Julia Ayim, also known as @_itsjulee on Instagram, is a blogger and self-love advocate based in Montréal. With around 113 thousand likes on TikTok and a peak of 405 thousand views on her account, she brings travel, lifestyle and beauty content to her audience. We recently had a chance to catch up with her to learn more about her content and future plans as a content creator.
What is your YouTube channel/Twitch stream/podcast/etc called and what is it about?
My YouTube channel and Instagram page go by the handle @_itsjulee, and on TikTok, you can find me at iitsjulee. I create engaging lifestyle, beauty, and travel content. As a passionate traveller, I established this channel to document my adventures through captivating travel vlogs, while also sharing beauty and personal growth insights with my audience. You can think of my channel as a video diary where I not only document my experiences but also provide valuable information and recommendations
When did you start it? What motivated you at the beginning?
I was involved in student life during my time at McGill organizing & promoting events for the Black Students Network which led me to explore my creativity and post as an effective way to interact with my community. When I graduated I decided to invest more time into content creation. I started my YouTube channel in December 2023 and I am currently editing my first video documenting my trip to Accra, Ghana in December. Procrastination has always been my biggest obstacle, multiple people on my social media platforms, have mentioned how they feel like based on my content I would make a great YouTuber. Hearing this motivated me to challenge & explore that new side of myself.
Who were you inspired by? Any influences?
During my research phase, I watched a lot of “How to get started on YouTube” videos and the recurring advice was “Just go for it, post that video!” A YouTuber and content creator named Gina B who talks about her influencer journey mentioned in one of her videos how you can watch as many “how to” videos but starting to film and post is the best way to develop your skills, learn and grow. And that made me push procrastination to the side and tackle this new challenge
What is your creative process? Do you have people who work with you?
I jot down various ideas as they come to me and utilize Pinterest for inspiration. Creating boards on Pinterest helps me visualize and add to those ideas. For my videos, I upload them to my editing app, and during the process, new ideas often emerge. As a perfectionist, I create multiple final versions and refine them until I am satisfied with the end result. To ensure the quality of my content, I ask for feedback from my best friends and sisters, relying on the perspectives of people I trust.
How do you monetize your content? Do you also have another job?
Fortunately, I’ve been able to secure both paid and gifted partnerships on Instagram, despite not having an extensive follower count. These collaborations have either been from brands reaching out to me or my approach in responding to ads-seeking creators.
I work full-time as an industry liaison, managing partnerships and managing marketing content, so social media content creation isn’t my main source of income.
What is your favourite piece of content you have created?
An indicator of if I am satisfied with a piece of content I made is if I rewatch it multiple times. My 2023 travel diary reel that I created recently is my current favourite as I feel it gives an insight into the different experiences I showcased on my profile and look forward to showcasing on my channel.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The best part is the community and being able to transcribe experiences digitally and connect with people who have similar mindsets and interests to mine. The most challenging part is when a meticulously crafted video, which takes considerable time for creation and editing, doesn’t receive as much engagement as anticipated. I don’t get discouraged because I believe as long as I am happy with my content and keep being consistent and putting in the work eventually the opportunities that are meant for me will find their way to me
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another Canadian content creator that you love?
Diuto Ajoku is a fashion creator I love & tarekestla, is a creative videographer based in Montreal who inspires me, I love their content!
