Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking alongside TBH Talent founder Verity Park on a panel for influencer Emily Valentine’s InfluencerHER community, on how micro and nano influencers can catch a brand’s eye, secure gifting, and (eventually) land paid partnerships. If you’re a smaller creator wondering how to get noticed, you’re not alone – see below for some key takeaways from our conversation.  

Authenticity is key

Lean into your niche! Above followers or flashy set ups, brands are looking for content creators that feel like an authentic fit – influencers that would engage with their brand without gifting or payment, and embody their values. Whether it’s your style (are you a petite styling expert attitude (are you super positive?), or your values (are you a big sustainability advocate?) build your brand around something identifiable and unique to you.  

Be consistent  

Consistently posting well-produced content makes you a safe bet – brands know exactly what they’re going to get when they work with you. It’s also a great way to build an engaged following!  

Sharing is caring  

Make it easy for us to reach you! Hot tip – including your email address in your bio immediately makes it easier for us to contact you, while sharing a rough location is also super handy.  Likewise, if you’re pitching to a brand, include everything they might want to know when building a media list. If you had a post perform really well, or you sparked a great conversation among your following, shout about it!  

Going above and beyond never goes unnoticed  

If you’ve already secured gifting and are looking to transition to working on a paid basis with a brand, going above and beyond never goes unnoticed. Think about what the “ideal post” would be for the brand – visually and in terms of storytelling. Share the insights with the brand and any positive feedback, and pitch what future content could look like.  Likewise, repeatedly posting about the brand (where it organically fits in your content) shows a genuine interest in the product, opposed to a one-off post. Invest in the brand, and the jump to paid will feel much more natural, for both the brand and your audience.  

Don’t be a stranger

You’re not just building a relationship with the brand, but the people that run their social media channels. Showing up to events, giving positive feedback, and thanking the brand team for gifting (it takes work on their end too!) will put you in good stead with those calling the shots behind the scenes – good manners are never taken for granted!  Engaging with other influencers’ content that are already working with the brand is also a great way to build contacts within your community, as well as get noticed by brands’ social teams.