So, it's safe to say that Kristie is the go-to authority on how to succeed as an influencer.
We were lucky enough to catch up with the girlboss when she visited Australia and grab her top tips for up-levelling your 'gram game. Check out our chat below.
Girlfriend: What's the biggest beauty trend you've seen emerge on Instagram lately?
Kristie: The main thing about beauty that I'm most interested in on Instagram right now is that people are no longer posting the crazy edited selfies we're used to, Now, followers are really craving a sense of relatability. So, sure there's something inspiring and educational about that person that you're following them for. But at the end of the day, they're presenting it in a way that just feels more normal and that's like very exciting to me!
Girlfriend: About 6 months ago, Instagram removed the visible likes on feeds here in Australia. What has the feedback been like from that?
Kristie: I think the most interesting thing about this test is that — and this is based off feedback I've gotten directly from creators — it allows you to focus more on your actual content and what you're posting about and not just the like count. And I think that that's huge for so many reasons. Whether you're a large account or small account, the like count does mean you might only post things that you think will get a ton of likes. And that's not the way Instagram should be. I know we're still testing and learning to see what we'll end up doing, but it's been really positive feedback so far!
Girlfriend: You work with some of the world's top influencers. What do you think the biggest thing they have in common is, that's helped them rise to the top?
Kristie: There are so many people that want to be influencers now and it's quite a congested space. But the key is that you're just being yourself and your authentic voice shines through. At our Instagram event, we spoke to Rowi Singh, and the advice she gave to the crowd was that you can't just do what everyone else is doing and think it's a formulaic thing. To be a top creator, you have to do your own thing and really love what you're doing — because it shows! Followers, especially teens, are getting smarter and want to follow people who are just being real and being themselves. The other main thing is to make sure you're always trying new things. So, when Instagram launches something new, being an early mover in that space is really important to help people see that you are experimental and you're evolving your strategy over time.
Girlfriend: Who are some of your favourite influencers coming out of Australia right now?
Kristie: Oh my god, I love Rowi. I just think she has such a unique voice and sense of style. Otherwise, I just met Sammy Robinson the other day, who is just so fun and a great example of someone who was herself. And there's a fashion creator @alvssa_ who's from Perth. She's the cutest and has the most amazing style. Those three girls are such a good example of how like they're all so different and their style is so different and that's why they kind of risen to the top are getting people's attention. They're just like not trying to do something that everyone else is doing.
Girlfriend: Can you give us some inside goss on what the Instagram algorithm is liking right now?
Kristie: The main thing to know about the algorithm is that it's not out to get you, I promise! Before we introduced the algorithm (which internally we call the ranking, based off of how the content is organised) we actually found that people were missing 70% of their feed, simply because people are following so many more accounts now. With over 1 billion users, there's just no physical way you could see everything unless you're scrolling all day long — which I know it seems like we are, but we're still missing a lot! So, we want to make sure that out of the percentage you are seeing, it's the stuff that's the most relevant and enjoyable and exciting to you. At the end of the day, it's all actually in your control by leaving comments, liking posts, checking people's stories and showing Instagram what you're interested in. These are all thing you're doing to make the feed ranking feel more custom to you.
Girlfriend: What about on the flipside of the equation — how can creators win the algorithm over?
Kristie: Engagement is key. Because at the end of the day, if you're not posting engaging content, it will sink to the bottom of the feed and nobody will see it. I think that's a myth that we hide certain pieces of content, we actually don't — 100% of the content you follow is there. It's just so far down! So, really make sure you're just posting really engaging content so it actually gets seen. We also see video performing really well right now and I think that's just because it does have that thumb-stopping effect, especially in feeds. As you're scrolling through it, it jumps out you and almost forces you to see it. Apart from that, it's just making use you're showing up in stories and Instagram TV and utilising hashtags. Just making sure you're putting in the extra effort because it is admittedly harder now.
Girlfriend: Any parting words of advice for people who want to be influencers?
Kristie: Whenever I sit down with someone, I want to know what their goals are in life in general, whether it's on Instagram or beyond. I think just wanting to be a creator or an influencer for the sake of growing your following and being an influencer is not always the best move. It's best to have a really specific goal in mind and to make sure you're actually doing something that you love doing. I think once you find your community on Instagram with other people who enjoy doing the same things you do — whether it's fellow beauty and fashion enthusiast or people who are specifically interested in like a style of makeup you do —it's that kind of stuff that just makes you want to continue on and find your community. So, I would say like, try to identify your goals and not just have it be ' get a million followers.'