One of the greatest benefits of social media in 2022 is that just about anyone has the potential to make money through content creation, and that potential can turn into a full-time business if you have the right strategy. One of the quickest ways to make money through social media is through paid brand partnerships (where a brand pays you a specified amount in exchange for deliverables such as Instagram or blog posts highlighting their product or service). It takes a bit of finesse and strategy, but it is possible to get paid opportunities with brands no matter your follower count.

Microinfluencers are content creators whose following is more than the average social media user but less than a public figure or celebrity. Generally, this means your following is somewhere between 1,000 and 100,000. A lot of brands are looking to partner with microinfluencers because they tend to have better engagement rates and more audience interaction, which can correspond to more success in marketing products. I myself started getting paid brand partnerships when I reached 1,000 Instagram followers, and it’s a great time to start making a little extra money with your social media since so many brands really value what smaller creators have to contribute! Here’s some tips for getting paid partnerships as a microinfluencer…

Know your stats…

Knowing your stats as a content creator is the first step for being successful in getting paid partnerships! Calculating your engagement rate, knowing your reach, understanding your follower demographic, estimating your viewership; all of these are important microinfluencer stats that brands will ask for when discussing paid partnerships.

Make a media kit for your brand to organize all the info so it’s concise and attractive to potential partners (post coming on that soon!). There’s nothing that could drive potential partnerships away like an ambiguity on where you stand as a microinfluencer. Brands want to know that you’ll provide a good return on their investment, so starting this research early on is the first step to landing paid influencer partnerships.

Make the right connections…

Do you have a network of other microinfluencers in your niche that you follow and engage with regularly? They can be a great resource for you in trying to work with brands! If they have a similar follower size and demographic to you, look at the brands they partner with and consider pitching yourself to those brands. If they’ve worked with other creators of your size and niche, it’s likely they’ll be interested in working with you as well!

In addition, reaching out to your social media friends to ask their advice on working with certain brands can give you some great insight into what they’re looking for in partners!

Know what makes you unique…

This is key! There’s a ton of other content creators out there nowadays that you’re competing with for the attention of both your audience and brands who may want to work with you. Put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself “why should they choose me over other creators?”. Be realistic about your offerings, and don’t over or under sell yourself. Each one of us is unique, and there’s always something that makes your content one of a kind. Do you have a great eye for product photography? Great writing skills? A unique visual style? A particular voice or niche? Catching a brand’s attention through what makes you unique will help you grow in the partnerships you get and make way for lasting relationships.

Persistence is key…

I’m not gonna lie, landing paid brand partnerships as a microinfluencer can take time and a lot of effort. It’s important to not get discouraged as there will always be plenty of other brands who’d love to work with you for each one that declines. It’s kind of like dating in a way: both parties have to be mutually interested and feel like the benefit is reciprocated for it to be a successful match.

Don’t let rejection or brands ghosting you get you down; I’ve experienced so much of it in the years that I’ve been a creator and I’ve learned that, if the brand wasn’t willing to work with you, it wouldn’t have been a good match anyway! You’ll find that the brands who truly align with your aesthetic and values will find their way to you, so make sure that you remember that when you’re pitching! Similarly, only agree to work with brands who you feel reinforce your message to your community; people will really respect you for not compromising your views for financial gain!

It can take some work to land paid partnerships as a microinfluencer, but it 100% can be done and is a great way for you to start understanding the business side of social media! Drop your questions below and I’d be happy to answer them! Be sure to follow my blog and subscribe for more influencer marketing tips!

Xx Tabi