From mum to thriving Instagram influencer – meet the Folkestone businesswoman with 50k followers – Kent Live

Social media platform Instagram carries a lot of stigma when it comes to its portrayal of real life.

Filtered pictures, celebrities with washboard abs and immaculate postcard scenes are just some of the images its users come across.

Some would say it encourages a false representation of the world we live in.

But for mum-of-two Karen Friend, her life was transformed by the platform when she used it to document the restoration of a newly bought house two years ago in Folkestone.

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Mrs Friend, a businesswoman best known for starting up Emporium Parties back in 1999, said she wanted somewhere to look back on before and after pictures of her home.

With a lack of trust in storing her images on the computer, she thought the social media platform would serve two purposes - to give her instant access and to allow others to follow the progress.

But when Karen's home account exploded with followers, she started to realise just how many people were interested in her journey.

Some people eventually became her friends.

Now the 46-year-old, who helps run BDI Furniture in Park Farm Road with her husband, is an Instagram influencer with up to 50,000 followers.

She now works with big name household brands, whose products she reviews.

These range from Proctor and Gamble, Zoflora, Oak Furniture Land and Dunelm and she is also a brand ambassador for luxury soft furnishing company, Christy.

The companies also take the job seriously and some invite their influencers to London where they hold conferences aimed at educating people about how certain products work.

And she now makes the platform work for her business and has a home accessories page where people such as Mrs Hinch feature her products.

She said she prides herself on "keeping it real" and says she's only just about able to respond to everyone who comments on her content.

Speaking to KentLive, she said: "I don't want to be a large account, I just about able to keep on top of replying to people and posts.

"If someone has taken the time to comment it is only fair to do that back to them."

Instead of merely posting polished images of her nearly-finished six bedroom home, Karen said she tries hard to document the good and the bad.

From moments of her radiator exploding, to speaking about her everyday life - Karen feels this is how she's been able to retain a reputable following, with zero trolls.

"I got to know a lot of people through Instagram, I have two friends that come and stay with me who I met on the platform," she added.

"I have learnt lots about how it works and how it knows whose posts to show.

"I saw people had lots of followers and thought 'I want loads of followers' but I never knew anything about Instagram influencing.

"Then I was approached by a floor cleaning company and they asked if they could gift me a floor cleaner in return for exposure.

"I now work with a number of different businesses."

The biggest item Karen has been gifted was a 1,600 sofa, in return for posts on her account.

Influencing is commonly associated with celebrities who are gifted items to showcase on their accounts.

But now many brands are reaching out to people with a wide following over a range of different areas.

Karen added: "There is a lot of stigma about social media influencing, people think it is just about free items you get given.

"But you end up styling, staging and you can spend hours trying to get the right video or picture for that company.

"Everything I am gifted, if I don't like it I won't promote it. I wouldn't be happy to promote something I wouldn't use myself.

"I'm not just out to get free items - but it is nice to work with other businesses."

For those who would like to try their hand at expanding their account, the mum said it's not as easy as it may seem on the surface.

She said the task of keeping her page fresh and engaging could end up being a full time job in itself.

"My account would be bigger if I didn't work," she added.

"I know some people with home accounts who have got double the amount of followers, but they are on it in the day.

"You'd need to spend the time on it.

"You can post one picture, and that can get you either five or 500 followers - it is so hit and miss.

"I have some that love it, and some that unfollow - I'm lucky as I have lots of rooms to picture."

When asked about how her family feel about her social media following, she said her husband and sons are on board with it.

"They find it quite good, my husband used to say about me being on my phone a lot, but then when he realised I was working for our house, his attitude changed."

Press here follow Karen's account @cherryoakmanor.

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From mum to thriving Instagram influencer - meet the Folkestone businesswoman with 50k followers - Kent Live