Instagram Influencer Spotlight On: Mia @_miacortez

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

Hi, there! I’m Mia, a city girl living and working in Downtown Los Angeles. For years, I was a post production producer in the broadcast TV world, and now I am the Vice President of a small editing company, Studio in the Sky Productions, specializing in trailers and promos for film and television. I share some of the behind the scenes of my career on my social media as well as my adventurous spirit. I’m always on the hunt for a cool event, the next delicious eatery opening up, or a new place to have explore. My message to people is that you can love what you do, and live what you love.

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

I Instagram the mostly my travels, hot spots for food and culture, and lifestyle. There’s always something new happening, a spot I’ve just discovered, or something about my life that’s meaningful. I try to post not just about big events but also the little joys in life — flowers from a special place in DTLA, a nice sunset from a hike I took, my corgi puppy at Corgi Beach Day (!!!), and oh…I’m big on desserts. Nom! I think it’s important to find joy in the every day. There’s beauty everywhere, and I hope that sharing these things with my audience can brighten their day too.

3) How did your Instagram name come about?

I’ve always had a curiosity about life and an adventurous streak, so posting to Instagram felt like a natural way to document that. It started off as more of a personal photo album, but now it’s evolved into a platform to share experiences and knowledge with others and hopefully, get other people connected and immersed into their adventurous side. I’ve had many people DM me asking about the clothes I wear, the products I’ve bought, how I travel, and how I find amazing deals on some of the things I purchase. I’m all about sharing knowledge in hopes that maybe someone will try something for the first time that maybe they hadn’t thought of before and gain fulfilling experiences.

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

To edit my photos, I mainly use to the features in Instagram, but rarely do I ever use an IG filter. I have a small camera that I take everywhere with me, so I don’t have to alter a photo much since the quality is already great. When I do use apps, I love VSCO and Snapseed. They’re the most user friendly to me. VSCO is great for some go to filters of mine like HB1, and Snapseed is best used when I want to brighten or manipulate the colors of parts of an image but not the whole image. Sometimes, I wish my gallery had more continuity in terms of aesthetic, but I lean towards the quality of what is happening in the photo rather than the aesthetic of the photo itself. I find that being authentic is more important to me than having coordinating colors in my feed.

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

I love Adam Galla. I love all the adventures he goes on, and his photos are stunning. Chriselle and Myleik are two IGers that I go to for career inspiration; they’re total #GirlBosses! TheEveryGirl_ has great career, lifestyle, and beauty tips for women, so I’m an avid follower. DesiPerkins is a beauty influencer who cracks me up in her IG stories, so she’s always one of the first people I watch every day. They all inspire me in different ways, whether they’ve given advice or tips I take on or they live their best life inspiring me to follow suit.

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

Not sure exactly what this question means, but if you’re asking what’s one thing IGers should try with their audience, it would be engaging your audience with IG stories regularly to keep them interested even if you’re not posting to your IG picture feed every day. I like that the stories gives audiences a more raw and candid insight to my life which isn’t always as glamorous as my feed. People tend to love the “realness” of a person, and the IG stories help facilitate that.

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

My favorite part of being an influencer is helping and connecting people! I get so much joy when I know someone is taking a helicopter ride for on a deal I found for them, they’re trying a new product because of me, or they tell me I inspired them to travel more or explore a neighborhood they may not thought to before. I do tons of research beforehand on most things I do and buy, so I’m happy to share what I’ve found with my audience.

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

Brands shouldn’t be afraid to get feedback from the influencer. That’s how they can make their product better. I won’t be a part of a campaign that I don’t fully believe in. If I don’t believe in it, I think that will come across to the audience. I think being transparent with the audience is crucial. The minute people smell that something’s up, they’ll call you out on it. Even if people don’t love a product but you do, the fact that you stand by the product and brand is respectable.

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

Quality and original content is the most important part of being an influencer. People follow influencers because they see life through the influencers’ personal perspective and his or her unique personalities. Why try to be like someone else when you can be yourself?!

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

I think it’s important to develop relationship with brands. The better the relationship, the more trust is laid as the foundation. That ultimately leads to authenticity in sharing the product or brand with audiences. It’s a win win situation for both the influencer and the brand.

Topics:

• Art
• Fashion
• Film, Music & Books
• Food & Drink
• Health & Fitness
• Nature & Outdoors
• Travel

Country:

United States of America