What one influencer with cancer teaches us about building a community

Dena Smith a.k.a @leowithcancer, is an influencer we admire for her vulnerability and realness on digital platforms. Whether she is sharing updates on her ongoing battle with breast cancer [hence the name, @leowithcancer] or her divorce, Dena is very open with her audience on some of the most sensitive topics. Many influencers try for this - let’s be real, authenticity is an overused term these days - but there are some specific tactics Dena employs that have cultivated the highly engaged community that supports her.

First off, Dena is a blogger at heart. She maintains the leowithcancer.com blog and has been at it for more than 10 years. It’s through this consistent practice over time that has not only refined her brand voice, but it’s what has cultivated the relationship with her fanbase. She also approaches Instagram like a blog with a mix of long form captions and unfiltered videos where she talks directly to her followers, as a friend, and without makeup. This is what makes Dena’s brand so powerful. You don’t need to have met or spoken to Dena to feel like you know her and root for her all the same.

Second, what is notable is that Dena not only nurtures this audience, but has then translated it into real business. She is creating genuine, authentic influence. Dena is the founder of Astrologiens and the maker of Leo Oil. Interestingly, Dena shares the ingredients of this crowd- favorite facial oil so her followers have the option of making it themselves but they continue to buy from her because they want to support HER.

This loyalty and fandom is something that many larger creators [Dena has 11.5k followers] struggle to achieve [you may have heard about the influencer with 2.5M+ followers who couldn’t even sell 36 t-shirts]. People still get caught up in the numbers game of social media, but that’s the old way of thinking. Numbers don’t mean nearly as much as they used to, especially with so many people gaming the system by buying followers. Sure it’s nice to have a lot of followers, but if none of them are listening, what’s the point? [You can read more about this here.]

Community and engagement are what equals true influence, and how do you build that? genuine AUTHENTICITY. Millennials and Gen Zs [the bulk of social media users] are digital natives. They grew up on social media and can smell pandering from a mile away. If you want to build a community on social media, the surest way to do it is to develop a brand [or personal] voice that is unique and true. Anything less and all you’ll be left with is fluff followers who won’t even buy 36 t-shirts.

Here’s what you can learn from @leowithcancer to apply to your personal or brand social media accounts:

Document the process. Social media is just as much about the journey as it is about the destination. Whether it be the BTS of making a product or the happenings of your daily life, this is content that will help build your brand’s story. Documentation makes your followers feel like they’re a part of the process, increasing their investment in your brand.
Get vulnerable. We’re all human [well, most of us. But the increase in “robot” influencers is a blog for another time.]. Showing the not-so-glamorous side of your life makes you easier for audiences to relate to.
Engage. Interact with your audience! This is a big part of community building that is often forgotten. Respond to comments authentically [not just with emojis] and share using generated content! This can be sharing Instagram stories that tag you or feed posts of your community.

And if you aren’t already, give Dena a follow to continue learning from her. She’s a breath of fresh air and one of the few influencers who’s content we continue to actively seek out.

Emma Marshall is a Digital Strategist at M.T. Deco.