In the frenetic and short attention span of the social media world its almost impossible to stand out and make an impression but its not unheard of. I read this amazing article yesterday from the Huffington Post about a 4 yr old photographer, Hawkeye Huey, who through his natural ability and interest in analog photography has taken the Instagram platform by storm. Its a fascinating and beautiful story of a talent being nurtured and shared online by a father who also happens to be a National Geographic photographer.
So how exactly did a 4 yr old gain a follower base of over 38k in a matter of weeks? And what can a brand learn from this little artist? The key elements here to the success of Huey’s Instagram account are two fold 1) Authenticity and 2) Story.
Lets Start With 1) Authenticity.
In the social media game authenticity is EVERYTHING. All the images on Huey’s account are taken by Huey or are of Huey in action. There’s no manipulation or even digital trickery here – these are analog images, simply shared on a digital platform. In the photography world image manipulation is at an all time high and so for the viewer its refreshing for them to see authentic art created by someone who is doing it simply for the LOVE of the act. Huey is 4 – he isn’t creating these images because he will win some internet popularity contest or it will secure him his next big contract – he’s doing simply because he wants to and because he enjoys it. He’s sharing his point of view and his followers resonate with this completely authentic message. If your message is NOT true to your brand then it will not resonate and people will not engage with it.
Which Brings Me Onto Point 2) His Story.
Huey is 4 (only 4! Just let that sink in for a minute!) and he is already creating images that MANY of us wish we were capable of making. How many of us are lucky enough to find something we are so passionate about at such a young age? Its a very powerful story and as a follower knowing it makes his art that much more enjoyable.
Now you can argue that there are those who are only following due to the “cute celeb” factor – because Huey was featured in a news article or because he’s 4 and pretty darn cute and you might be right initially but I believe that people will continue to follow and engage with the images because they are good. Huey is not a flash in the pan – this is not a marketing stunt – he will continue to create beautiful images and so there is longevity in his story.
The Bottom Line
If your story is what drew people to you in the first place then your follow up work also better be good enough to keep them engaged because in this digital age retaining someone’s attention for longer than 5 mins is a challenge. Its not enough to just have a great story – its how you share it and embody it in EVERYTHING that you create moving forward.
To follow Huey on his photographic journey click here. For more Social Media tips & tricks and interesting brand stories follow us on twitter @Howesocial or join us on Facebook here.
Founder of Howe Social , cupcake eater and travel daydreamer!