It’s easy to forget how much hard work it takes to become a social media influencer when you see their posts on Instagram. However, they once started like anyone else with a handful of followers and a blank profile. How they went from zero followers to thousands or more with many brand partnerships is no miracle.

This is only possible with careful planning, creativity, and adaptability. Contrary to popular belief, almost anyone with a perspective and a smartphone can attract lucrative social media partnerships. Follow along as we highlight how to lay the foundation for a strong social media brand and earn great partnerships. 

Pursue Organic Growth

Have you ever seen an Instagram account with tens or hundreds of thousands of followers but little engagement? This raises a red flag for many people as it is a common sign that someone has bought followers. Prospective partners will see right through this, and you’ll struggle to get brand deals. 

After all, why would they pay you to market their product or service to bots? You can attract lucrative and meaningful partnerships if you instead pursue organic growth. It takes time, but you can organically grow your profiles to attract partnerships with a few trusted tactics, such as:

• Post on your accounts at least 1-3 times per day. 
• Comment on trending posts to gain followers.
• Research and use trending hashtags to cash in on the traffic. 
• Cater your content to a specific audience.

Each of these steps can increase your invisibility. Keep in mind that you must keep this routine up to continually grow even once you reach your goals. 

Incentivize Engagement

Many brands approach popular social media pages because they are interested in engagement. Social media engagement refers to comments, shares, and likes. The more engagement your posts get, the more people will see them. 

You can improve social media engagement by posting quality quantity with a call to action. For example, you can tell a short story and encourage viewers to post their experiences or takes in the comment section. Like comments and respond to commenters to keep the conversation going and increase the post’s reach. 

Live streams can also improve engagement as you can talk directly to your followers. Brands value accounts with a high engagement rate as they can market directly to responsive followers. A responsive audience can earn you valuable partnerships and boost your income if you get a customer-code-based commission. 

Offer Value

Pay attention to the values that your favorite social media influencers offer. One may offer insightful fashion tips while another can demonstrate how to build a deck from scratch. The value that you offer will ultimately attract a specific crowd as well as partnerships that cater to said crowd. 

Establish an identity to help yourself stand out among the millions of social media profiles. Next, you must research trends and popular hashtags that circulate within that niche. As your brand grows, you may attract the attention of other content creators within the same niche.

Reach out to popular content creators and pitch ideas to collaborate with them. Otherwise, you can comment on and repost their posts to earn their attention. It’s much easier to land partnerships when a popular content creator endorses your profile. 

Start Locally

Some of the best social media partnerships come from your backyard. Well, not your backyard, but your community is likely home to many businesses that need more exposure. Interact with local community members and businesses online to gain their attention.

You can even create content centered around local reviews and tours. This is a great way to gain sponsored posts from local businesses looking to increase their revenue. The more local deals you get, the more professional your social media profiles will appear. 

Local brand deals also help build your portfolio to look more professional when other brands approach you. You can simply show the prospective partner what you did for another brand to establish good faith. 

Establish Yourself as an Authority

The best position to be in as an influencer is to be the go-to profile for a specific niche. This takes work, but it’s possible if you prioritize quality content over fluff. For example, we live in an age where fact-checking is easier than ever. 

That’s why it’s important to fill your content with verifiable information that gives viewers something to remember. Cite resources, quote respected resources, and create graphics to demonstrate what you’re saying. Upon doing so, you may notice other accounts posting clips or screenshots from your content and crediting you for it. 

This will direct their viewers to your content and further grow your brand. The more authoritative your content is, the more likely brands are to trust you with their name. 

Social Media Offers Endless Business Opportunities 

You no longer have to be a professional athlete or a world-renowned actor to get brand deals. Today, your social media presence is your biggest asset if you want to grow alongside other companies. Social media influencers have the power to shape tastes and opinions about many products and services, as they demonstrate value. 

Anyone with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) in business can tell you the importance of demonstrating value. There are many arguments for BBA vs. BS degrees, but both can help you create a strong social media brand. Align yourself with businesses that you consider a great fit for your audience.

Otherwise, your audience will likely see through it and may not be able to suspend their disbelief. Stand on your principles, offer meaningful content, and engage your audience to earn lucrative partnerships. 

‍