Peruvian influencer who met the CEO of TikTok: “It gives you a lot of confidence to speak, as if you were a normal person”

He has more than nine million followers on the Chinese social network, in addition to millions more on YouTube, Facebook or Instagram. Her project is called Calligraphilic and, although it may sound contradictory, being an influencer was never in her plans.

Gallegos studied Tourism, but always had writing and calligraphy as a passion. This led her to perfect the art that she has in her hands and that has helped her work. But the big change came with the pandemic. A moment of inspiration made her look at social networks as an opportunity, which to this day has taken her to audiences in Mexico, Spain, and England.

The young woman from Cusco was selected among many other content creators from Peru and other parts of the world. Two other influencers also participated in the event: Christie Basil, from Indonesia, and Alex Lourdes, from the United States.

In this era of artificial intelligence and social networks, Gallegos is committed to quality and educational content. He spoke with The Commerce about the encounter with Shou Zi Chew and more.

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-How did they contact you from TikTok?

A month ago they called me TikTokthey selected me among all the Latin American and Spanish-speaking creators to represent in the APEC forum. Of course, I had gone through many filters, they asked me if I knew English – I think that also contributed a lot -, and I went through a second interview with all the leaders of each country.

-And how was the meeting with Shou Zi Chew, because I understand that there was a talk and another meeting with you.

Every day we were with the team TikTokthe three creators, to be in all the activities, photo shoots, interviews, etc., we were all together all the time, we had lunches together, and on the second day they told us that we had a dinner. We got everything ready, we went to the lobby [del hotel donde se hospedaron]they picked us up and in the transportation they told us that Shou was going to attend that dinner. So it was a total surprise.

And what did they talk about at that dinner?

I was a little nervous. I introduced myself first. I said, “Hello, nice to meet you. I am a content creator, I do calligraphy, my name is Paola Gallegos” and she told me “Of course I know you, nice to meet you. You are from Cusco, you have studied tourism, right?”

It was a mix of many emotions because it was very gratifying that he already knew about me. He sat next to me, it was something random, and it was like three hours of dinner where we were sharing a lot of things, but very friendly. He really gives a lot of confidence to speak, as if he were a normal person, an ordinary person, and that is also very admirable. Something that stands out is his simplicity, his humility and his ability to be able to converse like a normal person despite all the achievements he has had.. He looked at my TikTok with me next to me and he said, “Explain this video to me, explain this other one to me.” I told him that in one I am showing my traveling literature project, where I travel tourism, making tourism documentaries, but also showing a little of my art, my lettering, on different posters around Peru, and he told me that he thought it was excellent that combine my professional career with my passion, which is art and calligraphy.

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– And among that, did he give you some tips to improve your work on TikTok?

Actually, he first followed me in TikTok (he followed me). I don’t know if there was that much ‘advice’, but it was more of a talk where he saw my content. He asked me what my most viral video was or the video I liked making the most. He also asked me how I monetize off the platform. I told him my ways of monetizing, that one of them was with my online academy and my in-person academy. He went to my website, saw the course that is current. I really like the approach he gives to creators, which is what you do outside the platform, that not everything stays on TikTok, but what is beyond, what is outside the platform. He really liked my website.

– And are there any secrets in TikTok videos? I read that there is a key that Shou Zi Chew has

One of the things we talked about was the Millennial Pause, which is what you do to make your video engaging. For example, if you delay showing who you are, there is a millisecond silence that can cause everyone to scroll through your video, so That first second is key so that people can stay watching your video and retaining people who want to see that specific video. He always recommends that, starting with a hook, with something very striking so that people can stay.. He looked at the way I do that, how I connect with my audience and recommends that for everyone. He says it’s up front, saying the clear idea you want to have in your video.

-And how did you become an influencer, now even more recognized. After the news they must be looking for you everywhere.

