Social media influencing is a growing division in marketing, with more and more businesses using the approach as a foundation of their advertising strategy. Danielle Freeman, BBA ’21, knows the power of influencing first-hand.
Freeman, who graduated with a marketing degree, currently works with Aramark as a marketing coordinator, helping to run @TempleDining, the social media accounts for Temple University Culinary Services. With over three million views across all videos, it is clear that she has a good understanding of the algorithm. But this is not a newfound skill—Freeman has been doing this type of work since her sophomore year at the Fox School.
It started back in 2019, when Freeman created her own personal account, @FullOnPhilly.
“I had always followed @PhillyFoodies; they were the original food account of Philadelphia that inspired me, so I was always going out and posting food on my personal page,” Freeman says. “For years I always wanted to make a separate account just for food, and I never actually did it until 2019 when I was in school. I started it in January, so it was like my New Year’s resolution.”
Her goal was never to build a career, but to follow her passion and see where it took her.
“I thought that eventually, I could end up going to a restaurant for free one day and that was it! Being able to meet as many people as I have, partner with as many businesses as I have and even make some money were things that I never thought would happen.”
Since then, she has amassed nearly 30k followers on both TikTok and Instagram and created a series of inclusive videos, such as Small Business Saturdays, where she spends the day promoting local businesses.
“Being able to connect with small businesses that don’t have established storefronts but have the best stuff, getting the chance to see these little gems all over Philadelphia, it’s impactful.”
Freeman believes that, even though influencer marketing is a newer marketing tool compared to others, it is here to stay.
“It is crazy what influencing can do, especially the people who do it full-time,” she says. “They take themselves and make their own platform. You watch them grow and partner with all kinds of businesses. A person can explore different opportunities—they do not have to follow a linear path. I think some people overlook it as this generation is always being into their phones, but it is becoming so much more.”
Winning the Philadelphia Business Journal 2022 Rising Social Media Star at Social Media Day PHL for her personal accounts and working with Aramark has been the cherry on top for her. Even though she did not plan out this career path when she first came to Temple, she does credit the school for the opportunities it has provided.
“I would say Fox opened my mind up to networking. You make everything happen with networking,” Freeman says. “Temple was also the reason I got my internship with @Campusphilly. I helped create their TikTok and one of my first videos on Temple’s campus blew up. Helping create their TikTok is what inspired me to create my own.”
What’s next for the social media influencer? Freeman plans to keep her options open and see what opportunities come her way.
“I would make content full-time for a business,” she says. “But I would love to work with more businesses; I want to build on my Small Business Saturday video series.”
For now, she will continue doing what she does best: following her passion and seeing where it takes her.