Chloe Szepanowski (Szep for short) is an Australian lifestyle influencer who has created her own activewear brand ‘SZEP’. She is also Co-owner of mediation and sleep app ‘Bloomapp’. Her main social media platform is Instagram where she has 653,000 Instagram follower (as of 15/09/2020). As well as Instagram, Chloe has an increasing following on YouTube, Tiktok and Twitter. Chloe’s target market is primarily, but not limited to, girls aged 18-28 who love and are interested in makeup, fashion and styling. Chloe’s Instagram incorporates response heavily from her audience. This is seen through likes, comments and shares of her posts as well as responses to question and answers that Chloe posts often on her Instagram story.
Mapping Chloe Szep’s Network
Brands and companies > Publicists (Sometimes) > Chloe Szep > Social media channels: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok > Followers/Consumers
Chloe Szep’s network consists of many different factors which form part of her social media presence and content such as different social media channels, other influencers, followers and brands which she collaborates with. Another important factor to remember is public relations which form part of Chloe’s network by sending her products on behalf of beauty and fashion brands. Chloe Szep’s network includes brands such as her own; Szep and Bloomapp as well as Dough Store, Hello Fresh, Oroton and Platypus to name a few.
There is a strong correlation between the brand, the influencer and the followers. Chloe’s followers trust her and feel as though they can relate, leading to them to be persuaded to purchase items and products that she is promoting on her social media. I am not fully aware of the experience of other followers thus far, though I am going to do further research into this by immersing myself as a fulltime follower. At present, I believe that Chloe’s followers are usually following and watching her content on social media using their mobile phones, as this is the most accessible way to access Instagram anywhere, at any time. In addition to this, Chloe’s target audience are primary users of phones over other technological devices.
By conducting this ethnographic research on Chloe Szep, I will be able to develop skills such critical analysis by ethnographically exploring my media niche and presenting my research as a digital artefact. I might find information such as new ways to identify the right influencer for your brand which will help me to develop my skills in public relations and marketing. My media niche is extremely relevant to my future career in the creative industries as I would like to pursue a career in public relations and/or marketing and advertising. Other individuals who might be interested in the findings of my research may be current and future public relations professionals, owners of companies and brands which use influencer marketing as well as followers of Chloe Szep who are interested in a deeper understanding of her social media presence.
I can begin to problematise my niche by taking the experience of observing Chloe Szep’s social presence and turning it around to observe from a different angle and perspective, this way I can better understand my media niche. I bring an informative perspective to the study as I am currently half way through my second public relations internship working with beauty and fashion clients. I also have the perspective as a follower of influencers and bloggers as I myself am a regular social media user who follows lifestyle content.
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