Outdoor content material creation provides a chance to flex your creativity whereas exploring the wilderness. It\u2019s an effective way to assist join others to backcountry adventures too. Indeed, many out of doors adventurers are keen to search out methods to leverage social media and different digital platforms to align their passions with their work. That\u2019s why we began our out of doors content material creator collection!<\/span><\/p>\n In this collection, we ask various kinds of out of doors content material creators:<\/span><\/p>\n In <\/span>half one<\/span><\/a>, we chatted with our very personal model ambassador, <\/span>Michelle Zhang<\/span><\/a>, about what it\u2019s like being a model ambassador and her recommendation for getting began as one. In <\/span>half two<\/span><\/a>, we dove into all issues gear with Liz Thomas, editor-in-chief at <\/span>Treeline Review<\/span><\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n Now, partly three of our out of doors content material creator collection, we\u2019re taking a hike into all issues TikTok with Kacy Guajardo, also referred to as <\/span>@kacystrails<\/span><\/a>!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Kacy Guajardo is a Colorado-based hiker, skier, and type-2 fun-seeker. Her TikTok account focuses on instructional and provoking out of doors content material. Today, she has greater than 50,000 followers on the platform. We caught up with Kacy to study extra about what it\u2019s like being a TikTok influencer and the way others can get began too!<\/span><\/p>\n Kacy:<\/b> I\u2019ve at all times cherished sharing my adventures with family and friends on Instagram, so when TikTok got here up in 2020, it was a pure development for me. I labored in social media for just a few skilled sports activities groups in faculty and early in my profession, so it\u2019s been cool to make use of my skilled expertise for content material that I\u2019m actually obsessed with. My mother and father mentioned that the video format makes it simpler for them to remain linked to me and comply with my life since I\u2019m so dangerous at calling residence. Sorry, mother and pop!<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s fast and to the purpose. When I\u2019m searching for recommendation on gear or a fast overview, I don\u2019t need to learn an excellent lengthy article or sit by way of a 10-minute YouTube video. It\u2019s a simple approach to share info with out getting slowed down within the particulars. I need my followers to have the ability to scroll by way of my web page and get all the data they should get into backpacking with out spending hours researching themselves. I put plenty of time and analysis into my instructional content material so I generally is a one-stop useful resource for brand new adventurers!<\/span><\/p>\n It takes much more time than you\u2019d assume! I usually spend about 10 to fifteen hours per week specializing in my social media. Interacting with my followers is my favourite a part of it, so I spend plenty of time replying to feedback and constructing my neighborhood. My purpose for TikTok has at all times been to construct an superior neighborhood of rad adventurers that I contemplate associates quite than simply followers, in order that\u2019s why I put partaking with my viewers above all else.<\/span><\/p>\n I attempt to associate with corporations that I really feel are a pure match for me in my life. With Gossamer Gear, I used a <\/span>GG pack<\/span><\/a> on my thru-hike of the Colorado Trail in 2020 and have been an enormous supporter of the corporate ever since. I discovered myself recommending their merchandise to everybody I knew, so it simply made sense for me to shoot my shot with them, and I\u2019m so glad I did! I feel my GG content material did rather well as a result of I had the liberty to create what I felt would work finest on my web page and it translated properly to the model web page too. Freedom to create is important to a superb partnership!<\/span><\/p>\n I additionally choose to work with smaller corporations with in-house advertising and marketing groups as a result of I really feel like I can join on a deeper stage with the model. Typically, the staff of outside corporations share related pursuits within the outdoor, so they only get it. It\u2019s vital to me that every model deal is collaborative, however I even have the liberty to create as a result of there\u2019s not a cookie-cutter template for a profitable advert.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Is it arduous to stability curating content material on a display with having fun with the second within the outdoor? How do you discover your stability?<\/span><\/p>\n I attempt to maintain a robust boundary with myself after I\u2019m within the outdoor in order that I don\u2019t begin feeling like each hike is a content material journey. I\u2019ll set my intention earlier than I head out\u2014like, okay, this journey is for content material, so I\u2019ll carry my digicam gear and never really feel dangerous about taking longer on a hike. Loads of my journeys, although, I set the intention of staying current and off my cellphone as a result of climbing is <\/span>my<\/span><\/i> time. It\u2019s actually vital to me to carry this boundary as a result of I don\u2019t need to lose my love for the outside by filming each second of my journey.<\/span><\/p>\n Just begin posting! Your first few (hundred, lol) movies will most likely be crap, however don\u2019t fear an excessive amount of about that. You\u2019ll discover your content material fashion and your workflow will turn out to be simpler and extra environment friendly. A giant a part of this for me was getting over the worry and embarrassment of filming in public. It\u2019s at all times going to be low-key embarrassing, however for me, I do know my content material helps so many individuals navigate the out of doors life-style, so I simply should remind myself why I\u2019m doing it! You can\u2019t join with individuals until you place your self on the market, and belief me, it\u2019s value it!<\/span><\/p>\n Our foremost takeaway from chatting with Kacy is that brief movies might be actually impactful for educating people who find themselves newer to backpacking or different out of doors actions. We additionally discovered how this way can create significant neighborhood. Becoming a TikTok influencer is a time dedication, however with wholesome boundaries round if you find yourself and will not be creating new content material, you possibly can nonetheless discover loads of time to easily benefit from the outdoor.<\/span><\/p>\n You can comply with Kacy on TikTok at <\/span>@kacystrails<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And we need to see your brief movies with our merchandise! Tag us on social media (<\/span>@gossamergear<\/span><\/a>) and utilizing the hashtag<\/span> #takelessdomore<\/span><\/a> to indicate off your out of doors content material creation expertise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Have one other kind of outside trade gig you\u2019re interested by? Reach out and tell us at <\/span>korrin@gossamergear.com<\/span><\/a>. We\u2019ll see if we are able to spherical up one other interview to study all about it!<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n
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\nGossamer Gear:<\/b> Can you begin by telling us a little bit about how you bought began making out of doors content material on TikTok?<\/span>
\n<\/h2>\nWhat about short-form video do you assume helps encourage others?<\/span><\/h2>\n
What\u2019s the time dedication like for modifying movies, sharing them, interacting with followers, and all that jazz?<\/span><\/h2>\n
How do you select which manufacturers to focus on or associate with? What type of issues do manufacturers anticipate from you and what do you anticipate in return?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Do you’ve any recommendation for others who could also be concerned about sharing their out of doors content material on TikTok?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Use Short Videos to Educate and Inspire Other Outdoor Enthusiasts on TikTok<\/span><\/h2>\n