I think there is also a very important message in my content, which is to revalue a written art, an ancient art that is lost due to the arrival of the printing press, the arrival of the digital age, this habit of writing is lost. So, first I always loved to write, I always had a lot of markers, I made the papers at school. At first this was born with the idea of ​​having a hobby. I discovered that there were courses and I always came across people who have instilled that calligraphy is not a joke, that it is not something that can be done very self-taught. Calligraphy is an art that must be learned to the letter because there are calligraphy styles that are already very parameterized, you cannot break those rules. It is a fairly rigorous discipline.

It was not my intention to be an influencer, but simply to spread this art that was not very famous, that not many people do it, which is a more closed thing. When I took calligraphy classes it was very closed, it was aimed only at graphic designers or fine artists, but not beyond. So, I wanted art to connect to more people, to reach children, to reach people who do not want to take it as rigorously as I learned it, but in a freer, fresher, more jovial way. I started teaching and that was my focus.

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-And what is Calligraphilic?

Before the pandemic that was my way of working. I had a business where I sold handmade things, handwritten, like wedding parts, I made handmade certificates and things like that, very special things that were requested of me, and also the in-person workshops, both in Cusco and Lima; but I was just in Lima when the pandemic arrived. We were all locked up and I saw that there was no way to have your business, many businesses fell. I saw that everyone was using TikTok to dance, to do these very trendy things or to have fun, but there was no one who is teaching the art of calligraphy. I decided to upload a video, to see how it goes. Of the first five videos I uploaded, one of them reached 700,000 views in less than a week. Thanks to that I think I got the impulse to be able to continue.

– What platforms are you on?

I am multiplatform. I have Pinterest, I have YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. I try to upload content there and be present on all platforms. Recently people started asking me for many more courses; So, since 2021 I have already had courses recorded on platforms like Domestika, for example.

– Although it was not in your plans to be an Influencer, from what I see, what do you think today about what an Influencer is?

I think the word is not well said. I think the future is to be a content creator. All people handle something, that is, they are experts in some topic, in some topic, and I feel that each of us should take advantage of the possibility that social networks give us to reach so many people. Social networks have no limits, and we have it for free. They are tools that technology gives us to reach unimaginable audiences. Before, to be an influencer or to be heard you had to pay or be in the newspaper, be on the radio, be in magazines, be on TV, you had to make a lot of effort to be heard. Nowadays we can all be heard thanks to the platforms.

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For me there are two types of influencers. One of them is perhaps the ones who like show business the most – which is not bad, but let’s say that their audience is different – and there are also people who want to make a change, help the platforms become healthy spaces, That is, outside of gossip, outside of superficialities, because that has also been seen a lot in technology. Then, there are also other content creators who share valuable content, who try to contribute to these platforms teaching something. lhe work of an influencer, whether for entertainment or educational content, we should not take it lightly because it is a great responsibility.

– What role could influencers have in Peru?

When I started there weren’t many tiktokers. Today in Peru the world of influencers is growing a lot. It is important that everyone can specify themselves, that is, have a very clear niche, give a clear message in their content. I am happy, first because Peru is being listened to, in Peru more and more very good, valuable creators are coming out, who contribute not only to Peruvian culture but to the world in general, because it is always important for Latin America to have good content that represent.

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– Another question is about ages. Normally we are used to thinking that social networks are for young people. What do you think?

What I think is that the content has to be very good. There are many older people who also want to use the platforms and I believe that they have something in their favor, and that is that they have a lot of knowledge, in fact they have more knowledge than a young person. So, I think it is important and it is time that adults and older people can also use this to their advantage, technology to their advantage, by continuing to share their voice, that they will continue to be heard. As I tell you, and what I have discussed with the team directly from TikTok, It doesn’t matter who you are but what you share and how you reach the public. Whether you are older, you are younger, you are very young, it can also be heard.

-And how do you see the movement of social networks in regions? Is it different?

It’s very different. In Cusco there are just beginning to have content creators. We still need to learn a lot, but I am also happy to be able to be there, to be part of that community and in some way being an international creator and being in Cusco, perhaps contributing with what they need. I am happy to be there, with them, to have a community in the regions. This growth will be seen later. In Lima they are all there, and more centralized, there are many more influencers, quite large. Not in Cusco, and in the province. This is going to grow little by little.