If you’ve ever wondered how to work with brands as an influencer, or how to turn your social media presence into a brand-collaborating, money-making machine, you’re in the right place! Working with brands isn’t just for the mega-influencers with millions of followers—YOU can do it too! And guess what? It’s not as complicated as it might seem.
SPOILER ALERT: Brands are looking for authenticity, engagement, and relatability. That means you don’t need a massive following to catch their eye. Surprised? Well, stick around because we’re about to dive into the insider secrets that will make you a brand’s go-to influencer. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, these tips will help you land those coveted partnerships.
So, what’s the secret sauce? How do you get brands to notice you? And once they do, how do you create a partnership that’s beneficial for both parties? We’ll cover everything from crafting the perfect pitch to negotiating terms that work for YOU. Ready to make your influencer dreams a reality? Let’s get started! Keep reading if you’re ready to take your influencer game to the NEXT LEVEL.
How to Work with Brands as an Influencer: Maximizing Your Impact
Influencer marketing has revolutionized the way brands connect with consumers. In today’s digital landscape, influencers play a pivotal role in shaping consumer behavior and driving brand awareness. As an influencer, collaborating with brands can open up numerous opportunities for growth, both professionally and financially.
Influencer marketing involves partnering with brands to promote their products or services to your audience. This can take many forms, from sponsored social media posts to long-term ambassadorships. For influencers, these collaborations can provide monetary compensation, access to new products, and increased visibility. In this guide, we will explore how you can effectively work with brands, from understanding your value to building long-term partnerships.
With that said, the journey to becoming a successful influencer is fraught with challenges, and even seasoned influencers can make mistakes that hinder their growth and damage their reputation. In this blog post, we’ll explore the most common mistakes influencers make and provide actionable tips on how to avoid them.
11 St. Studio Influencer Agency
By the way, if you’re new here — welcome, I’m Jaye and I’m the creator of 11 St. Studio influencer agency and I’ve been helping influencers like you price their rates for brand deals, and negotiate brand contracts, since 2019. With that said, I recently launched a NEW webinar where I share exactly what goes into calculating rates for brand deals — IN DETAIL — because let me tell you, it is NOT a one-size fit’s all approach. And in that webinar I also reveal how to get your hands on my personal influencer rate calculator, because trust me when I say, it’s a MUST-HAVE if brands are asking for your rates.
Again, I reveal IT ALL in the webinar. So make sure to click the link below to join the webinar because I don’t want anyone (who’s interested in learning how to price their rates for brand deals the RIGHT way) to miss it.
The Most Common Mistakes Influencers Make and How to Avoid Them
Lack of Authenticity
Mistake: One of the most important things to keep in mind when considering how to work with brands as an influencer is authenticity. One of the biggest mistakes influencers make is not staying true to themselves. Many influencers feel pressured to conform to trends or emulate other successful influencers, which can lead to a loss of authenticity.
Why It Matters: Authenticity is crucial because it builds trust with your audience. Followers can easily detect when an influencer is being inauthentic, and this can result in a loss of credibility and followers.
How to Avoid It:
- Stay True to Your Values: Focus on your passions and values, and let them guide your content.
- Be Honest with Your Audience: Share both your successes and your struggles. Transparency fosters trust and loyalty.
- Develop Your Unique Voice: Embrace what makes you unique and differentiate yourself from others in your niche.
Overlooking Audience Engagement
Mistake: Another important aspect of debating how to work with brands as an influencer is your engagement rate. Some influencers concentrate solely on creating content and neglect engaging with their audience. Ignoring comments, direct messages, and failing to interact with followers can lead to a disengaged community.
Why It Matters: Engagement is a key metric that brands look at when deciding to collaborate with influencers. Moreover, interacting with your audience helps build a loyal community.
How to Avoid It:
- Respond to Comments: Take the time to reply to comments on your posts and engage in conversations.
- Host Q&A Sessions: Use live videos or story features to answer your followers’ questions.
- Show Appreciation: Regularly thank your audience for their support and acknowledge their contributions.
Ignoring Analytics
Mistake: A third factor to keep in mind regarding how to work with brands as an influencer is your platform analytics. Many influencers fail to track and analyze their performance metrics. Without understanding what works and what doesn’t, it’s challenging to improve your content and grow your following.
Why It Matters: Analytics provide valuable insights into your audience’s behavior, preferences, and the effectiveness of your content.
