Introduction
So, you have a small but highly engaged audience and want to start earning some extra money? Then you’re in the right place! Every influencer, from micro to macro, wants to get paid for their posts, from micro to macro. And don’t worry; having a smaller audience translates into a higher engagement. This means that you can still get your posts on Instagram sponsored.
Before we move on to the best strategies to attract brands, having your audience on a platform like Fangage means that you will escape social media algorithms, own your fan data, and always be able to reach 100% of your audience. Thus, the earlier you start using Fangage, the more fans you will be able to attract to your website due to your engagement being higher at the beginning of your growth.
What’s a sponsored Instagram post?
Sponsored Instagram posts are content published by the influencer on their own account promoting a brand on their own account in exchange for payment. This payment can be money or a free product/service. Instagram’s popularity allows influencers to take advantage of multiple sponsorship programs.
What’s the average price of sponsored post?
The average cost of a sponsored Instagram post range from $100 - $300. However, this number is expected to grow further in the coming years. The following graph from the Influencer Marketing Club presents the increase in the global market size of influencer marketing:
Influencer marketing tends to be more reliable and attractive for brands to spend their money on. More than 75% of brand marketers intend to dedicate a budget to influencer marketing in 2022. Thus, the average price of a sponsored post is expected to grow, which, of course, will depend on the follower count and the engagement rate of the influencer’s account.
How to get Instagram sponsorship as a small account? Can I even do that?
Yes, you can! As we specified earlier in the article, small accounts are pretty much available to get sponsorship on Instagram. Micro-influencers tend to be, in some cases, more valuable to brands than big influencers with millions of followers and low engagement rates.
Why should I use #ad and #sponorship hashtags?
In the past, there was some confusion when the Department store Lord & Taylor settled charges with the FTC in 2016 after paying 50 influencers without hashtagging their posts with #sponsorship or #ad.
In 2017, however, Instagram released a paid partnership feature to combat this issue, where if you tag a brand, the post will be topped with a “paid partnership” label.
Sponsorship on Instagram - a six-step guide.
Okay, enough about the theory. Here’s an overview of the necessary steps that will help you land a paid brand deal and to get Instagram sponsorship:
1. Define your brand
Keeping up that good engagement and growing your audience means that you know your niche and what your (personal) brand is all about. We’ve previously covered this topic in more detail in our blog; thus, if you need any more tips, feel free to check out the personal brand article.
NOTE: As an additional tip, you might want to connect your Instagram brand with a different online presence. Say, for example, you have a website with similar aesthetic messaging. This is a great way to unify your social media accounts and show brands the various help you can offer them.
2. Include contact information in your bio
When you want brands to get in touch with you, you should make this process as easy and as smooth as possible. It’s crucial to include a website, contact info, and any other additional information that would show brands that you’re professional and open to doing business. For instance, let's look at the content creator Tzibirita’s Instagram profile.
As we can see, she included her location, website, email, and title as a content creator. Brands will have zero doubt she’s open to doing business with them.
3. Know your audience
This is probably one of the most critical factors in securing a brand deal. Think of it from a fundamental marketing perspective - the company that pays for the ad would definitely like to know the targeted group. Therefore, the more detailed information you can provide about your audience, the more convenient it will be for brands to choose you as their ambassador.
That’s why tools like Fangage come in super handy. Using our platform, you own 100% of your data, and you can always ask more from your fans! Learn more about our features here!
4. Post consistently
A consistent posting schedule is another way of showing brands that you take your account seriously. Therefore creating and maintaining such a content plan schedule will only boost your chances of landing a brand deal.
What you need to consider here are the best posting times for Instagram. Posting content on Instagram between 6 pm and 9 pm has the highest engagement rate. Mornings are usually slow - 5 am to 12 pm offering the lowest engagement rate, and it’s gradually rising after that.
Another thing to keep in mind is the Instagram algorithm. Reels, of course, are preferred; however, having a consistent schedule, posting at least once a day, keeping your profile active with stories, and engaging with other people will help you reach more people.
5. Where to find Instagram sponsorship opportunities and how to pitch yourself to brands?
There’s nothing wrong with DMing brands to ask if they’re seeking partnership opportunities. This is an excellent way to find brands and land a gig without waiting for them to find you.
You can start researching influencers and creators similar to you and your niche. After that, you can check out which brands are sponsoring them. Moreover, there’s nothing wrong with working with smaller brands. It’s okay to start small. The advantage is that you can build a colorful portfolio which will help you land greater deals in the future.
Once you have created a list of potential brands open to working with you, you can use two approaches. On the one hand, email is a great and professional way to approach brands. Briefly outline who you are, what you do, and the achievements that make you an expert in your niche. Then, you can explain why YOU exactly will be a good fit for the brand and include a lot of data about your target audience. Alternatively, you can send a DM to the brand and stay in touch on Instagram for the beginning.
6. Negotiate & know your worth
You’ve gone through all the hard work. The only question left to answer is, “How much should I get paid?”. Well, the industry standard is $10 for 1,000 followers. Let’s say you have 10,000 followers. This means you can get paid about $100 per sponsored Instagram post (10,000/1000 = 10; 10x$10 = $100). However, this could also vary considering your engagement rate, say likes and comments. Additionally, when you grow your personal brand, you’ll be able to charge more.
Of course, you can negotiate to encourage brands to pay your more. You can use combinations and techniques such as throwing five Instagram stories and a link in your bio to their product/service/website for 24 hours for $300. It’s encouraged to get creative and use other Instagram features to sweeten the deal!
Conclusion
Getting sponsorship on Instagram isn’t the easiest thing to do - it takes time, effort, and patience. However, it can be super rewarding if you work hard to differentiate yourself in your niche, connect on a personal level with your followers, and be consistent. Moreover, don’t be afraid to say no and know your price. Lastly, knowing your audience is a massive part of finding those sponsorship opportunities. Fangage is the all-in-one marketing tool to help you collect data, own your fanbase, engage, and monetize your audience.
