What started as a love for fashion and beauty has thrived into a career as a social media influencer for Arizona State University student Keaton Milburn.
Milburn started her career in high school in March 2012 because she had a love for fashion and beauty. She turned to YouTube as her creative outlet, and her career grew from there.
"It started on YouTube when I was in high school. I found an outlet I could share fashion and beauty and just went for it. It wasn't my job until months later when I realized I could make money on my videos," Milburn said.
Currently, Milburn has 482,000 subscribers on YouTube and has 181,000 followers on Instagram. Her following continues to grow. Milburn also added a vlog account on YouTube, which has 83,200 subscribers.
"My favorite part about being an influencer is being able to have a community of likeminded people I can connect with through the internet," she said.
By creating many connections as an influencer, Milburn has made lasting friendships through social media.
"So many of my closest friends have all been found through social media. I'm so grateful that I've met them because we are all able to relate so well because we have the same job," she said.
The influencer has changed her views on social media since she now uses it as the source of income.
"I don't view social media as much as real anymore," Milburn said. "I think everyday people on social media who don't have it as a job just view it as fun to look at or watch, but for me, I view it as work and entertainment. I think I see through people's facades on social media because I know what it's like."
As an influencer, Milburn uses her status to spread a positive message to her viewers.
"That being authentic, real and yourself is the easiest way to be happy in life and love yourself. Stay true to you," she said.
Milburn sees her future as an influencer expanding into other platforms.
"My favorite platform is YouTube. I am able to express myself the most on that platform and connect better. I'm looking forward to keeping up with all my current platforms I'm on and expanding from there onto new ones," she said.
Milburn originally is from Houston, but now is pursuing a degree in sports journalism with a broadcasting focus at ASU. The influencer's sister was also an ASU graduate. Milburn said she believes her role in social media has a positive influence on her future as a sports journalist.
"I think my role as an influencer actually gives me an advantage because so many jobs nowadays are looking for people who know how to target an audience and work with digital audiences," Milburn said.
Spending her days with her sorority, Alpha Phi, classes or working on her channel, the Youtuber keeps her followers updated on each part of her life. She shares videos that give an inside look into the life she has built since moving to Arizona.
"The main way it affects my day to day life is mainly that it's an all-day-everyday thing. I am always posting and updating people on every platform I can. It really is something that never stops for me. People don't necessarily treat me differently, at least the people I keep in my life don't. I think more people have a preconceived idea of me because of my persona online but it doesn't affect me," Milburn said.
Cameron Ottoman, one of Milburn's sorority sisters in Alpha Phi, loves having Milburn as one of her sisters.
"Keaton is super bubbly and puts on a positive face for the sorority since she is so well known," Ottoman said.
Milburn continues to work on her YouTube career and grow her audience while spreading her positive message.
