Woman leaves teaching at Mayo school for social media career
The buttons of WhatsApp, Instagram, facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and other apps on the screen of an iPhone.
Her career trajectory could be described as the epitome of a worker in the modern digital economy - and proof that there's a living to be made in social media. Urlaur native and former secondary school teacher Kirsty Phillips describes herself as a social media mentor and content creator for businesses across the region. She’s also trained as a life coach, offering direction to young people seeking a way forward.
The importance of social media channels as advertising and sales platforms has created new careers which barely existed two decades ago.
“I mentor and create content for people who want to build a social media platform for their businesses online,” explains Kirsty, who previously taught in Ballyhaunis Community School.
It’s a career she got into while travelling and getting paid for creating social media videos for some of the places she visited.
“When I took a career break, I decided I wanted to try something completely different. I backpacked around North and South America and while I was there, I started to work as a UGC [user generated content] creator.
“It was great to earn as I travelled - I felt like a real digital nomad. While I get paid for some content, I make a lot of travel videos just because I enjoy it so much. For me, it adds to the experience of travel.”
A truly modern replacement of the now obsolete Lonely Planet travel guide, videos she posted on her TikTok channel @kindredkirst guided Kirsty around places like the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago.
“It was comments from the local people on my videos that helped me find places to visit,” she explains.
“Creating videos for the travel industry was a gateway for me. It gave me the confidence to start posting more lifestyle content and now, content about what I do in my coaching and content creating services.”
Kirsty explains how she reaches out to potential clients, outlining what she can do for them.
“A lot of businesses are now also finding my social media accounts and they reach out to me. I love making outdoor content so I’ve been making videos for saunas on the West coast of Ireland and Irish businesses promoting green and sustainability initiatives.”
UGC is different from social media influencers who typically post on their own social media page.
“Businesses send me a product or tell me about their service, I make a video for them and they post it on their social media...”
Does it take a long time to establish develop an audience on Tiktok?
“No, not if you have the right strategy and knowledge about the industry. TikTok is a relatively new app in comparison to Instagram and Facebook and therefore it is slightly easier to grow on that app at the moment.
“What I have found on TikTok is that if you consistently post content, engage with your followers and other accounts and remain patient - you will start to grow your following. Community is key for growth on TikTok. Find your audience or niche, post content relating to that, engage with others in your field and watch your community grow.”
Earlier this year Kirsty completed a diploma in Personal and Business Coaching and found strong demand for her coaching which is “...designed to help people who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure about their next steps - whether that’s in their career, education, or personal life".
“I typically work with young adults navigating big life decisions, working professionals facing burnout and individuals craving more balance and purpose."
