From Content to Collaboration: How to Start Building Brand Relationships as an Influencer
The heart of public relations has always been about storytelling and relationships. Brands seek out PR agencies with messaging they want to share and it's the agency’s job to start building relationships with the right influencers. Part of the challenge in building these relationships is finding the right match between influencer and brand but, when both align, it's the start of an authentic and mutually beneficial partnership.
Influencers can easily build a relationship with their followers given their content is consistent and authentic, but what about building a relationship with a brand? If you’re an influencer or creator looking to work with brands you love and build your career getting noticed is the first step.
Here are some ways to get noticed by your favourite brands and start building a long-lasting partnership.
Profile Basics
Your profile will be the first introduction a brand or agency has to you so it needs to have all the essentials for introducing yourself and getting in contact with you. The first essential is including your email in your bio so anyone can quickly reach you. Second, list the city you live in so brands can gauge your geographic audience. Lastly, highlight your niche, this is what will truly help you stand out to brands. Whether you’re into food, travel, beauty or recipes, mention it right in your bio so anyone reading it knows exactly what your content will speak to and what your audience enjoys seeing.
Engage with Brands
As an influencer you were already an avid consumer of brands in your niche. Maybe you bought and tried out new makeup or dined at the newest restaurant in town. In the end you shared your love for the brand with your followers and it's the reason why they keep engaging with your content. If you want to build partnerships with brands, keep sharing that love! Try out a brand's new products, tag them in stories and comment under their posts. The more a brand feels you resonate with their messaging the more the top of mind you’ll be when planning their next PR activations.
Engage with your Creator Community
The growth of social media has given almost everyone the opportunity to become an influencer. Regions and cities alone can have hundreds of creators making content about what they love. While a saturated influencer market may seem like it's a challenge to get noticed, brands do not look at creators as a rivalry but instead a community. If you comment under other creators' posts, share their stories or even hang out together it shows brands you are an active member of your influencer community. When a community authentically comes together in support it shows brands you all can connect with the same audience.
As the world of influencer marketing continues to grow there's no doubt the way agencies and brands go about building these relationships will continue to evolve. Influencers are continuously showing how crucial they can be in influencing audience perception and brands are looking for new ways to bring influencer partnerships to the next level. If you’re looking to take your influencing career to the next level and grow alongside these brands, getting noticed is the simple first step.
Luis Hernandez, Account Coordinator.
