Lessons from an influencer: Lisa Hamilton of See Want Shop

Lisa first began her blog as a way to keep in touch with family and friends while overseas, but as she gained more and more followers, her passion turned into a profession, and now she works with some of the biggest brands in the world.

Her clean, minimalist style works just as well for healthy-living and far-off destinations as it does for the latest in fashion, and it’s that travel-inspired mix of lifestyle and fashion that really makes her blog stand out.

And when we say stand out, we mean it: Lisa’s work has even caught the eye of Khloe Kardashian.

While she started See Want Shop as just a hobby, Lisa now boasts over 321,000 Instagram followers, all while still regularly producing photographs and blog content on her website, which now also features an online store.

We chatted to Lisa about how brands and influencers can work together, what lies in store for the future and that time a brand wanted her to dress up as Santa!

Tell us about your background and why you decided to start your Instagram and blog?

I am a qualified physiotherapist and, a few years ago, I moved overseas on a working holiday. I decided to start some social media accounts to share my travels and started to grow a following. It all stemmed from there. It was never a planned career move!

You’ve seen a huge amount of success with a large follower base and brand partnerships. How did you go about doing that, especially at the start?

I was very lucky, as when I started my blog, there weren’t many Melbourne bloggers at the time. I had a good friend of mine who worked in PR, so she introduced me to brands and started inviting me to events where I was able to network.

 

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What were your goals for See Want Shop when you first started, and how have those evolved?

I never had goals when I started SWS. It was just a fun hobby, and that is all I ever intended it to be.

The growth and expansion was a very pleasant, but unexpected, surprise. Now that my audience has grown and I have become a full-time blogger, I’ve sat down and set many goals.

One of my main ones this year is to start a YouTube channel.

Would you say there a single piece of content that kicked off your follower growth, or did it happen organically?

No, it happened fairly organically. I have had a couple of growth spurts though.

Firstly, when Khloe Kardashian reposted a photo of mine. Secondly, when quite early on in my blogging career, I was featured on Who What Wear in America. These both attracted a lot of new traffic and followers.

Were there moments when you wanted to give up your blog, and why?

Recently, I have started to become the target for internet trolls, and whilst I have no intention of giving up my blog, I have had friends and family question whether it’s all worth it.

I get where they are coming from, in that they are trying to protect me, but there is nothing that would push me to quit. I am far too committed!

What is the strangest thing a brand has asked you to do? Did you do it?

I once got asked to dress up as Santa and skydive out of an aeroplane! I said no!

Which brand has been your favourite to work with, and why?

I have worked with heaps of amazing brands that I absolutely love including Nike, Cotton On, Holden, Etihad Airways , Revolve and Asos.

Brands that give you creative control and allow you to be true to yourself are my favourite.

What advice would you give to a) brands wanting to work with influencers and b) influencers wanting to work with brands?

For brands wanting to work with influencers, my advice would be to reach out in a meaningful and individual way. Sending bulk emails to bloggers without personalising the content is a big mistake.

For influencers wanting to work with brands, it might be a good idea to start by signing up to one of the many apps or websites that organise collaborations. This can be a great way to get your foot in the door initially.

 

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What is it that makes for a great brand partnership?

It’s important to have a shared outlook: it’s really important that your styles and aesthetic align.

What was the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t say yes to everything.

Do you have a dream brand you’d like to work with?

Apple or Canon would be up there!

What are your aspirations for the future?

Hopefully becoming a mummy blogger down the track!