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A few years ago, ‘influencer’ wasn’t an occupation and blogging itself didn’t really have the spotlight it does today. I started this blog at the beginning of 2015, when I foolishly thought my then-12-week-old was a good sleeper. Spoiler alert: he wasn’t, and the early days of my blog were pretty terrible (it was an ugly pink colour and I talked a load of nonsense).
My early days as a parent blogger
Towards the end of 2015, when my blog was a bit more handsome and I’m mastered not talking rubbish, I started making money from it. I was late to the party, thousands of other parent bloggers had been earning for a while and even given up their day jobs.
When I told my friends about my newfound profession, they didn’t realise how anyone could make a living from talking about their lives. Fast-forward a few years and bloggers are everywhere, except now they’re known under the umbrella term of ‘influencers’, and people can’t get enough of them.
Why parent influencers are popular
I follow a lot of parent influencers who share family-related content. As a mother myself, I like to see the lives of other mums. I enjoy pinching ideas for how to entertain the kids. I lap up suggestions of where to buy clothes for tweens. I coo over their babies and I lust after their newly refurbished kitchens.
These are real people, living normal lives like you and me, and that’s what makes them so captivating. They’re easier to relate to than the celebrities we once ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ over. There is still a place for an interest in celebrity culture, but it’s influencers we listen to.
Why we trust influencer marketing
I think the draw of influencers is that they feel more trustworthy. Their opinions matter. These people have build a following from nothing. They have gained our trust and we value their recommendations and advice. Why would they risk losing that to promote something that isn’t any good?
I believe this is why influencer marketing is such an asset to brands. Advertising will always come second to parent-bloggers sharing their lives. The focus isn’t on selling, it’s on building a community. People want to know the person behind the blog, and when they get to know them, the become invested in their lives.
The future of parent blogging
I think parent bloggers and parenting influencers are here to stay. They’ve been around long enough now for us to know they’re not going anywhere.
When it comes to my own blog, I love my job. I’ve just had another baby and I’m making new connections once again with other mums in my position. Things are different now I’m a mother of three and I like to chat to others who understand.
I make recommendations based on products and brands that I genuinely love. I’ve worked hard to build an audience, so don’t want to lose trust by promoting something I don’t rate. When I speak to other bloggers and influencers they have the same attitude.
I trust the opinions and recommendations of other bloggers and hope that my followers trust me too.