How to Avoid It:
- Utilize Analytics Tools: Use tools provided by social media platforms (like Instagram Insights, YouTube Analytics) to monitor your performance.
- Track Key Metrics: Focus on metrics such as engagement rate, reach, impressions, and follower growth.
- Adjust Your Strategy: Use the insights gained from analytics to refine your content strategy and improve your performance.
Inconsistent Posting Schedule
Mistake: As an influencer wondering how to work with brands as an influencer it’s very important to keep a consistent schedule when it comes to publishing content. Posting inconsistently can make it difficult for followers to stay engaged and for new followers to discover your content. Some influencers post sporadically, leading to irregular audience interaction.
Why It Matters: Consistency helps keep your audience engaged and can improve your visibility on social media platforms, which often favor regular content creators in their algorithms.
How to Avoid It:
- Create a Content Calendar: Plan your posts in advance to ensure a steady stream of content.
- Stick to a Schedule: Decide on specific days and times to post, and stick to this schedule as closely as possible.
- Batch Content Creation: Create multiple pieces of content at once to avoid last-minute rushes and ensure you always have something ready to post.
Choosing the Wrong Collaborations
Mistake: Another important aspect to consider as someone wondering how to work with brands as an influencer is collaboration choices. Partnering with brands that don’t align with your niche or values can confuse your audience and dilute your personal brand. Some influencers accept any collaboration offer without considering if it fits their brand.
Why It Matters: Collaborations should feel natural and align with your audience’s interests. Irrelevant or inauthentic partnerships can harm your credibility and alienate your followers.
How to Avoid It:
- Be Selective: Only work with brands that align with your niche and values.
- Research Brands: Before agreeing to a collaboration, thoroughly research the brand to ensure it’s a good fit.
- Maintain Authenticity: Choose partnerships that allow you to stay true to your voice and style.
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Neglecting Long-Term Relationships
Mistake: Focusing solely on short-term collaborations instead of building long-term relationships with brands can limit your growth and opportunities.
Why It Matters: Long-term relationships with brands can provide more stability and allow for deeper, more authentic partnerships that resonate better with your audience.
How to Avoid It:
- Nurture Relationships: Keep in touch with brands after a campaign ends. Share updates and feedback.
- Propose Long-Term Collaborations: Don’t be afraid to suggest ongoing partnerships to brands you enjoy working with.
- Deliver Value: Consistently deliver high-quality content and exceed expectations to build trust and reliability.
Failing to Disclose Sponsored Content
Mistake: One of the key things to remember when first learning how to work with brands as an influencer is disclosure. This is not to be ignored. Not properly disclosing sponsored content can mislead your audience and lead to legal issues. Some influencers try to hide sponsorships to appear more authentic.
Why It Matters: Transparency is essential for maintaining trust with your audience and complying with advertising regulations.
How to Avoid It:
- Follow Guidelines: Adhere to the FTC guidelines and platform-specific rules for disclosing sponsored content.
- Be Clear and Transparent: Use clear language like #ad or #sponsored in your posts.
- Educate Yourself: Stay informed about the latest disclosure requirements and best practices.
Poor Content Quality
Mistake: Posting low-quality content can turn off your audience and reduce engagement. Some influencers focus on quantity over quality, leading to poorly executed content.
Why It Matters: High-quality content is essential for attracting and retaining followers, as well as for appealing to brands.
How to Avoid It:
- Invest in Equipment: Use good-quality cameras, lighting, and editing software to enhance your content.
- Focus on Editing: Take the time to carefully edit your photos, videos, and captions.
- Continual Learning: Stay updated with the latest trends and techniques in content creation.
Not Setting Clear Goals
Mistake: Lacking clear goals and a strategy can lead to aimless content creation and slow growth. Some influencers don’t define what they want to achieve with their platforms.
Why It Matters: Clear goals help guide your efforts, measure your success, and stay motivated.
How to Avoid It:
- Set SMART Goals: Define Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals.
- Create a Strategy: Develop a content strategy that aligns with your goals.
- Regularly Review Progress: Monitor your progress and adjust your strategy as needed.
Ignoring Legal and Financial Aspects
Mistake: Overlooking legal and financial responsibilities, such as contracts, taxes, and copyrights, can lead to serious consequences. Take this aspect very seriously if you’re new to learning how to work with brands as an influencer because it’s essential to keep on top of.
Why It Matters: Properly managing legal and financial aspects is crucial for your credibility and financial stability.
