Instagram Influencer Spotlight On: Jerro Santos @GourManila

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

I’m a classic example of an impoverished Filipino who worked hard to reach his and his parents’ dreams. I grew up with meager meals on the table, so now that life is better and I have all the means, I’m kinda making up for the flavors I didn’t get to enjoy when I was younger. I’m currently working as a Proposal Writer + Account Executive for an I.T Solutions company. I do food blogging as a hobby, so that my gastronomic experiences accumulate, instead of merely passing, and eventually forgotten.

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

GourManila is mostly about food. Apart from the daily (almost) foodporn that I post, I sometimes post photos of myself and other foodies to kinda humanize the blog. Because that’s what #GourManila is about: real people and experiences. We do not just repost photos because I think we already enough food account that do that.

3) How did your Instagram name come about?

The blog name is a portmanteau of the words “Gourmand” and “Manila”, hence #GourManila. I believe that being a “gourmand” should not limit someone within fancy and expensive food. I try to cover all kinds of food, from expensive restos to unassuming holes-in-the-wall.

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

I have a love-hate affair with VSCO, and I eventually uninstalled it for good, because I decided to not filter my foodporn. What I use right now is Snapseed, because it allows me to enhance my photos without making it them look “edited”. My most-used Snapseed features include Selective Editing and Sharpness.

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

One of my favorite Instagrammers is @PepeSamson, who blogs mostly about travel. I have high regards towards quality caption, and he also does it well–making for posts that not only entice you visually, but also let you experience something through vivid descriptions.

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

Pay more attention to post captions, because they play a huge part in engaging with the audience. It doesn’t have to be long all the time. Being catchy and succinct is enough.

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

As an influencer, it makes me proud when my followers tell me they tried something because of my recommendations. It happens often, which affirm that I’m doing something right, though I still have a long way to go.

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

My advice to brands is to be more inquisitive and meticulous and know Social Media Marketing thoroughly. It allows them to pick quality influencers with authentic followers and engagement, versus seemingly popular influencers that employ black-hat tactics like paid followers (not to be confused with paid ads) and likes. I can say with confidence that my follower base, which is growing consistently, is composed of real people who care about what I post.

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

It is important to follow related accounts, regardless if you love them or not, so that you’ll know what has already been done. That way, you can find a way to set yourself apart by being different in style and doing something, uhm, different!

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

What I like best about partnering with brands is that it lets me work with different influencers, bloggers, endorsers and other key roles in their campaign. It gives me a clearer view of the complex digital marketing landscape, which changes constantly. That’s why I’m always in the lookout for new collab opportunities, as well as new platforms and methods of doing things.

Topics:

• Cooking
• Food & Drink
• Photography

Country:

Philippines