Madison Victoria

The internet and social media have provided a means for everyday people to create their own content to be pushed out to the world. Countless individuals have taken advantage of these platforms to promote a fit, healthy lifestyle, and my friend Madi just happens to be one of them.

Madi and I were hall mates freshman year at the University of Georgia. We always had a lot in common, but last September, when she started to share her own fitness journey with me, it bonded us even closer. In just one year, I have witnessed Madi grow tremendously in her self-confidence, and I had a suspicion it may have been related to her lifestyle change. When she started creating her own fitness videos and motivating other people on her social media profiles, I was eager to reconnect to understand how she got to this point, how digital platforms played a role, and what her plans are for the future of her own brand.

*We sat down to chat last week, and this is what she had to say:

Madi, how did you get started on your fitness journey?

                I had been seeing the Kayla Itsines transformations on Instagram for about 4-5 months, but I was initially skeptical. When I went home for Christmas, I was chatting with one of my friends about how I wanted to work towards getting in better shape when she showed me her own Kayla transformation photos. After seeing that I was convinced. I completed Kayla’s Bikini Body Guide round 1 once and round 2 twice (12 weeks each round, for a combined total of 36 weeks.)

                In that time, I started to get more into fitness on YouTube, and all my favorite profiles were weight lifters. I would bring the YouTube videos to Ramsey and follow along with them. Then I started researching more on the internet and YouTube and actually learned about what Macros are and what exercises work which muscle groups, etc.

Did you use any apps to reach your goals?

                Yeah! Fitbit, Fooducate, and MyPlate to track macros and calories and how many grams of a specific nutrient that I needed for the day to reach my goals.

What led you to start your own YouTube and Instagram channels?

                I actually had a fitness Instagram while I was going through the second round of BBG, but I would go through phases of being super into it and then getting discouraged. Then, I started having random people approach me at Ramsey or friends asking what workouts I did. Finally, after a couple of months of individuals asking, I thought maybe I could be helpful on a larger scale, so I committed to it again. Now, I am thinking of combing my fitness and personal Instagram profiles to become “one brand.”

                I started my YouTube channel at the end of May this year because I realized that once it got attention, it would be helpful to others like the ones I had spoken to personally. It also serves as a creative outlet for me. I’m an Entertainment and Media Studies major, so learning about editing videos, and camera equipment that is best suited for different types of videos is beneficial to me. I’ve also learned a lot more about how to sell myself and my personal brand. “The people who are successful on YouTube are the ones who stick to a specific brand or topic and don’t deviate from that.”

 My channel started very slowly. I was stuck at 100 subscribers for a while. However, once I started consistently posting workout and nutrition related content rather than alternating between that and vlogs, I went from gaining 5-10 subscribers per week to 10-20 per day! I also determined that it is all about talking to people and making them feel love and attention on their own channels. I sometimes spend an hour a day commenting on others’ videos and asking them to check mine out.

What are your goals for the near future (by May 2018)?

                Quantitatively, this year, my goal is to get 10,000 subscribers on YouTube (right now I have 510). Additionally, after merging my profiles, I would like to have 2,000 followers on Instagram. Qualitatively, I want to focus on keeping my brand consistent across all channels. My primary focus is on YouTube and Instagram, and I have no intention of stretching to different platforms like Snapchat anytime soon.

End Interview

So there you have it, a first-hand example of how one of our peers is utilizing social media to market herself, her talents, and her services to others. Check her out. You’re sure to be impressed.  

YouTube Profile: http://bit.ly/2wYnxJl

 Instagram: http://bit.ly/2h2pRGi

*Madi’s responses have been paraphrased from our conversation