Yahoo Finance Ali Fedotowsky-Manno on Being Real on Social Media: 'I Don't Ever Edit My Body to Look Skinnier'
Eleven years since her stint as The Bachelorette, Ali Fedotowsky-Manno is as popular as ever, garnering more than 1 million followers as an influencer on social media.
"My husband [radio host Kevin Manno] jokes that I produce my own 24-hour reality show," says Fedotowsky-Manno, 36. "It's a lot of work. But I feel very connected with the people who follow me. And that means a lot."
The mom of Molly, 4, and Riley, 3, says she also strives for transparency and honesty, both with her brand partnerships and in sharing moments from her life, including her recent diagnosis with anemia.
"You have to be smart," says Fedotowsky-Manno of her social media strategy. "And you have to be able to see long term so you're not just making the quick money. I turned down an astronomical amount to rep a weight loss pill because that's not who I am or what I want to represent. I only work with brands I truly love."
Ali Fedotowsky/Instagram
When it comes to sharing more vulnerable moments, Fedotowsky-Manno, who regularly checks in with fans on Instagram and via her Facebook group, is equally candid.
"I'm on my own journey of self-love with my body and I've played that out online," she says. "It shouldn't be a big deal. And I don't ever edit my body to make it skinnier. The other day I was talking about clothes and I said, 'I'm wearing a size 8 and I'm 5'7" and 160 pounds.' I got thousands of messages saying 'thank you for not making a big deal about that.' "
As far as including Molly and Riley on her social media posts, "they're psyched to be a part of it," says Fedotowsky-Manno. "If they're in a bad mood, I'll just take the photos another time. But if [they] ever say, don't put my image online? It's done."
Ultimately, being an influencer "is a great job to have but it's very taxing," says Fedotowsky-Manno. "People can pick you apart. But I'm always myself. This could go away any day, so while I'm doing it I'm going to stay as authentic as I possibly can."