How to Avoid It:
- Consult Professionals: Seek advice from legal and financial experts to ensure compliance.
- Use Contracts: Always use contracts for brand collaborations to protect both parties.
- Keep Records: Maintain detailed records of your income, expenses, and contracts.
False Engagement
Now, Im sure you’re already aware that engagement is key to securing brand partnerships and campaigns. But were you aware that too much engagement can be a red flag to brands. If you want to learn how to work with brands as an influencer, this is important to know.
Why? Because some influencers and bloggers use pods to boost their engagement. Which, if you think about it from a brand’s perspective, can lower an influencer’s conversion rate. Why would a brand want to sign a contract with an influencer with false engagement? Yes, high engagement is key to securing collaborations with brands you love, but please be very cautious how you earn that engagement! Now, more than ever before, brands are able to detect fraudulent followers and comments.
SO…Always strive for authentic followers and engagement to increase your chances of working with brands! If you’re using pods to boost your engagement I recommend stopping immediately. Many brands are watching for this type of activity and will choose another influencer to work with if they even suspect you are using pods. So my advice is, Don’t risk it!
Missing Email
This seems like it would be a no brainer, but sometimes brands tell us they come across influencers or bloggers without a “Contact” page or an Instagram (or other social profile) without an “Inquiry” email address! Why? Because brands often use desktop tools and software to discover new influencers to reach out to! Since they’re on a desktop or laptop, having your contact email in your bio or easily linked to on your blog is so important! How can they email you otherwise?
Missing Location
Does your Instagram (or other social profile) bio or blog list your current city? Whether you’re a food blogger, beauty youtuber, fitness tiktoker or travel influencer please always keep your bio and or blog up to date by listing your current location. If you’re a travel blogger you may also want to list what city you’ll be in next!
Here’s why: Brands often use software to search for influencers by city. For example, maybe they have an upcoming event or are launching a new product and want to create a buzz in a specific geographic location. If you’re in that city they may want to collaborate with you to reach your audience! So, if you haven’t already, now’s a good time to update your bio with your current city so they can find and reach out to you right away for potential partnerships.
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Conclusion
Becoming a successful influencer requires more than just creating content and gaining followers. Learning how to work with brands as an influencer is essential to your long-term success. Avoiding common mistakes is crucial to maintaining credibility, building a loyal audience, and securing brand collaborations. By staying authentic, engaging with your audience, tracking your performance, and managing collaborations wisely, you can build a sustainable and rewarding influencer career. Remember, learning from mistakes and continuously improving your strategy is part of the journey to becoming a successful influencer.
By following these tips and staying mindful of the potential mistakes, you can navigate the influencer industry much more effectively and achieve long-term success quite easily!
How to Work with Brands as an Influencer
Hopefully you now feel a lot more comfortable and understand exactly how to work with brands as an influencer! Now that you’re clear on how to work with brands as an influencer I recommend you learn exactly what brands want to see in your Media Kit, and why you need a One Sheet too!
Read More Tips for Influencers
Thanks for reading our guide on how to work with brands as an influencer! Here’s a few of our most popular articles for influencers as well as some of our best-selling resources for influencers inside our Shop like our Influencer Rate Report and Professional Pitch Package. ❤️
- Unlocking Collaborations: How to Reach Out to Brands as an Influencer
- How Much Should I Charge as an Influencer + Rate Card Template
- What Brands Look For In Influencers — Read more here.
- Influencer vs Content Creator: What No One Tells You
- Influencer Tips & Tricks — Read more here.
- Influencer Opportunities: The Truth About Brand Deals
- Become a Paid Influencer: 6 Tips — Read more here.
- How To Make Money Creating Content For Brands — Read more here.
- How To Approach Brands As An Influencer: Quick Guide
- Influencer Brand Deals: An Ultimate Breakdown
- How To Negotiate As An Influencer — Read more here.
- How To Get Brand Deals — Read more here.
- How Much To Charge For A Sponsored Post — Read more here.
- The Brand Pitch Email Templates (That Brands Can’t Refuse) — Read more here.
- Get More Brand Deals With This Engagement Rate Formula — Read more here.
- How To Work With Brands As An Infliuencer — Read more here.
- What (Exactly) To Include In Your Media Kit — Read more here.
- How Much To Charge For A Sponsored Post — Read more here.
- Influencer Marketing Terms You Need To Know To Work With Brands — Read more here.
- Subscribe to our YouTube Channel — Watch Now
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