Gissi Jimenez blogs all things travel, fashion and beauty. We’ve interviewed her to share all she has learned in the blogging world. We hope you get inspired and learn from her helpful tips to take your social media to the next level!

Tell our readers about yourself and your blog.

I am Gissi Jimenez and I am a Miami-based Fashion Illustrator and Lifestyle blogger for my own brand, The Architect of Style. I share personal fashion, trends, beauty and travel. Along with my minimalistic style Fashion illustrations; which I incorporate into every post, I have an architectural background and that shows in all my drawings.

Tell us how you first got into blogging.

I had already met a few of the local Miami bloggers by going to fashion events, so it was natural for me to start blogging about fashion. I used to have an architecture blog before called burb’s, so I had an idea of what to do to start blogging. Then, I took a class, “101 Blogging in Fashion,” and just started! The illustrations came in a little after as I started drawing the outfits I was going to wear, and people liked it.

How did you establish your “theme” or brand?

I think the name says it all. I am the Architect of Style, it came from my career background and my love for fashion. The illustrations are what made the brand and it is my niche, for which many brands hire me for.

For your theme or brand, do you have things that you do consistently?

Yes! Fashion illustrations!

Where do you find the inspiration for your blog posts?

I tend to get inspiration from everywhere, but mostly from runway shows and other bloggers.

What do you think is the best strategy to get more traffic to your blog?

Post as much as you can, and share as much as you can. Also, I see that posts that seems more organic and the true you gets more engagement.

What’s your favorite social media platform? Why?

Instagram, I am a visual artist so everything is better shown with pictures.

How do you gain followers?

Organically. I’ve been posting and sharing on social and using hashtags. From time to time I get brands like, Valentino or Manolo Blahnik that regram my pictures and give me a bunch of exposure.

Once you have the followers, how do you keep them & engage with them?

I think it’s easy, most people that follow me do it for the art. So as long as I stay consistent they are there. Also, I try responding to every single comment and check out my followers’ profiles and pages.

How many times a week do you post?

2 to 3 times on the blog and on social media I post every day, several times a day.

Is this a part of your strategy to keep gaining followers or do you post at random?

Yes. When I don’t post, I don’t get new followers. It is part of the beast of the world of being an influencer or blogging. You have to keep you self-relevant.

What are some misconceptions about social media?

That it is all superficial and fake. Obviously, there are some accounts and influencers that are like that. But I have found really good friends in the process, even from across the country.

How do you find relevant hashtags for your photos on Instagram?

On the IG search tool, I usually start typing different hashtags to see which ones have trending or more posts.

Do you have photos taken professionally or do you take them yourself?

I take them all myself. Nobody believes me, but I’ve been a photographer since my college days. So I just set up a tripod and use a remote trigger on my phone and use a full frame DSLR.

What are some tips you can give in order to take a good photo?

Lighting is key. Ideally, bright light but not harsh. I love shooting in the early morning.

What’s your favorite location to take photos?

Anywhere on the street. I live in Coral Gables in Miami, Florida so there is always a fun background to shoot.

What are your top 3 favorite emojis?

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How do you keep your website updated & relevant?

Posting often and I review my site layout every few months to see if to adjust anything on that end.

What apps would you recommend to our followers?

HootSuite (for scheduling social posts) and Procreate (for creating illustrations on the go.)

What else do you want to add to help small business owners?

Never give up on your dreams. Hard work pays off.

Need help with your marketing? Let’s chat!