What NOT to do as an Equestrian Influencer
I know there are so many things to look forward to when pronouncing yourself as an equestrian influencer… ambassadorships, popularity, sponsorships, and so, so much more – however, there’s a lot more to it! In this post, I’m going to talk about what NOT to do as an equestrian influencer.
It was the summer of 2017 when I got noticed by a brand for the first time. The thought that I was finally moving up in the world was exhilarating… while the pressure of doing a faultless job was nerve-wracking at best. We spent hours filming that video, making sure I pronounced everything correctly, as well as highlighting each and every angle of the product. The entire process, invigorating, really!
At the end of the day, I gave myself a pat on the back for a job well done. From there, I started working with more and more brands and started getting paid too!
Though I always try to do my best when working with brands, I have slipped up a time or two – it’s natural, especially when you don’t have anyone to teach you the ropes!
So without further ado, here is what NOT to do as an equestrian influencer!
1: Never accept ambassadorships where you have to buy the product to promote it
This one might seem obvious to some, however, I see people make this mistake ALL THE TIME! I know, I get it, you want to be able to say that you represent a company/business (which IS exciting); nevertheless, that’s just free advertising for said business with absolutely nothing in it for you.
There have been quite a few times where I was excited about a potential collaboration but turned out that all I was getting in return… was a discount code. Occasionally newer, inexperienced brands think that’s how it works, however, it’s usually brands trying to take advantage of young, eager equestrians. As an ambassador, you receive the products for free.
2: Never talk bad about another equestrian/influencer
People associate followers with authority, which means: they believe you know what you’re talking about. So if you go bad-mouthing another equestrian, one of two things will happen: either you lose followers OR that equestrian will lose followers, as well as receive hate.
I was once acquainted with an aspiring equestrian YouTuber. She started receiving hate after a bigger influencer made fun of her in a live stream. While not tolerating such behavior, I stood up for my acquaintance, and my account got blocked as a result. After that, the girl receiving hate lost many followers and never made it far in her YouTube career. Overall, talking bad about someone is a terrible thing and doesn’t come without consequence.
3: Never copy/steal an Instagramers or blogger’s work
Plagiarism is literally illegal haha. I’ve had people repost my photos and captions before without giving me credit many times. It’s just not worth the risk of getting reported – I promise. Just sit down for a couple of hours a week to brainstorm ideas and you’ll be good to go!
If you ever feel like you can’t come up with content, try re-evaluating your platform and see if you can narrow down your niche. And hey, if you need a little help, I’m all ears! Just contact me!
Learning all of the tricks can be overwhelming at first, but with time and practice, you’ll get the hang of it! Remember to always do your research before signing with brands, as well as treat others as you would like to be treated – arguably the most important rules of being an influencer 😉
All the best,
Laura
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