Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Erica Shutty. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Erica thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I think it sounds almost cheesy, but to be successful, you need to be confident in yourself and your abilities to achieve success. If you’re constantly doubting yourself, you’re not going to be prioritizing your business or going above and beyond to ensure it gets off the ground. When I first started my blog, I was mostly looking for a creative outlet. I’ve always enjoyed being behind the camera and showcasing my favorite foods and activities, however as I started to gain such a positive response from my audience, I realized my blogging could turn into something much bigger. A lot of folks end up falling off track, and not prioritizing creating high quality content. What a lot of people don’t realize, is this is easily a second job. I have my 9-5, but then I’m off to dinner or my weekends are fully booked because I make sure to prioritize gathering content, editing, and showcasing it with all of my audience. You have to put in the work and believe in yourself to get results!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For all of those who don’t know me, I’m Erica! I grew up in a small town in Illinois and eventually moved out to San Diego for college. I’ve always been passionate about photography and film, and in 2020, I had a bit of extra free time to really dive into this area, which is when I started my blog @whatericacraves.

Now, to put things simply, my mission is to showcase the most crave-worthy restaurants, hotels, products and activities across SoCal and beyond through descriptive and cinematic content across social. I think something that sets me apart is my passion for storytelling. I know a lot of creators are focused on what is aesthetically pleasing, or will come off as trendy and cute, however I focus on full, in-depth reviews and providing my followers with a lot of knowledge of the place I’m currently showcasing, and why they should care (or crave it!). I also put a lot of effort into my content. I really care about the businesses I am showcasing and I WANT them to succeed. I also really care about my audience and WANT them to enjoy what I’m sharing, and find value in it. Sometimes I care a little too much, but I wouldn’t want it to be any other way.

On top of content creation, I’ve worked in the Public Relations industry for the past 6+ years where I’ve represented multiple national and local CPG brands across several verticals. It is my passion to bring my cravings to life and be the ultimate guide on everything San Diego has to offer (& beyond!)

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Where to start! I think as a first step, you need to ensure you’re following like-minded people and businesses. Is your page all about food? Follow the restaurants you adore/are covering! Building a community of people who would enjoy your content is one of the biggest steps, as well as ensuring your engaging with your followers and those you follow.

Aside from that, you really need to focus on high-quality content that has a call to action. Each video or image should have a purpose. Are you providing a recommendation on the best restaurant for birthday parties? Or an affordable hotel if you’re traveling to San Diego? Ensure your content answers a question, along with avoiding any audio or visual issues.

Also, focus on posting consistently. You’ll want to post anywhere from 4-7 days a week to keep your audience entertained and engaged!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I know I talked a bit previously about how much I care, which can almost be a little dangerous in this industry. I had to learn to not take things too personally. Whether it’s about content that didn’t perform as well as I had hoped, an internet troll making it’s way to my page, etc. You have to try and have thick skin in this industry, as it comes with a lot of ups and downs, but the ups make everything worth it!

Contact Info:

• Website: whatericacraves.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatericacraves/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericashutty/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatericacraves?lang=en

Image Credits
@whatericacraves