Meet the picture perfect Aussie Instagram stars

SOCIAL media is a key tool for both aspiring stars and our biggest celebrities.

Mercedes Maguire

4 min read

May 6, 2017 - 12:00AM

Sjana Elise Earp is an Australian yoga and wellness ambassador with 1.3m Instagram followers.

Lifestyle

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SJANA Earp is used to people rolling their eyes when she tells them she’s an Instagram influencer. The 22-year-old Newcastle beauty makes no apologies for her burgeoning career. After all, it has taken her around the world, introduced her to new friends and helped her discover a passion for yoga. But she says the biggest reward of being on social media is easy to pick — it saved her life.

“People are often so negative about social media,” she tells BW Magazine. “But it doesn’t have to be like that.

“I suffered from really bad depression when I was 15 and 16, it was so bad I attempted suicide a few times. Social media really helped in my recovery, in a way it saved me. The thing is you can control how you use social media. In the depth of my depression I was on Tumblr, re-blogging depressive quotes and posting morbid thoughts, I know now I was using it in the wrong way and attracting the wrong people.

“But at some point I made the decision to use it in a more positive way, it was as simple as that. When you suffer from depression, it can feel really lonely and for me social media was a way to connect with others and reach out.”

Instagram star Sjana Earp, who suffered from depression, believes social media really helped save her. Picture: Josie Clough

Sjana Elise Earp on location ... somewhere! Picture: Instagram

Sjana Elise Earp is ‘pretty much known for being upside down in beautiful locations at sunset or sunrise’. Picture: Instagram

With more than 1.3 million followers on Instagram alone, the power of social media is clear to Sjana and increasingly, the world is starting to pay greater attention.

In 2012 Sydney PR queen Roxy Jacenko identified a need in the market and launched The Ministry of Talent, one of the first digital talent-only agencies in Australia.

“Roxy was working with a few girls that had a following on Instagram and she noticed that if they posted pics of gifts they had been sent, those products would sell out,” head booker at The Ministry of Talent, Anna Gooden, says. “She identified a need really early in the piece that people could promote their products on social media virtually for free. It was a powerful thing.”

Ministry of Talent now has 65 influencers on its books, representing a range of different industries from food and fitness to fashion and beauty.

Even Hollywood, music and modelling stars have to pay attention to their social media accounts — success is no longer just determined by box office numbers, ratings and album sales. In the US, reality star Kim Kardashian with 99 million followers and singer Selena Gomez with 119 million followers, get paid up to $500,000 per sponsored post. Our top Aussie celebs, such as Thor star Chris Hemsworth and supermodel Miranda Kerr, may have less followers but still command a loyal following, often using the space to promote their own collaborations.

PR queen Roxy Jacenko identified a need in the market and now represents social media influencers.

Adelaide’s Kayla Itsines was last month named number one in the world of fitness by Forbes

In Australia, the industry is still in its infancy. Globally, there are 600 million active monthly users on Instagram, a figure that jumped from 90 million in 2013. In Australia, we have five million, which represents less than 1 per cent of the global market. But still, our top influencers have a reach that is worth big bucks to marketers and top brands. Adelaide’s Kayla Itsines, who built an empire around good health, was last month named number one in the world of fitness by Forbes. She has 6.8 million followers on Instagram.

Social media expert Mel Kettle says Instagram is a powerful tool for anyone who has a product or service to sell.

“To put it simply, people respond to two things — pictures and stories — so if you can combine these, you’re on a winner,” she says. “Also, people will buy something from a person they trust and can relate to, so if people can see someone they like and trust doing or using something, it’s a powerful marketing tool, as long as it’s done in an authentic and natural way.

“Authenticity is the key, people are not stupid, they will see through a blatant sell.”

New transparency rules introduced on March 1 force social media influencers to clearly label sponsored or gifted content. If they don’t they could be in breach of Australian Consumer law and fined up to $220,000 per post. These posts will be easy to spot using hashtags such as #ad, #gift or #collab.

Miranda Kerr.

Jessica Stein.

Pia Muehlenbeck at Coachella two weeks ago.

Sjana, who studied photo journalism at university, started her first Instagram account in 2011.

Her posts are a beautiful collection of photos of her taken mostly on the beach or beachside locations around the world. Inspired by other people’s beautiful beach yoga photos, Sjana started doing yoga herself and last year completed a teacher/trainer course.

“I’m pretty much known for being upside down in beautiful locations at sunset or sunrise,” she laughs. “Social media has given me so many positive opportunities and experiences and I’ve met some of my best friends on digital media. And I’ve been able to travel so much. The first year I started travelling for social media I was home a grand total of about one month out of the year.”

Sjana says as social media expands, there are new opportunities; roles as brand ambassadors and ongoing campaigns. She was recently signed as an ambassador for LA yoga brand, Alo.

“About three years ago my parents would say to me ‘Sjana, Instagramming is not a career’,” she laughs. “But now even they agree it’s definitely a legitimate career. My brother Sam has just given up his job as a lifeguard to travel around the world and take photos for his Instagram account.”

Sjana says by far the most rewarding part of her job is hearing from people who are inspired
by her story.

“People reach out to me all the time, particularly young girls and teens struggling with issues like body image and depression, parents and even people with cancer,” she says.

“They tell me how much it means to them to hear my story. At first it was a little overwhelming, but now I see it as a responsibility to be there for them and I welcome it.

“Reaching out in this way aided me in my recovery, it gave me purpose. And now I want to do the same for others.”