6 Ways to Find Brands to Work With on Instagram
In this year's latest influencer marketing report, we found that more brands than ever are becoming dependent on influencers for their marketing. It comes at no surprise that micro-influencers seem to be rising in popularity amongst brands the fastest.
Instagram influencers are working with brands on promotions and content creation more than ever, yet many influencers still find it difficult to land brand deals on Instagram. So how does one go about finding brands to work with on Instagram?
We put together this easy-to-follow guide that will have you scoring brand deals in no time. Follow the steps below, stay committed to the process, and we guarantee Instagram success.
Let’s dive into some tips that will help you to find brands to work with on Instagram and land more brand deals.
1. Join an Influencer Marketplace
Influencer marketplaces like Collabstr provide a place for you to showcase your talent to brands that are actively looking to work with influencers.
On Collabstr, you can create a profile as a creator and have brands come to you. This makes it a nice passive channel for brand deals. Your profile is comprised of a handful of details that allow you to differentiate yourself from the crowd, like:
- Images
- A description of yourself
- Your content packages and pricing
- Your content portfolio
- Your social media handles
- A section for frequently asked questions that brands might have
One great thing about Collabstr is that payments from brands are collected up front, which means you’re only ever dealing with brands that are serious about collaborating with you on Instagram.
Creating a profile on an influencer marketplace is a must-have for any influencer that’s looking for brand deals on Instagram.
2. Pitch to Brands Directly
If you’re truly a fan of the brand, take the time to reach out and pitch the brand directly. Whether you have previously used their products or have always dreamed of trying them, this approach will produce the fastest results.
Look for brands that clearly invest time and money into their Instagram presence. Start with smaller brands in your niche. You can also research influencers with a similar following and see who they’re sponsored by for inspiration.
Once you've designed a list of brands that might want to collaborate with you, send them an email. In your pitch, clearly and briefly outline who you are, what you do, and any achievements you have that set you apart from the others. Then, explain why you're a good fit for the brand, and include any data that they might find useful, such as follower count, engagement rates, and past work.
How to find contact information for brands on Instagram:
- Go on their Instagram page, hit the “email” button, and send a note from there if the brand is relatively small. If the brand is larger, you need to find a dedicated email for partnerships, the brand’s website is a good starting point. If there isn’t an email for influencers, consider using LinkedIn to find the person in charge of marketing and reach out directly.
- Make sure to include that you’re an influencer looking to collaborate in the subject line. It’s important that the brand clicks your email and opens it so that they can read your pitch.
- Personalize your emails. People can tell when you’ve copy and pasted the same message to a hundred other brands, this will hurt your chance of success.
Pitching to brands directly is an acquired skill, and you will get better with time, the hardest part is starting.
3. Tag Brands in your Posts on Social Media
Know your audience and choose businesses that will benefit from a partnership with you. Purchase their products, create amazing content and tag them! Make sure the product is clearly visible and the image is high-quality.
Begin with small brands and tag them in your descriptions. Engage with your audience by responding to comments. By doing this, you’re not just telling the brand what you can do for them, you’re showing them.
This technique will make the brand notice you and encourage them to reach out to you directly for promotional content.
If you don’t hear from the brand, you can reach out to them and use your post as a selling point. Be sure to link the post in your email, and write a sentence or two explaining the impact of the post.
4. Make Your Niche Clear To Brands
One common mistake a lot of influencers make is not being clear about their niche. As a result, brands may see your profile, but they will avoid reaching out to you because your positioning as an influencer is unclear.
To avoid this, do a quick audit of your profile and try to interpret it from the perspective of an outsider. The different aspects of your profile, such as your bio, link in bio, username, and profile photo should all work together to create a good idea of your niche and positioning as an influencer.
This is an easy optimization that you can make to your profile, and by the end of it, your niche should be crystal clear to any outsiders that visit your profile. This small change can also result in more emails from brands that are actively looking for Instagram influencers.
5. Post, Post, Post!
Posting consistently is critical. Try to post at least once a day on your stories and on your feed! But, be careful not to go too overboard as this can also turn followers away.
- Instagram's algorithm favors new content. Posting consistently gives your audience more opportunities to interact with your content.
- Instagram also recognizes relationships. Therefore, it is key to engage with your brand community and develop relationships with as many accounts as you can.
- Remember to post at times when your followers are most active so you can hack the algorithm and give yourself the best odds to receive the most likes!
6. Include a Link In Bio
Consider your bio a chance for brands to recognize you as an influencer. Include your email or website link so they can easily reach you. The more information you include in your bio, the more useful it is to brands, because they can learn more about you.
Writing blog posts or creating your own website will give you an opportunity to expand your own brand. Businesses appreciate influencers with multiple social media platforms so they can reach a larger audience. For example, by advertising the brand on both of your TikTok and Instagram accounts.
Creating a website with similar aesthetics and messaging is a good way to do this. The more you unify your social media accounts, the more you will stand out to brands with similar values.
Conclusion
Brands are working with content creators more than ever before. Putting in a little effort can go a long way, and by following the steps outlined above you should be able to get more brand deals on Instagram.
If you’re feeling lost when it comes to pricing your services on Instagram, we have designed an Influencer Rate Calculator that takes your niche and social media platform into consideration, so you can charge the appropriate amount.
However, you can negotiate prices with brands if you offer to create multiple stories, reels, videos or posts for them. Engagement rates, your niche, content style, audience demographics, audience size, and more also play a role when setting up a paid Instagram collaboration.
Ultimately, finding brands on Instagram isn't easy. It takes time, effort, and perseverance. But if you work hard to differentiate yourself in the industry, and connect on a personal level with your followers, you will quickly reach your Instagram goals!
