DIARY directory recently caught up with fashion, beauty and lifestyle influencer Tia Ward. YouTuber and blogger Tia launched her site in 2013 as a place to document her fashion choices, and it has quickly evolved into an influential lifestyle website, catering to women who want everything in one place. Tia has collaborated with brands such as Nike, Harvey Nichols, L’Oreal and Estée Lauder and as a result, has been featured in publications like ASOS Magazine and online as The Estee Stories and Byrdie.
 

UK fashion & beauty Influencer

Worked with Estée, Nike, & Harvey Nichols 

 “Be authentic, be consistent, be honest at all times."
 

Listed in DIARY directory in the digital influencers subsection, along with 1500+ categorised influencers for PRs to work with, Tia discusses product placement, her most popular posts and influencers buying followers. 

Who are your core readers? 

18-34 young women who are passionate about fashion, beauty and other women.

You started posting on YouTube video two years ago, how did it all take off for you?

I haven't been particularly consistent with it until this year - and what really connects with people is the relationship series I've been doing!

What are your tips for growing a following?

Be authentic, be consistent, be honest at all times.

What are your most clicked/watched posts?

I did a video on religion and relationships, specifically multi-religious relationships and it got over a quarter of a million views! Also a smoothie recipe using a NutriBullet, and my morning skincare routine!

How do you earn your income now you’re an established influencer?

With brand collaborations for the most part and partnering with RewardStyle who offer affiliate links for products I wear/suggest.

Do you use product placement and what are your thoughts on disclosure for ads?

I do use product placement when I believe in the product I'm endorsing... I think it's good that ads are disclosed now, it's such a new space and I think ethically it's important for people to know when they're being advertised to.

Influencers using bots and buying followers - what’s your opinion on this?

I can't stand the thought of this. It makes the playing field unfair, but I also feel these people are shooting themselves in the foot as their following may grow but their engagement is nothing. What is frustrating is that brands might pick these influencers over smaller more organic influencer, thinking they'll get more bang for their buck. But this isn't the case.

"I think it's good that ads are disclosed now, it's such a new space and I think ethically it's important for people to know when they're being advertised to."

How do you think brands/PRs can work better with influencers? Any pet peeves?

I hate it when a brand or PR asks me what my rate is, and then comes back and says "awww well we only have such and such a budget". I'd rather they just tell me their budget and let me decide whether or not it's workable!

I also feel it should be more collaborative, rather than the brands dishing out the same brief to every influencer taking part! I feel this would generate much more interesting content.

What has been a career highlight?

Being a face of the Estée Edit was definitely a highlight for me- I adore the team, the products and the concept so to be affiliated with them was a dream come true.

Biggest lessons learnt while working/blogging/vlogging in the industry?

Don't trust everyone, not everyone wants to see you win. Consistency is key and always be yourself.

What inspires you when writing a blog post and which posts garner the most attention?

For me, it's all about loving what I'm writing about, if it doesn't inspire me the words don't come! A huge part of being inspired is the imagery for the post, when I'm happy with the images the words flow perfectly. Luckily for me, my following love whatever I post so engagement is pretty similar across the board no matter the subject.

Where do you see the blogosphere in five years time?

I have no idea!!!! And that is why I love it. It's such a new industry and it's changing so rapidly, who knows. It may all be over, or just the beginning.

What other influencers do you follow and why?

I follow so many lovely women who do what I do, too many to mention! I constantly feel energy and inspiration from my peers - we live in such a vibrant, multicultural city and all have such different, distinctive styles. There is always something to learn!