Instagram Influencer Spotlight On: Lauren Cobb Steele @LC_Steele

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

I’m from a small town in Mississippi. Currently I’m living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina because my husband matched here for a medical residency fellowship. I work for a business consulting firm and also blog! I love reading blogs and am so inspired by their content 🙂

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

Clothes clothes and clothes. haha I’m trying to get more into interiors too but I mainly post about outfits for all occasions that are affordable and practical for the everyday girl!

3) How did your Instagram name come about?

It’s just my name. I used to have a blog name but I “rebranded” last year since I know my name will never change. I like that it’s LC – when I got married I went from Lauren Cobb to Lauren Steele. LC was a nickname people don’t really call me anymore, but I love to see it being used in my social media channels – it’s like a part of home.

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

I use INSTAGRAM! All my photos are taken with an iPhone 6 plus. I used to put some of my “good camera” photos up but my audience likes the more authentic and in the moment pictures. I always brighten, add contrast and will usually bump the saturation up a bit too. Snapseed is a great app that allows you to brighten just one part of a photo, which is great for flatlays or yes, food pics.

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

Brittany of Thrifts and threads and Caitlin covington of southern curls and pearls. They have that eye and editing skill that just makes me double tap everytime. haha They are inspriational!

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

the long picture. If you haven’t done it already, DO IT! Although maybe I’m TOO in to it. As I’m typing this I’m realizing almost all my pictures have gone from square to long.

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

The ability to talk about different subjects. When I was an attorney I talked about federal regulations all day long. Now I get to talk about life, love, fashion, photography, home decor, recipes, inspiration, healthy eating, travel, and my dog. What’s not to love about that!?

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

By letting the influencer have full creative control. Look, if it really is a great product, then that’s going to shine through. I think brands forget that we have spent a lot of time and effort “building our own brand” – Target the influencers who truly fit your product and what you’re trying to share. We’ll do the same on our end 😉 That way, when we share a product that we truly love and fits our normal content, it IS authentic.

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

hahah the struggle is real. I mean sure, the goal is to post 2 Instagrams a day that are amazing, and 5 blog posts a week that resonate with everyone, but for me that’s almost impossible. I think it’s a balance. The amount of content influencers need to produce to stay relevant is high. I always shoot for the highest quality possible but if a few pictures slide in that I don’t love, I try to give myself some grace and remember that it’s just social media.

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

Being a part of the new wave of marketing! It’s 2017 and REAL people partnering with brands. Never before has the all mighty consumer been more powerful. If a service isn’t great, or if a product isn’t good, it doesn’t survive. By brands partnering with real people, they are instantly more relatable, attainable, and believable. The Gucci ad in the middle fold of a $4 magazine is less relevant these days. Rather – real women are giving their real perspective via the almighty iphone. I’m proud to be a part of that transition.

Topics:

• Fashion
• Travel

Country:

United States of America