As the old song says, “I’m so excited, and I just can’t hide it!” Why? Well, because it’s that time of year again when I start putting together my annual team of teen influencers! I call them the #rupSeniors Senior Influencers/Creators team.
#rupSeniors Senior Influencers and Creators
Each year I sign up a group of students from the upcoming Senior class to work with me, to ‘influence’ for me throughout their Senior year (starting really while they’re still Juniors). The team’s objective is to help me spread the word to friends and classmates about my Senior portrait services.
I’ve been photographing Senior portraits as a major part of my business for more than 10 years now. Early on I started using what I called ‘ambassadors’ to help me spread the word about my Senior portraits to their classmates. I also got started early with social media (Facebook) to increase the reach of my brand. As the social media landscape has evolved, so too, has the way I run my Senior teams. Today it’s more about collaboration; helping you grow a personal brand and influence with my photos. Working together is a win-win for everyone!
You probably already know that the rise of micro-influencers and teen influencers on Instagram and especially TikTok is exploding right now. There are so many opportunities for young people to connect with their community and gain exposure – and sometimes actual monetary gain – for sharing their lives in an authentic way. But now, it’s moving beyond just being influencers for other brands. The trend is moving to creating your own content and building your own brand.
Have you ever thought about stepping into the role of a content creator?
Collaboration is the Name of the Game
More and more brands want to get their products/clothing out there, and they’re looking at smaller creators to help them do that. And you don’t need a ton of followers to do it! Business/brand collaborations are a big part of the Senior team experience that I work on each year, and so I’m constantly looking for local and national brands that collaborate with small influencers. Recently we’ve worked with Jack and Georgia’s Boutique in Charlotte and Grace Kelly’s gown shop in Lancaster. Some new boutiques have also opened recently in Fort Mill, which presents more opportunities for collaborations.
So a big part of what I do with my TEAM is offer these collaboration opportunities. These will not only provide year-round content for them to share on social, but also open up possibilities of acquiring actual brand deals, and even jobs if that is something they’re interested in. One of my current ‘23 team members recently started a new job at Grace Kelly’s gown shop because of our collaboration for the Christmas/Holiday themed shoot we did back in November.
And if you’re not into that, NO WORRIES – the team involves a LOT more than just that 😉
Most of my past creative team members have said the thing they loved the MOST about being on the team was the opportunity to meet other high school seniors outside of their own friend group. It’s a great addition to your senior year, and you can join at a level that works for your super busy schedule.
Let’s Get Started!
I’m really excited about what we have planned for the Class of 2024 – and once the team is solidified, we’ll chat about what YOU guys want in terms of which brands you’d love to work with, what social media trends we should do as a team, which causes we should support, etc.
No matter what, we’ll still get awesome pics for you throughout your senior year.
If this sounds interesting to you, go ahead and hit me up on my Instagram DM, email (photobyrob1@gmail.com) or call/text (484-554-7178). You can also go right to my VIP signup list, fill out your info there and I’ll start sending you more information
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Rob Upton
Rob Upton Photography
#rupseniors 2024