How Pinky Tobiano grew social media followers from 200 to 5M

MANILA, Philippines — Just how do you choose who to get as guest speaker for an important national event? 

Well, he (or she!) has to be a very accomplished person in terms of career and personal life, one who exudes positive vibes and inspires others to be the best version of themselves.

So, for the recent 30th National Public Relations Congress of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), it had to be Pinky Tobiano — chemist, philanthropist, social media influencer, and queen of tablescaping.

As guest speaker, she shared fresh insights as she talked about “Digital Footprints to Frenzy: Mastering the Art of Online Impact in PR,” to bridge the gap between institutions and the communities they serve.

With Brian King Ong as moderator, the PR congress served as a venue for Pinky to share information on her successful journey into social media. Pre-pandemic, she had only 200 followers, but from the pandemic years and after, her followers on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Tiktok rose to an admirable combined number of more than 5 million to date and still growing.

Pinky believes that “nothing in life happens by accident.” She added: “Timing is everything.”

During the pandemic, when Rustan’s saw her detailed tablescaping work (@tablelovebypinky), they got her as influencer for the brand. In less than two weeks’ time, Pinky sold out Rustan’s six-month plate inventory — to think that it was the height of the pandemic. The abundant flow of blessings from different brands was what Pinky used to give back to the less fortunate. She specifically focused on the abused, children with disabilities and abandoned elderly.

Her life journey and story are indeed very inspiring. She had to overcome obstacles, even had to bravely fight cancer. Pinky now lives and leads a life of purpose with all her advocacies and professional work as a chemist.

She also shared tips and tricks on how she grew her social media following and how to become a social media influencer: Be authentic, share your passion, boost your content, find your niche and give back (through her Grateful Tuesdays).

This year’s PR congress weaves the stories of time, much like a humble gnomon, a part of the sundial that casts a shadow.

This year’s event theme was “Gnomon: Championing PR from Intention to Impact.”