. I am a mom to 5 kids and family comes first! Because I love my job, it is easy for me to get sucked in and spend hours at my laptop. Pulling myself away and being present with my family takes discipline, but I don’t want to look back at this time when my kids are still young and have any regrets!
Tell us about your proudest moment as an influencer?
In October of 2019, my hard-working husband of 17 years left his corporate job to work full-time on SomewhatSimple. Building a business that is now providing for my family is absolutely amazing!
If you could start all over again, what would you do differently?
I’d tell my beginner self to learn photography sooner and practice way more than I once did. I’d also try to network better by attending more conferences and collaborating more often with people in my niche.
What factors do you take into account for what you charge with a post?
The amount of work a company requests is obviously key, but another important factor is the time of year they wish to work with us. September – December is our busiest time, and spring/early summer is much slower. We typically increase and decrease our rates depending on the demand.
What is the best practice for Brands looking to work with Influencers?
Be upfront and clear with your goals and expectations from the very beginning, and reach out to an influencer only after researching their site and style. Last year a brand hired me for a multi-post project with blog, social and video content. After 3 months of back and forth and multiple conversations with new details and changes in every email, my team and I created content we were really proud of, only to find out this brand wanted photography that was on a black background – something you won’t find anywhere on our site. I had assumed they saw our site and noticed that our style was white and bright and that they were ok with this – but they were not. They refused to pay us for the content we created and all that time and money spent on this project was a complete waste. I’ve never been so disappointed with a partnership and I feel like all of this could have been avoided if they took time to select bloggers who fit whatever it was they were looking for in the first place, or addressed their goals with me initially.
How do you choose which campaigns you will and will not participate in?
The products presented have to be something I would personally use, or the idea has to be something my readers would enjoy or benefit from. Sometimes it’s hard not to get blinded by the dollar amount the company is presenting, and it might be tempting to sign onto a campaign for the paycheck. But I try to remember that the platform I built for my readers is worth more than a forced product review or unfitting commercial.
What do you do to encourage authentic engagements on your sponsored posts?
First, and foremost, I make sure the product/company is something I love and something I am excited to introduce to my readers. If the post is authentic, engagement happens naturally!
Where do you see the future of influencer marketing?
I think about this all the time! A lot has changed in the 10 years I’ve been doing this, and while I can’t predict where it will be in another 10, I think video and podcasting will be even more prevalent than we see it now. The ever-changing process is both hard to keep up with, and fun at the same time! Hard, because you can’t stay in your comfort zone and risk being left behind, but fun because it’s exciting to learn and try new things!
Any open-ended story you’d like us to share:
I can’t believe how long it’s been since I first partnered with IZEA! This platform (first called Social Spark) was one of the very first ways I earned money from my site! In 2011, you guys sent me and my family to Maui for an entire week as a prize for winning a referral competition – I will never forget that experience! Thanks for all the fun and thanks for all the support over the years! Your team is truly amazing!
xoxo,
Stephanie
