Instagram Influencer Spotlight On: Valentino Smith @valentinojsmith

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

It’s an honor to be featured! I’m currently traveling the United States as a entertainer. Primarily dance, but I’m also doing some freelance modeling in my spare time. I’m born and raised in Detroit, MI

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

My topics of interest range from fashion, travel, photography, humor, and health & fitness to name a few. I mostly post on my traveling and dancing, funny meme’s are a close second, then my modeling photos win the bronze.

3) How did your Instagram name come about?

I use to have a couple different names on Instagram but the last and final name change came about from a branding perspective. I wanted to known for my actual name, not a catch phrase or nick name.

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

I mostly just use the standard editing options given in the Instagram app. I like to keep things simple and organic. I wont add anything to modeling photos out of respect for the photographer’s work. I’ve used apps like vidstich and inshot to edit videos in the past to learn the apps and experiment with how my audience responded to those types of videos.

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

I really like KingBach and Broderick Hunter. KingBach is hilarious, so I get a lot of comedic inspiration from him. Broderick Hunter is a model and I’ve learned a lot about how to showcase my modeling work on social media through him. He also showcases his personality a lot via funny videos of himself as well, something I try to do in my own videos and captions.

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

Try responding to as many people as you can on instagram . I’ve found that a simple emoji can mean a lot to the people who follow your journey. I believe it to be a great way to show your followers you appreciate them.

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

My favorite part about being and influencer is making people happy. I love the love and support from the people that appreciate what I do and I can never get over how so many take time out of their day to look at what I’m doing. It’s truly a blessing.

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

Keep it simple. Appeal to people’s emotions. Bring value to the people you’re trying to reach and try not to come off to salesy. I maintain authenticity by truly being myself. I love what I do and I’d only associate myself with things that I believe in and am a fan of myself.

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

Quality and original content is everything. It’s what helps you stand out in a ocean of other people do similar things that you are. Being yourself is the most powerful thing one could do when producing content. There is only one you so share that with the world, not a copy of someone else.

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

What I like best about partnering with brands is being able to connect the people that I love and love me to products or services that I love. If I found an awesome product or service I wouldn’t hesitate to suggest it to my friends. Being an influencer allows me to do the same thing at scale.

Topics:

• Fashion
• Health & Fitness
• Humor
• Photography
• Travel

Country:

United States of America