Have you always wanted to grow your following and not seemed to work? Well, we got in touch with a pro to help figure out how much can be done. Melissa Soldera is a Montreal-based influencer, mom, wife, and handbag enthusiast, with social media experience in spades.

She also happens to be the owner of Style Society Social, a full-service marketing agency, specializing in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Soldera runs her own YouTube and Instagram account.

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She mastered a quick turnover with her videos using Final Cut Pro, which allowed her to have a steady stream of content, which she describes as being "key."

She told MTL Blog that "perfect was so 2019! 2020 is all about being real and I'm all about the realness," which is something that totally shines through on her social media accounts.

Keeping it real also allows her followers to feel a real connection to her, something that's so important nowadays.

If you love vintage fashion, luxury items, and hard-working moms, you should totally check out her YouTube channel or Instagram page, where she's always coming out with new, fresh content.

How do you think you managed to gain such a large following in a short time? Was it hard work?

As for growth and strategy, I own a digital marketing agency, and while on maternity leave in 2017, I began treating my own platforms the way I treat those of my clients. 

Consistency, authenticity, and communication have been key for my growth. One of my favourite things to do is answer DMs and chat with my people. 

It's honestly been a lot of work but so rewarding, professionally, and personally. 

What advice would you give to any Montrealers trying to grow their following organically? What's your secret?

Be 100% unapologetically you. Your community follows you for you, don't forget that while you're trying to be someone else. 

Make sure you use all the features available on each platform you have a presence on. For example on Instagram, along with daily posts, make use of IGTV, stories, and Reels. 

The platforms (and algorithms) will show you more love if you diversify how you disperse your content. 

Another thing is, do not underestimate hashtags — the discovery of properly tagged posts makes a huge difference!

Based on what you've learned, what do you think Montrealers want to see on their Instagram feed? What kind of content should people gear towards?

Social media is going through a big shift at the moment. It used to be all about the prettiest grid however, 2020 has flipped the script; people don't just want pretty anymore, they want to see what's beneath it all, the behind the scenes.

Creators are expected now more than ever to use their voice and their platform for more than outfit inspiration. 

One thing I consistently hear is "I love how real you are. There's always real life going on in the background," and it's true!