Maxim Influencer of the Week: Daniella Salvi
“I do my best to personally reply and like all of my comments and messages. I think it’s important to have a genuine connection with my followers.”
Daniella Salvi is an actress and social media-leveraging entrepreneur who has worked with brands like Revolve, Bebe, and Vital Proteins. She’s also among the scores of social media influencers who have joined the Maxim Creator Network. Check out her tips on expanding your personal brand below:
What’s the best way for influencers to increase their number of followers and become more relevant?
The best way for influencers to increase their number of followers and remain relevant is via authenticity and consistency. I always pay attention to insights and see what captions, hashtags, and images I’ve posted resonate best with my followers. You have to post content that your followers want to see, so it is important to pay attention to what did well and what didn’t do so well.
Organization and consistency is my secret weapon to keep it moving. I have a content calendar to keep myself and my team organized and accountable. I always try my best to schedule Instagram posts in advance, so I never feel like I am falling behind. Most importantly, I do my best to personally reply and like all of my comments and messages. I think it’s important to have a genuine connection with my followers so I can let them know that I acknowledge them. At the end of the day, there would be no Daniella Salvi brand without my followers. It is important to let your followers know you appreciate their support and trust. So always be thankful!
Which dream brands would you love to collaborate with?
To be honest, there are so many brands that I’m fond of and would love to work with. I love playing sports and working out and not many know this, but I used to play tennis at a competitive level in high school, which I still love to play. With that being said, some of my top brands would be Nike, Adidas, Wilson, Under Armor, Champion and PUMA.
I also have a fetish for masculine watches. I personally prefer to wear a much more masculine watch, which is why I adore the designs of Rolex, Omega, Longines and Tag Heuer watches, as they are all timeless brands.
Lastly, I love well-made clothing pieces, from beautiful lingerie to the perfect cocktail dress. I would love to work with Le Perle, Agent Provocateur, and high end fashion houses like Dior, Chanel, and Gucci. There is something really special when you wear a designer piece as it feels like you are wearing a piece of art on your body.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKKKM0ABdC-
What are your absolute best tips for taking a great Instagram photo?
Good lighting is a must-have for a great shot! I have been fortunate enough to work with so many talented creatives, which taught me that lighting is everything. You can find the best natural light if you have north or south facing windows. I personally prefer North facing windows because I find the light less harsh.
I prefer to shoot in RAW with a professional camera as it is easier to create moody dark images or change it to bright clean fresh looks in post production when you shoot in RAW. I like to use Lightroom because it is easier to really brighten the photo without compromising the quality of the image.
Another tip is to have body awareness in posing. I like to think of geometrical shapes in my poses, specifically triangles. Triangles help you create more interesting photos with your body. Your goal should be to create triangles in the negative space using your arms or in the angles of your legs. It really makes all the difference in creating that perfect Instagram photo, whether you use a camera phone or professional camera.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHnoPIxBiHS
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
As an actress, I get inspired by observing human behavior and by my surroundings. When it comes to my digital content, I draw inspiration straight from my life, the people around me, my day-to-day activities, and just living my truth. My lifestyle and personality are always reflected in everything I post. When I work with brands, I make sure I create successful content where the product or service I am showcasing is seamlessly incorporated in content as part of my daily life.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CF757GsBWDr
What’s the funniest/most interesting comment you’ve ever received from one of your followers?
“Marry me! Please!” comments always give me a big smile. I think it is pretty special when followers take their time to write poems, songs, or create art for me. Most of them are really original and creative. The love songs are the best, because what girl doesn’t love a great serenade. I feel truly humbled by these gestures as they come from the heart, and I really appreciate them.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJBvbXPBaB_
What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from becoming an influencer?
The biggest thing I have learned from becoming an influencer is how impactful social media can be and how much influence you can have on others. The trust between myself and my followers is so important. My integrity and building trust goes hand in hand with being authentic on my platform, which is why I make a point to work with brands and companies I believe in and would actually use myself. I know what I post can influence others, which is why I take that responsibility seriously and firmly believe in quality over quantity when it comes to my content.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDJ6lTBhFq_
What excites you most about being an influencer?
The most exciting part of being an influencer and content creator are the opportunities and amazing people I get to meet. I wasn’t planning on becoming an influencer when my mom and I started taking pictures three years ago—it just happened organically.
As I grew, so many opportunities and wonderful people came my way due to all the exposure. New doors opened and continue to open every day, which provide me with the chance to work with amazing creatives, brands, as well as travelling. I am incredibly grateful my career in social media has enriched and provided me with a growth mindset in everything I do as an individual, business woman, and an actress.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-cfsXkhzGc
What’s your best piece of advice for growing a personal brand?
Create your brand around your true self while expressing gratitude. Otherwise, you will be “figured out” by pretending to be someone you are not. It is important to just be true to yourself and remain grounded. Balance and feeling centered is so important, as it is easy to lose your voice and who you are in this digital age. I believe it is paramount interacting with my followers as it is an essential part to growing my personal brand. Positive energy is a real thing, and I want to make sure my followers feel the love and appreciation I have for them in my comments and replies, which I feel comes right back and contributes to my growth.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8kLwu8hSq5
Maxim has worked with top brands and talent for decades, and now we’ve added the Maxim Creator Network to our diverse platform to help brands connect with our audience in the digital world.
The Maxim Creator Network is the ultimate in-house tool for brands that want to work with creators and run successful influencer marketing campaigns and rising influencers that want the ability to partner with the brands they love to tell passionate, authentic stories, together.