If you read my last blogging post , you know that you don't need to have 10K followers to work with brands on Instagram, TikTok, etc., especially now that more brands are starting to work with more micro-influencers as opposed to a single huge one. Over the last few years, I've had the opportunities to work with hundreds of brands, and while many of them are through direct contact via email or DM's either from the brand or me reaching out (more tips on how to do this coming in my next post!), I've also gotten some great opportunities through online marketing and influencer platforms. These platforms were created to help influencers (or really anyone) connect with brands to either review their product, or promote it on social media. These platforms either allow you to directly apply for campaigns, or they enter you into their database and will reach out when a collaboration that is a good fit for you comes along. I've tried countless platforms, but these 4 are a few of my favorites that I've had the most success with, and are easy to use! 1. Influenster If you're just getting started working with brands, Influenster provides an awesome opportunity for practically anyone to try products for free in exchange for a review, whether it's on Influenster directly, the companies website, social media, etc. You can browse thousands of products, and find ones that work best for you and your brand. Using these free products to start to create content is a great way to start building your portfolio so you can transition to paid collaborations! Sign up here. 2. Octoly Octoly is a similar platform to Influenster in the sense that you receive free products in exchange for either a review or a post on social media. You do need to have at least 1,000 followers and a 2% engagement rate to sign up for Octoly, but they make it super easy for you to request up to five products at a time to review or post. Sign up here. 3. Fohr Fohr is a marketing ambassador program that helps match you with brands running campaigns. I love this platform specifically because it puts together an incredible portfolio of your stats for you that you can use to show brands more about your account, like your most popular posts, your engagement, your audience insights, etc. This platform typically reaches out to you if there is a campaign that is a good fit for you, but occasionally you'll have an opportunity to apply for a campaign. The campaigns on Fohr are typically paid campaigns as opposed to product for post exchanges. Sign up here. 4. Signature Marketing Signature Marketing is a marketing agency I began working with years ago as a promotional model, and now they offer brand ambassador programs as well! They're always looking for new faces to add to their database for future campaigns, which typically include alcohol, health and wellness, and more! You can apply here. They're currently running an awesome campaign for a new energy bar - you can apply here! If you have any other questions or need more explaining on how to use these platforms - feel free to shoot me a message! xx, Ana

Over the past two years, I've worked with 100+ brands for sponsored posts, giveaways, product reviews, and more - all with less than 7K followers. I've been able to make extra cash, and receive thousands of dollars worth of free product not because I have the most followers, but because I have set myself up for success in the way I represent myself online, communicate with brands, execute campaigns, and continue to build and maintain relationships. Whether you have thousands of followers, or just a few hundred, I want to share my best tips and tricks with you so you start collaborating with brands and putting your insight and/or content creation skills to use in exchange for product or compensation. These tips will help you position yourself as an account brands can’t wait to work with - even with a small following! 1. Define your brand! If you want to work with a home decor brand, but only posts pictures of you out with your friends, you’re going to have a hard time convincing them that you are a good fit to represent them. Define what your core values are, and what your page is about, and stick to that content. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever post something that doesn’t “fit”, but by sticking to your brand, you make it easier for companies to determine what you’re about, and if you will be a good fit to represent them. By the same principle, if you’re trying to promote sustainable living, and a fast-fashion brand reaches out to collaborate with you, don’t accept it just for the payment or free items. This compromises your brand, and can prevent the brands you better align with from reaching out in the future. 2. Get to know your audience and interact with them! One of the biggest reasons that brands are opting to work with more micro influencers is because their followers are more engaged, and more likely to feel more connected to you than they might with an influencer who has a 100,000 followers. That being said, you need to be actively showing that you do engage with your audience, and you know the kinds of things that they like, so when you’re agreeing to promote a product, you already know it’s something your audience will be interested in! A brand wants to feel confident that if you post their product, you are going to be actively engaging when your followers ask questions or leave a comment. 3. Post quality, consistent content! Brands like to know exactly what they’re going to be getting when they work with you, whether you’re known for your clean white photos, your funny captions, etc. Your personality and aesthetic should shine through in your posts so a brand feels confident in the type of content you will be creating for them. If your photos and captions are all over the place, or low quality, a brand is probably not going to be willing to take the risk in not knowing what you’ll produce for them. 4. Showcase all of your skills ! If you’re great at editing videos, or creating graphics, make sure to show this off on your page where it’s easy for brands to access! Brands love to work with influencers who can provide multiple types of content for their brand, so you want to make it easy for them to see everything you have to offer. 5. Fake it until you make it! This doesn’t mean to pretend like a post is sponsored if it isn’t, as that is a big red flag for brands, but it does mean that you should be sharing your honest reviews of products on your page even if it’s not sponsored. This helps brands get an idea of your style, especially when you’re just starting out and don’t have any previous sponsored posts in your portfolio. I love doing this on my stories with new makeup, snacks or drinks, local businesses, etc. and saving them to my highlights for brands to check out later! Stay tuned for more in this blogging series - including how to reach out to brands and my favorite influencer marketing platforms for finding brands to work with! Is there something specific you'd like to know about working with brands? Shoot me an email or message on Instagram! xx, Ana