Influencer Session with Maggie Clark

Socially Powerful caught up with automotive influencer Maggie Clark (@maggieclarkoncamera) also known as Motor City Maggie. She has a background in public relations and theatre. Maggie entered the automotive world in Detroit and wanted to share her knowledge to empower women in car buying and leasing. She creates vehicle walk-arounds, shares lifestyle content, and travels frequently for work on her YouTube channel and Instagram page. Maggie’s authenticity and passion for cars have earned her a dedicated following and trust. She partners only with brands she believes in and predicts influencer marketing will keep growing, with video content becoming increasingly important. Maggie’s ultimate goal is to host an automotive TV or streaming show.

Maggie Clark @maggieclarkoncamera

We caught up with automotive expert and lifestyle influencer Maggie Clark (AKA Motor City Maggie) to talk about being an influencer in a male-dominated niche, instilling confidence in her audience, and how long-form content is still King for educating viewers.

Check out the full interview below!

1. Tell us about your background and how you started to build your following. 

I realized there were very few women on social media who talk about the auto industry and I wanted to bring another female perspective into this space. I also wanted to educate women about cars so they feel more confident buying and leasing vehicles. I started a YouTube channel called “Motor City Maggie” with these goals in mind and it continues to grow every day. “Motor City Maggie” is an ode to my hometown of Detroit, aka the Motor City and home of the American auto industry.

2. Did your love of cars stem from your on-camera hosting work, or was your on-camera hosting work a result of an initial love for cars?

Growing up in the city of Detroit, I was surrounded by the automotive industry. Going to the Detroit Auto Show was a yearly event with my family. I was inspired by the women I would see working there who travelled around the country speaking so eloquently about cars and educating others with their automotive knowledge. After I graduated from college with degrees in Public Relations and in Theatre, I decided to enter the industry as a Productions Plus Automotive Product Specialist. I used my knowledge of cars, along with my PR and public speaking skills, to parlay into a career of live presentations and on camera work with cars, trucks and SUVs.

3. Which platforms do you predominantly use? Which is your favourite?

I predominantly use Instagram and YouTube. I am starting to utilize TikTok more as content can spread like wildfire over there. YouTube is my favorite platform for automotive content because I feel like an audience can get to know a vehicle so much better in long form content.

4. What type of content do you create, and which type works best for your audience?

On YouTube, I create long and short form vehicle walk-arounds. On Instagram, I share all types of content: personal, automotive, travel, fashion, health, fitness and lifestyle. I am still a fan of posting a great photo to share off a product. I love posting Stories and I post to my Instagram Story almost every day. I travel often for work and sharing my adventures via Stories is something I love to do.

5. How would you define “influencer marketing”?

Influencer marketing is utilizing an individual’s social platform to share a product or message with their audience through their personal voice.

6. Have you worked with brands before? How do you decide which brands to work with?

I have worked with over 30 brands! I love partnering with brands that I am passionate about. I never represent a product I don’t personally believe in or wouldn’t use myself so that is my baseline on deciding whether or not I would work with a brand.

7. How do you think influencer marketing will change over the next 12 months?

In the next 12 months, I believe influencer marketing will continue to grow. I think companies see the value of this type of marketing. Usually, an audience likes and trusts the person they are following and enjoys watching them talk about and use various products. I think the return on investment is solid for brands who use this type of marketing, especially if there is a discount code involved!

8. How has influencer marketing changed since you began working within social media?

I think video content is more important to brands now than in the early days of influencer marketing. That’s where being an on camera host comes in handy. It’s important to know how to accurately and articulately share brand messaging and product details with an audience. It’s also necessary to be genuine and confident sharing this information so your audience is engaged.

9. Do you use any software to help create and edit your content?

For YouTube, I use iMovie. I learned how to edit on this program and it feels second nature to me now. For vertical video content, shared on YouTube Shorts, Instagram and TikTok, I use InShot.

10. How do you balance your online and offline lives?

Setting boundaries around social media is important. I have times that I work on content to give it my full attention for creating, editing and posting. When I am out to dinner with family or friends or spending quality time with my husband, I put my phone away (except for the occasional group selfie and food video). I want to be present and enjoy these moments.

11. Which influencers inspire you?

Other women in the automotive space inspire me. It can be a difficult industry for women to be in. I have received some unkind comments and I know they have too. I celebrate and support all women in the automotive world.

12. Where would you like to take your career as an influencer?

The ultimate goal would be to host an automotive TV or streaming show. I would love to interview celebrities about their vehicles or highlight interesting, unique automotive stories from across the country.