We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jennifer Dixon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jennifer below.

Alright, Jennifer thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

Short-form videos are on the rise. So long are the days of posting a static photo. Today, influencers and creators have to learn to shoot clear quality video, use good transitions, and select trendy audio. Fortunately, there are some good apps (Splice, Beatleap, etc) to help creators. It takes practice and some experimenting to find out what your audience likes. For example, does your audience like “candid” videos or those that have a more polished and produced look.

The other big trend is social selling. In the past, influencers had to encourage followers to leave Instagram and open a second app (such as Like to Know It or Amazon) to shop a certain product.  However, with the introduction of product tagging on posts and product stickers on stories, Instagram has made it easier for creators to make a commission. According to eMarketer’s predictions, by 2025 social selling may become a $80 billion industry.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Jennifer Dixon, although many call me Jen. I moved to Central Florida 26 years ago from Louisiana. Initially, I thought I would only be here for a short while, but then I became a Disney passholder, saw a manatee for the first time at Blue Springs, and cheered on the Magic at my first NBA game. I was having a great time exploring Orlando and knew there was much more for me to see. “The City Beautiful” had my heart.

Fast forward a few years, I am now married to an Orlandoan and we have two teens. In 2017, I redesigned my parenting blog to focus on Central Florida attractions. On YellowBeadsAndMe.com, I share the latest news to help locals and tourists find the best attractions in the area. I love telling others about local events, attractions and restaurants. My love of Orlando has now turned into a part-time “influencer” career.

How did you build your audience on social media?

The first year was the toughest in terms of building an audience on social media. The first thing I did was set milestones for myself. I pulled out a calendar and added goals like “get to 1000 followers”. Second, I followed the “fake it to you make it” technique. Even though I was new and didn’t have many followers, I shared good photos and information. I set myself up as an expert. And third, I continued to learn new skills, such as what is SEO and why are hashtags are important.

Now, in year five, my strategy has evolved. In addition to engagement (likes and comments), I focus on audience activation. My goal is to have a follower mark me as a favorite and/or share my content. I also take advantage of newer IG features like ad tools, insights and bonuses.

To anyone just starting out today, just be yourself and the audience will come. Growth takes time. Focus on building the community you have. Make quality connections and eventually you will grow. Take the time to like, reply and reshare comments. Reach out to others to collaborate. Find your niche and be consistent.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In December 2020, my Instagram account was hacked and my account was disabled! Everything I worked for was gone in a flash. I lost my following of 10k. I was devastated that the business I worked to grow was gone. Each day that passed, I was losing income. But I didn’t give up. I started a new Instagram account and began immediately reconnecting with my audience. Meanwhile, I continued to reach out to Instagram support. I completed the appeal forms daily, pleading my case. I contacted Instagram engineers on LinkedIn. Followers tagged Instagram in their stories to appeal for me. I wrote a blog post (as documentation) and detailed my journey. It wasn’t easy — and I have no idea what method finally worked — but after five months, I got my account back.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yellowbeadsandme.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjendixon/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsjendixon
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsjendixon
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/itsjendixon/