Interview with an Influencer – Fawad Aly
Whether it’s building brand awareness, reinforcing brand presence, expanding your reach or building trust and credibility, the benefits of influencer marketing have been prevalent to many brands, even pre-COVID era. And with 2020 having been a rollercoaster of uncertainties, brands, retailers and influencers alike have had to adapt to the new landscape – a market with shifting priorities, where consumers have become more sensitive and actions are being checked with a fine-tooth comb. These include Instagram’s new policy that fact check stories and highlights for “fake news” and if the source is not verified, as well as the feature which blurs out sensitive content that users have flagged as disturbing or offensive. With that being said, it seems as though the role of influencers will only become more vital, especially as social media becomes more entrenched in people’s lives and takes on more functional responsibilities beyond communication – this can be seen with Instagram’s new features for small businesses, converging e-commerce and social media. In a report published by Business Insider Intelligence based on the Mediakix data, the influencer marketing industry is on track to be worth up to $15 billion by 2022, a staggering increase from the eight billion dollars recorded in 2019.
As influencer marketing has proven to be a crucial element and driving force to the success behind a number of campaigns and with an impressive portfolio of luxury fashion and lifestyle brands, we at Atteline understand the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships with influencers. We spoke with Dubai based fashion and lifestyle social media influencer Fawad Aly, to hear his thoughts on what he thinks about working with PRs.
1. What was your journey to becoming an influencer?
My journey has been nothing less than amazing. I’ve always had a flair for fashion, so the transition to becoming a social media influencer was rather seamless. I started three years ago, and I can wholeheartedly say it has been full steam ahead – no looking back!
2. What are some of the positives of being an influencer?
There are so many! I get to meet and converse with people from different nationalities. And of course, the perks that come with collaborating with brands.
3. What are some of the negatives?
As with any job, there will always be negative aspects. Whether I’m dealing with unprofessional clients, delayed payments or whatever the case, I believe in having a positive outlook and attitude when dealing with negativity.
4. How do you find working with PRs?
I’ve found working with PRs great, no complaints here. Even when rejected or I lose out on a job, I just work harder and make sure to improve the standard of my work and content.
5. What is some advice you would have for PRs to build and maintain relationships with influencers?
Easy – good communication. Always have clear and friendly conversations with influencers. Make sure that your clients or brand’s brief and deliverables are properly conveyed, so we execute a good campaign and all parties are happy with the results.
6. Do you have any stories that stand out from working with PRs?
I have countless stories! Without giving too much away, a standout experience I had was one particular collaboration where the PR agency was so supportive throughout the campaign period, which lasted about two weeks. They were ready and happy to help 24/7, offering assistance on email and text whenever I needed it and made sure to send encouraging messages. I received a lot of “you’re doing great” texts throughout the two-week period.
7. What would be your advice to someone wishing to build themselves as an influencer?
My advice for upcoming influencers is to always focus on creating good content, no matter how long it takes. Also, remember, there will be tons of ups but also many low days in this field, but quitting isn’t an option – power through and your hard work will pay off.
Written by: Stephanie Dafeta, Account Executive at Atteline