This April, we explore the life of travel blogger @rameliavitra. Our talented influencer of the month is based in Indonesia. Ramel has worked on Vamp campaigns with Rexona, UOB Privi Miles and HSBC. We asked about her other side hustles, how she creates IGTV content and her top three travel destinations.
How long have you been creating social content for, is it your full-time job or side hustle?
A while back, I went through a bit of a quarter-life-crisis. I was feeling anxious about my personal identity and was really questioning my purpose in life – and the direction of my career and relationship. This period enlightened me and helped me to find my true passion, which turned out to be traveling. In 2016 I began to focus on creating content around travel. Initially my goal was to just share positive information with others, I didn’t really have any expectations. Then surprisingly in 2017, I was offered my first collaboration with the brand, Daniel Wellington. By 2019, I became a full-time content creator.
Do you have any advice for others wanting to create a beautifully curated and colourful feed, similar to yours?
To achieve a neat feed, with an aesthetic similar to mine, you need to plan it out and stay consistent with your editing techniques. I use an app called Garny to plan my feed and to help keep my feed looking on-brand, I use editing apps like Lightroom, Snapseed, and Foodie.
We can see you’re a big fan of IGTV, creating your own mini-series called ‘Connectivity Makes Traveling Easy.’ What made you want to start filming these?
The ‘Connectivity Makes Traveling Easy’ mini series is a collaborative project with the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation. It has been one of my biggest achievements and creating it has been a memorable experience. I am thrilled to be able to contribute to Indonesia’s tourism program. I love the long-form content IGTV offers. I can share detailed stories with my audience that deepens my connection with them. My following is stronger on Instagram, so I think this medium is a good way for me to increase awareness around my video content, before venturing onto YouTube.
Do you have any tips for other creators wanting to start their own mini-series on IGTV?
Because IGTV content requires more time and effort, I suggest making some simple ones first, on your mobile. Recording and editing video content on a phone is so easy, as there’s lots of convenient editing apps available. To help with some inspiration, start with short 1-2 minute informative IGTV’s for your followers to enjoy.
What’s your process in writing long captions so well that your audience stays engaged with you?
To be honest, thinking of captions for Instagram isn’t a process I find easy! When writing long captions, I find it helpful to provide useful information or I ask rhetorical questions and provide relevant answers. This allows my audience to learn something from me and also helps them become more familiar with my tone of voice.
You’re the founder of @picnichild and @printyrent. Can you tell us a little bit more about these side hustles of yours?
@picnichild Indonesia is a non-profit organisation that has a social activity program to finance free educational tours for underprivileged children. The fundraising is generated from the activities of our volunteers who become walking tour guides in Jakarta. I founded Picnichild Indonesia with two of my travel buddies.
@printyrent is a luggage rental service in Jakarta. I started this business of mine just for fun as I had a lot of suitcases. I didn’t expect many people to be enthusiastic about renting luggage, so it was a surprise that this business idea took off for me.
What are your top three locations that you have visited as a travel blogger, and why?
Number one is Bali. To me, Bali is the complete package. It’s beaches, mountains, lakes, food, and culture are all exquisite. I always miss Bail.
Number two is Taiwan. The two things that made me fall in love with Taiwan is the affordable cost of living and how safe of a country it is. The city is very advanced, with many excellent natural destinations and delicious dessert hubs.
Last one is Japan. The country’s culture, tourist destinations and even its museums are very inspiring. The orderliness of Japanese citizens has also always fascinated me. I highly recommend travelling to these three places.
What is your all-time best performing post on your feed, and why do you think that is?
I think this post. It went viral after I posted it! It was re-shared in various online articles and on other social media platforms. I believe it was one of the photos that contributed to the increase in my followers and awareness around my Instagram account.
Right now I am….
Listening to: A Whole New World – Zayn
Watching: The Story of Diana
Eating: Fried noodles
Wearing: A jumpsuit
Drinking: Taro milk
What do you like about working with Vamp?
The Vamp app is such an innovative digital marketing platform. The app adjusts to the trends and needs of content creators by always offering genuine and constant brand collaborations. The app is easy to navigate and provides a simple payment system that’s convenient and efficient. I just love collaborating with Vamp!
