Student Turns Instagram Critique into Lucrative Side Hustle
Evan Gray Smith, a 20-year-old Pace University student, has transformed his keen eye for Instagram aesthetics into a profitable venture, earning up to $4,000 monthly by offering brutally honest feedback on users' profiles. With over 600,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok, Smith's straightforward advice has resonated with a vast audience seeking to elevate their social media presence.
From High School Hobby to High-Demand Service
Smith's journey began during his junior year in a Massachusetts high school, where roasting friends' social media pages was a popular trend. However, he aimed to provide more constructive criticism. "I was like, what if I do kind of a more constructive version, where I reconstruct their feeds and tell them what I want them to change? Because I've just always been so hyper-fixated on what mine looks like," he explained to the Daily Mail. Initially helping friends, demand quickly surged, with hundreds of strangers requesting his services.
By Fall 2022, Smith implemented a paid model to manage the overwhelming number of requests. Starting at $3 to prioritize reviews, the fee gradually increased to $5, then $7, and now stands at $25 per rating. Despite the cost, demand remains robust; he opens a sign-up form briefly, accepting around 40 paying customers per cycle, generating $1,000 from sign-ups alone.
Monetizing Honesty Through Social Media Platforms
Smith's primary income stems from the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, as his videos often exceed one minute and attract tens of thousands of views. For instance, a recent TikTok video labeled part 1,206 garnered 100,400 views in under 24 hours. Each video, taking approximately 1.5 hours to produce from analysis to editing, features critiques of two profiles, with Smith delivering unfiltered opinions. In one review, he remarked, "SOFIA! ... The camera lens looks greasy as s**t... There was no point in posting this," showcasing his blunt style.
He emphasizes that his critiques, while harsh, are intended humorously and constructively. "Even though the series is kind of a little harsh, and there's obviously a bit of making fun, it's all [with] good intentions," Smith noted. "It's for the fun of it. Everybody who's paying for the ratings knows what I do, how I talk in the other videos. It's meant to be a joke while still getting that aesthetic that you're looking for."
Essential Tips for Instagram Perfection
Smith shared his expert advice for curating an appealing Instagram profile. Key recommendations include using a clear face photo for the profile picture, keeping bios concise with minimal emojis, and ensuring highlight names are short and word-based. He advocates for a diverse grid with solo shots, group photos, and architectural images, all tied together by a consistent color scheme. "The best thing you can do is transition between those colors, and try to keep it consistent for an extended period of time, so that it doesn't look all over the place," he advised.
Conversely, he discourages using borders, collages, harsh filters, excessive editing, and posting images directly from Pinterest. "Those pictures are inspiration, they're not meant to be stolen," he lamented. "Just go ahead and duplicate it, or kind of copy it yourself in your own way, and add your own twist on it, rather than just stealing the actual picture."
Personal Approach and Future Aspirations
Despite his success, Smith rates his own Instagram grid an 8.75 out of 10, describing it as a "little art project" that authentically reflects his life, including travels, dates, and time with friends. He focuses on maintaining a cohesive color scheme, valuing compliments on aesthetics over individual photos. "So, if I get a compliment on my Instagram, it's not like: 'That photo of you is so good.' It's like: 'Oh my god, that color scheme, this section of your feed just looks so good.' Like, that's what I look for," he said.
While currently earning a substantial income, Smith, who also bartends part-time, does not plan to make this his long-term career. Studying media and communications, he aims to leverage his viral ratings system into a marketing role. In the meantime, he is investing earnings with his father's help and splurging on a trip to Florence, Italy. "I do have money put aside, because this income might not last forever, and I might as well make the best of it," he concluded.
