Instagram Influencer Spotlight On: Vicky Charles @singlemahoy

1) Tell us a little about yourself. What are you doing now and where do you come from?

I’m a professional blogger and copywriter based in Wiltshire, UK. I’ve been blogging since 1999, and I now have two of my own sites, as well as writing for several different brands on a wide range of topics.
My main role though is that of single parent to my five year old daughter.

2) What are your topics of interest? What do you post on Instagram the most?

I mostly post photos of my daughter because she’s who I spend most of my time with! I also post photos of food, my home fermenting projects and whatever else catches my eye. I’ve been trying to develop my photography and to post better quality photos lately.

3) How did your Instagram name come about?

Originally it was bubbles3563 – because that was my original online screen name many years ago! I changed it to singlemahoy so that it was the same as my Twitter account, and it fit in better with my blog name (Single Mother Ahoy)

4) What are some apps you use to edit your photos? Share with us your photo-editing routine!

I have tried loads of apps over the years, but I’m quite lazy and for the most part I just edit directly in Instagram.

5) Any Instagrammers whom you really like? Which Instagrammer inspires you the most?

I love Chalene Johnson’s (@chalenejohnson) feed because it inspires me in all areas of my life. At the moment I’m spending more time on Stories than my actual home feed though, watching people like Jody Sheild (@jodyshield), Shona Vertue (@shona_vertue) and Dr Hazel Wallace (@thefoodmedic) I love Lori Harder (@loriharder) too because she’s always so upbeat and funny and I have set up post notifications for Brett Moran (@brettmorantv) because I just love his energy.

6) If there’s one thing your fellow Instagrammers just gotta try now, what’s it gonna be?

Take a photo of something you wouldn’t normally post! For ages I really only posted photos of my daughter, because that’s all I took photos of. I think I lacked the confidence to try and take decent photos of anything else. Then I realised that when I did post a photo of something different, it often got more engagement so now I try to keep a little more variety in my feed.

7) What’s your favorite part about being an influencer?

I love that feeling of connecting with people all over the world. You can find someone who has the same interest as you and feel that connection with them even if they live hundreds or thousands of miles away.

8) What are some of your top tips to brands for running campaigns? How do you maintain authenticity?

I think it works well to have the same person in charge of the Instagram feed, and to allow them to put a bit of their own personality and life into it. Stylised photos are all well and good, but after a while it can get a bit samey and people like to know there is a real person behind it all.

9) What would your advice be on the importance of quality and original content?

I’ve definitely seen my reach and engagement increase since I started paying more attention to the quality of the photos I post. It does make a difference if you can post a clear photo without too much noise.
Regarding original content, I know there are some incredibly successful accounts that only ever repost other people’s photos, which is fine – but for me, I find it feels a bit inauthentic because you don’t feel that you know the person – you just know what they like to repost.

10) What do you like best about partnering with brands?

I like it when a brand pays attention to who you are and what you’re doing – so they don’t just ask you to post their product; they want you to use it, experiment with it, share your experience. You get so many PRs who just want their product shared, or just want a link back, it’s lovely when a brand comes to you who really want to have a partnership and collaborate.

Topics:

• Fashion
• Food & Drink
• Health & Fitness
• Kids & Parenting

Country:

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland