At a time when most of us are relishing not looking Insta-ready, it’s a strange time for Influencers.
We’ve never been more glued to our phones, so are looking to these people – who we’ve become increasingly interested in and, actually, reliant on – to continue their presences in our lives, if not go the extra mile. But we also don’t want the obvious ads – many influencers have seen pushback when they’ve posted sponsored messages that seem incongruous with the times. The problem is, those ads are their main income source. We also want them to share – but not overshare… they should be vulnerable, but grateful – lift our mood, but understand we’re low.
It’s a challenge Louise Pentland, 34, has been open about – she’s been a YouTube and Instagram star since before most of us even used the word influencer and has divorced, had two kids and got engaged in front of her followers. Just this week, Louise (who started a YouTube channel in 2010) crystallised the challenge facing influencers, posting about struggling at home with her children, but knowing that many were in a worse scenario, saying, ‘I never post things like this because I want to provide joy and inspiration but I also want to say, for anyone and everyone feeling the same, I’m right there with you.’
‘I never really know if I’m doing this right,’ Louise tells Grazia when we quiz her on how she chooses what to put up. ‘Sometimes I want to have a big wobble, but then I think about my friend Charly who works as an ICU nurse and also has a toddler at home. It reminds me that I have it easy and it encourages me to be grateful for what I do have, rather than what I don’t right now. Basically, I just try to be honest. If it’s been a hard day then I’ll share that, but I’ll also share that I know we’re all in it together and that this isn’t forever. Try to balance a negative with a positive.’
Does she worry about posting sponsored messages then? ‘I’m always beyond grateful that my audience are so chill about these things,’ she says. ‘They understand that working with brands I love (or think they’ll love) is how I keep my content free and accessible to all. I also try to do everything in the best taste possible and I’m proud to have worked with the brands I have over the past few months.’
While some influencers have seen coronavirus lockdown adversely affecting their ability to post – travel, or fashion for instance – some like fitness, crafting and, of course, parenting are seeing renewed interest as our need for advice and solace increases.
‘[Being a parenting influencer during lockdown], it's good and it’s bad. The positive is that I’m used to working from home with children around me all day, so the lockdown has meant I can carry on working. It’s also a time that a lot of people are looking for inspiration, comfort, reassurance, so it’s been lovely to have some newer faces join my online community. The negative has been that just like lots of other people, I’m finding it quite tricky to ‘do it all’. Home-schooling my nine-year-old, entertaining my two-year-old and keeping work going is definitely a challenge.'
‘I’ve found that people are looking for a bit of reassurance and everyone is finding this experience hard, but there are lots of small things we can do to work through it. I think if we all share our ideas online, we’ll all be better off for it. Whenever I share, people share back in the comments and DMs.'
Away from managing her Instagram account, how is Louise managing life as a mum of two? ‘PC answer - with a positive attitude. Real answer - a lot of FaceTime calls with my best friend, a few tears and a new appreciation for wine,’ she says. ‘I’m not sure I am balancing this very well to be perfectly honest - I’m on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. I haven’t been keeping up with my to-do list and I feel overwhelmed most days. But, my girls are happy and safe, we’re all in this together and whilst there are people out there putting their lives on the line, I can’t complain. We can do this!
‘I think keeping the momentum of the day going has been hard. It’s really easy to let everything slide but I’ve found when we all get up and dressed first thing, we have a better day.’
The closeness of the relationship between influencers and their fans means they have a unique insight into what is going on behing all our locked doors right now – what are parents telling her about life in lockdown?
‘I think the #JuggleStruggle is real and everyone is just really keen to ensure they keep their children safe and shielded from what’s happening. They’re trying to find fun things to do at home (I’ve been uploading so many IGTV’s and stories of the girls’ favourite toys etc) and also looking for a bit of mum-to-mum reassurance – there’s lots of that on my grid: I’m struggling just as much as everyone else it seems!’
Another thing more parents are having to deal with the longer lockdown goes on, is hosting a birthday party at home. Louise’s daughter, Darcy, had her ninth birthday on lockdown.
‘It was actually fine,’ says Louise. ‘My top tip is find a local cake maker who can deliver, fill the room with balloons (always spreads a bit of cheer) and go wild with the treats! Most children just want Mummy’s attention, so I gave it to her in spades and we had a really sweet day. I told her this will be a birthday we’ll never forget!’
Finally, if you’re spending more time than ever looking at your phone and are looking for more parenting instagrammers to follow, who would Louise recommend?
‘I’ve been loving Katie Piper’s daily affirmations on her stories,’ she says. ‘Eimear Varian Barry can make playtime in her garden look the most stylish place you’ve ever seen in your life (I feel so inspired by her to sort my garden out!) and Catherine Carton has been showing so many fun ways to craft and DIY that I’m itching to whip the sewing machine out. I would absolutely recommend following these beauts.’
Louise Pentland is a bestselling author and award-winning parenting vlogger. Listen and subscribe to her podcast Mothers’ Meeting via Global Player, iTunes and Spotify.
READ MORE: Seven Women On the High Highs and Low Lows of Parenting in Lockdown