I became an influencer in Ecuador just like I always dreamed

María Lucía Barrueta started out writing a fashion blog, then moved into producing brands, and is now a consultant for Samsung Latin America.

Maivy Gómez

3 years ago
August 31, 2021

4 min read

Visionaries

Intervew Subject

María Lucía Barrueta Rojas, is a Venezuelan social communicator based in Guayaquil Ecuador, fashion ambassador and image of various brands for Latin America, blogger and influencer in the field of fashion.

Background

In Ecuador, more than 112,000 Instagram users are recognized as influencers, according to the marketing company Influencity. The company explains that these characters “set trends.” Brazil is the Latin American country with the most influencers on Instagram, with almost 9.2 million.

This data was revealed by Influencity, a marketing company that analyzed the number of influencers in Latin American countries.

According to the report, in the 20 countries analyzed, there are 168.3 million Instagram users. And in Ecuador, there are around 3.9 million profiles on this social network. On the other hand, of the total users in the region, around 12 million are considered influencers. But, not all influencers are the same; the study classifies them by type according to their number of followers in:

Megainfluencers (+ 1M followers).
Macroinfluencers (200k-1M Followers).
Mid-influencer (50-200k followers).
Micro-influencers (10-50k followers).
Nano influencers (1-10k followers).

GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador – I always dreamed of becoming a fashion influencer, and today, it is my primary source of income.

While studying social communication in college, I began a professional internship at a fashion magazine. I decided to launch a blog to stand out.

I never imagined that months later, it would lead me to become an ambassador for fashion brands.

With a solid audience behind me, I forged forward to realize my dream.

From blogger to influencer to entreprenuer

When I started my blog, I didn’t realize I was creating a consistent routine. I would share my looks, give out beauty tips, and set trends.

When my first income arrived from the blog, I noticed that not only did I earn money, but the brands that I recommended also grew. I quickly became a conduit for companies to advertise their products.

As time went on, I continued to work with and recommend brands I use in my daily life. I make strict selections on what I advertise because I want to provide relatively sound advice to my followers.

The world of the internet evolves at a fast pace. As a result, I had to put my blog aside to dedicate all my time to social networks. I worked many hours setting trends, and I understood the value of my efforts.

My number of followers rose by the hundreds every day, exceeding my expectations. Soon, it was time to expand and create a website. This new space became the most comfortable way to convey everything I wanted to share.

I could have more direct feedback with my followers. I realized that the advice, tips, and outfits I shared were important to people, so I became an image consultant.

At that moment, I realized I was a public figure for many girls, and they valued the content I created. Young women often come forward to seek support and feel better about themselves. A makeover can improve their self-esteem and even their health.

To continue strengthening my relationship with my audience, I decided to open an online store. Many women wanted to purchase the clothing I shared.

My followers, as passionate as I am

Even with my website and clothing store thriving, social media connects me with my followers. They are as passionate about fashion as I am. In my community, a synergy is created. We help and advise each other.

María Lucía is the image of several brands for which she has become a fashion ambassador. | José Colmenares

I upload new outfits daily and their comments give me more ideas. Fashion is a world that is constantly changing, and the same goes for my community. Today I have more than 40,000 followers and growing.

My online store is a market where I can further help support the people who are there because they have confidence in my opinions. I am proud of where I am in my life, and I love to work hard. Trying to be innovative and offer value and fresh content is paramount. I have even begun to make accessories for my clients.

There are months where I work with many brands, and months where I work with few; but my greatest accomplishment has been joining the Samsung Latin American family.

Everything has been worth it. My work today makes me feel valued and happy.