Anupriya - Work Hard Enough and Always be Satisfied with Your Work (Content Creator, India)

My advice is to never compare yourself with other influencers. There are so many social media influencers who became successful just by spamming Lip-Sync videos, but I always prefer quality over quantity. 

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

Born in 1993, Anupriya aka Oolfat. I grew up in a small town called Hazaribag in Jharkhand and have been living in Canada since 2020.

My journey started as an IAS aspirant & ended up as a content creator. I was really good at studies, so my mom wanted me to become an IAS officer. 

I studied hard to crack Civil Services but failed by just two and a half marks. Because of that failure, I went into depression for many months. I finally recovered by deciding to explore my hobbies and finding my passion. 

I have always enjoyed dancing, acting and singing. I remember, whenever someone asked me “What do I want to become”, I always responded “Mujhe kalakaar banna hai” haha. I started creating original content on TikTok and they started going viral. 

I was getting some recognition but then TikTok got banned in India. So I decided to move to YouTube in July 2020. My audience supported me there and now I work as a full-time entertainer.

2. What led you to start your page on Instagram and what is it about?

I have had an Instagram account for a while, but I only became serious about it in 2017 when one of my mimicry videos of Bigg Boss’s contestant, Arshi Khan went viral. 

I am an entertainer and I love making people laugh, so my Insta & YouTube pages are mostly about relatable comedy content.

3. How would you distinguish the term blogger from an influencer?

I think “blogger” and “influencer” are correlated terms. Blogger is a subset of an influencer. All bloggers are influencers, but all influencers may not be bloggers. 

Also, bloggers are only limited to social media platforms, but influencers can be found everywhere in all professions.

4. Is it financially sustainable to be an influencer today?

It depends. If you have a sufficient following, good engagement and a wide audience reach then it may be possible to sustain yourself. 

At the same time, it is difficult to find stability in this profession because our livelihood is entirely dependent on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. 

Changes in their discovery algorithms can affect our audience reach and in turn our revenue. Like any business, we see lots of ups and downs in our revenue. There is no comfort of a fixed salary in this profession. 

So I would advise the current young generation to first focus on their studies to secure a stable job as a backup option. 

5. What do you think influences consumer behaviour?

I can’t say about other influencers but in my case, it is relatable content. I grew up around Bihar, so I often make content inspired by Bihar's culture and my audience loves them. 

They are able to connect with my content very well.

6. What is your idea of success or your mantra in life?

Work hard enough and always be satisfied with your work. You are your own competition.

7. How can someone become a successful social media influencer?

My advice is to never compare yourself with other influencers. There are so many social media influencers who became successful just by spamming Lip-Sync videos, but I always prefer quality over quantity. 

Focus on your work and make videos on trending sounds in your own unique & creative way. Believe in your audience and your work. 

8. Which is your favourite book and why?

I am not much of a book reader. The last book I remember reading was the 6-12th standard NCERT science books. Lol

Instagram - Anupriya

Interviewed By - Bhoomika