Work pants instead of designer dresses, bricklayer’s trowel instead of make-up brushes: some influencers don’t present fashion trends on social media, but crafts.
A young woman posing with a spirit level, an excavator in the sunset or a video of how a bathroom is tiled – under the keyword “Handwerk” (#Handwerk) there are well over two million posts on Instagram alone.
Sometimes hundreds of thousands of followers
Not only companies post their work online, many craftsmen and women use the platform to present their profession in an often creative and personal way. Among them are some women, some with hundreds of thousands of followers. But what does it mean to be a crafts influencer, how much effort does it take and what do you get out of it in the end?
With 111,000 followers, Sandra Hunke is one of the craft influencers with a very large reach on Instagram. Her red hair is usually tied back in a ponytail or in two pigtails, her outfit consists of work clothes and safety shoes. The background is usually a construction site.
In between there are always professional photos of Hunke in dresses or bikini. Because the 30-year-old is both: plant mechanic for sanitary, heating and air-conditioning technology and model.
(Time)consuming passion
“My day-to-day work consists of 50 percent craftsmanship and 50 percent modelling,” says Hunke. Producing content for social networks is an additional part. On some days Hunke travels around the world for modeling jobs, on other days she is on the construction site. “Sometimes I put my cell phone on and film interesting projects on the construction site, but of course that shouldn’t take up too much time.”
Most social media work therefore only takes place after work: even if the construction site closes at 4:30 p.m., Hunke is often busy with social media until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. Then messages are answered, photos edited, videos cut and new posts created.
On her days off, the plant mechanic shows her followers how she implements private construction projects at her house or at friends’. In addition, she co-wrote the children’s book “Bella Baugirl” during the pandemic, with which she would like to get children interested in handicrafts.
Plumber, carpenter or stonemason on Instagram
Luisa Lüttig has only been active on Instagram as “Stein_Fluencerin” for almost two years. She has now completed her master’s degree as a stone sculptor and stonemason and shows her work in photos and videos, for example how she works on gravestones and animal figures. “I started posting photos as a journeyman and noticed how much people care.” Some only got to know the profession through them. The young stonemason is now followed by more than 3,000 people.
It takes self-confidence to stand in front of the camera and explain your work to a wide audience, says Lüttig. Ultimately, she likes being able to show others how beautiful the craft is. “The young people don’t get into the craft anymore, so I come to them with social media.”
Despite the different number of followers, both craftswomen have the same main motivation: to bring girls and women closer to the craft and to show them: “You can do it.” Lüttig herself comes from a family of craftsmen, she works in her parents’ company. “If I didn’t have this relationship, I don’t know if I would have ended up in the trades,” says Lüttig.
In her opinion, one learns too little about trades at school. It was only because she was allowed to help out with her parents as a child that she realized how much fun she had with handicrafts.
Role models on social media
Instagram can definitely be a valuable source of inspiration when choosing a career, says Heike Jahncke. According to the lecturer for vocational and business education, young people need role models and if they cannot be found in the immediate vicinity, influencers could possibly take on this role.
Nevertheless, according to a study in which Jahncke from the University of Oldenburg participated, the family environment and practical experience have the most important influence when it comes to career choice.
Steinmetzin Lüttig therefore suggests: “Just try it out!” Both those who are interested and parents can do internships and thus get to know the job and working environment up close. Don’t be put off by prejudice either. “Craft has a golden floor”, Hunke likes to say with regard to the earning opportunities. Craftsmen are in demand, and a good salary often awaits after training.
Professional Influencer or Profession Influencer?
Although Hunke could earn even more as a model, she says: “The craft comes first.” Neither she nor Luisa Lüttig want to be an influencer full-time. “It’s about bringing the profession closer to me, not me,” says Steinmetzin Lüttig.
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Despite a few requests for cooperation, in which the two present work clothes, for example, the focus is not on the financial aspect. “Social media works nationwide, if you don’t have online trading, it’s of no use to your own business,” says Lüttig.
Lüttig notices that you can still achieve a lot with social networks like Instagram and TikTok, especially when she asks colleagues for advice or young people ask her questions about their job online. “I’ve already been able to arrange several internships and even an apprenticeship position,” says the stonemason.
And Sandra Hunke was particularly pleased to receive a message from a mother who, inspired by Hunke and her children’s book, has now bought her seven-year-old daughter a craft bench to play with.
(mho)
