April 14, 2020

Swayer Spotlight – @marc.gamboa

News Article

We’re thrilled to bring you our latest blog segment, Swayer Spotlight, where we’ll be featuring Peersway’s badass and talented network of nano and micro influencers. This special segment will celebrate each individual’s creative story, and reveal their top secret tips on how to become a successful Swayer.

Without further ado, meet Marc!

@marc.gamboa
@marc.gamboa

What does a typical day in your week look like?

Well right now, with everything going on, my week is a little different.

Typically, for my Monday to Fridays, I wake up at 8:00 am and start getting ready. I’m out the door by 8:45 am and commute to work which usually takes around 40 minutes. While on the subway, I’ll pre-order my Starbucks so it’s ready when I get off the subway and I get into the office for 9:30 am.

After the work day is done, I get home around 6:00 pm, cook dinner, and unwind. Some evenings, I’ll go for a walk, maybe work on a campaign, meal prep or watch something on Netflix. Some nights, usually on Thursdays or Fridays, I’ll meet up with friends after work.

What are your categories/specializations?

My blog and Instagram started off as primarily fashion and menswear, but slowly transitioned from that into grooming and personal care, and now there’s a mix of food and travel in there. It’s a bit of everything, so I guess I would categorize my feed as “Lifestyle.”

Swayer Marc crossing the street
@marc.gamboa

Where do you find inspiration?

I try to find inspiration in everything. From the way buildings are built, roads, parks, interior decorating, to fashion magazines, or movies, I’ve sort of trained my brain to be analytical and attentive to details. Literally anything can catch my eye and one small detail can lead to an idea which will lead into a project.

Recently, I’ve been turning to actual news sites and publications, like Business of Fashion, to inspire projects and campaigns for my full-time job.

What has been your favorite experience as a nano-influencer?

The ability to create content for other brands is super cool and just a fun experience all around. I never set out to be an “influencer”. In fact, I’m not a huge fan of the term. My passion has always been creating content, photography and design. So to be recognized by other brands and professionals for that is an amazing feeling. I love being able to help brands share their message through what I produce.

How did you land your first influencer campaign with Peersway?

I don’t know what specifically it was that landed me my first campaign, but I think it was the overall aesthetic of my Instagram and I think it was what Dove was looking for: clean, bright, high quality. That’s not to say everyone’s feed needs to follow a single color scheme or the same style as mine, but I think brands look for consistency and also engagement.

What advice would you give fellow Swayers that haven’t had much luck in landing their first campaign?

My advice is to worry less on following an aesthetic or what your ideal Instagram feed should look like, but rather focus on producing high-quality content (and yes, you can even create high-quality content with just an iPhone) and building your audience. From there, your feed will naturally curate itself and your personal brand and your Instagram’s aesthetic will come through naturally.

@marc.gamboa

What is the biggest challenge you face as a nano-influencer/content creator? How do you overcome it?

I think the biggest challenge is the pressure you put on yourself. It can be hard being rejected from campaigns or even seeing a decline in the number of campaigns you get, even outside of Peersway.

But that pressure only exists because we put it on ourselves. If we ignore this desire to become an “influencer” and have a big following and all of that, and rather just use social media for what it was intended — creating content and connecting with others — the pressure is lifted and you can go back to enjoying the platform and the campaigns become an added bonus.

What are the three things someone starting as a nano/micro-influencer needs to know?

  • Be you. When you start off, your primary network is going to be your personal network — your friends and family. Be yourself, write captions that are relevant to who you are and things you’d actually say, and take and post photos that you actually like.
  • Don’t stress about what other people will think. Some people get too concerned over whether or not they look silly trying to be an influencer. Some people get too concerned over the filter they use and whether their followers will like it. Ignore all those thoughts.Focus on what it is you like and what your personal brand is, and the right audience will eventually discover you.
  • Be engaging. The point of social media is to connect with people, so connect. Don’t be stranger to your followers. Allow them to get to know you.
    • Comment on other people’s photos
    • Reply to their Stories
    • Be silly if you want on Instagram Live
    • Post memes, show off your humour or even your frustrations.

You don’t need to be perfectly curated all the time.

@marc.gamboa
@marc.gamboa

What are your favorite gadgets/apps to use when creating an Instagram post?

I usually edit my photos in Lightroom, especially if I use my Sony camera, and VSCO. On VSCO, I’ll use either the A4 and A6 filters. To edit small details of a photo, like blemishes or let’s say a weird speck from your camera lens, I like using Snapseed.

Where do you want to be 5 years from now?

I’d like to still be living in Toronto (or maybe New York or LA) working in a managerial or senior marketing role. Ideally, living in a two-bedroom condo with one of those rooms being an office. Or a closet. With a dog.

There you have it. Swayers, they’re just like us!

Feel free to follow Marc at marcgamboa.com.

If you enjoyed reading this blog, please share with your friends!

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