How I started working with brands with 1,000 Instagram followers

When I first decided to grow my Instagram, I really wanted to work with brands!  I heard that 1,000 followers would put me “on the map” so I made that my goal.  I worked really hard to go from 160 or so to 1000 in about a month.  That is also when I got my first sponsored post and giveaway.

If you are struggling to get started with an Instagram following, you don’t need a huge audience but you do need to be able to tell brand who your audience is. And if you can figure out how to get better than average likes and comments then you can even start working with brands at less than 1,000.

I have a step by step guide of how I grew quickly to 1,000 here called: The best way to get your first 1,000 Instagram followers. If you already have an audience, then keep reading to see how I started working with brands on Instagram!

This post contains affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

How I started working with brands

I used  my new blog + Instagram for sponsored posts

Most of my first sponsored posts were a combo of an Instagram post plus blog post. As I got more experienced and grew, I shifted to more Instagram only collaborations.

I had a new blog at the time with around 20 posts, and I believe that landed me a LOT more opportunities than Instagram alone. Especially as a newbie because a lot of brands ask small influencers for a blog post plus an Instagram photo.

And as my Instagram grew to 2,000 and my blog became less of a dumping ground for sponsored posts. I stopped offering to do a blog post in my pitches unless it was worth it to me. Because at this point, I was just collaborating for free product and not really charging yet.

Don’t worry if your blog is new or small!  I’ve never had a brand ask me (yet) for how many monthly blog visitors I have IF they are only giving free product.  Rather, just that I have one.

People I know without blogs have worked with brands around 1000 followers on Instagram too. They just have a clear niche and a really nice looking feed.

What is a sponsored post?

When you think of sponsored post, think of the word advertisement.

Anytime I endorse a brand and receive free, discounted, or paid items it is a “sponsored” post.

The FTC requires every post endorsing that product to be clearly labeled with something like “ad” or “sponsored” or “(partner”. Basically, the audience needs to know there is a relationship between the brand and possible bias.

How to tell if someone was paid for a sponsored post

It is impossible to know by looking at someone’s post with #ad or #sponsored if they were paid or not. This used to really confuse me.

In fact, two influencers with the same number of followers  can both be doing sponsored post for the same brand, and be paid completely different amounts. It has to do with their pitch and negotiating skills and what they have to offer the brand.

And sadly many influencers don’t even disclose for fear of seeming inauthentic. Often times you can tell if their post says “Thanks brand-x for this product.”

When you should turn down a sponsored post

If a brand ever reaches out asking you to not disclose that it’s a sponsored post in order to appear more “authentic”… run the other direction. They know what they are doing.

It’s sketchy and it could get you in trouble.

You should also turn down a sponsored post if it’s not completely free to you.

I received SO many offers of a discount for doing x,y, and z for a brand. Think about it…they are getting you to PAY THEM, work for them, and advertise for them!

Politely say, “Thank you for offering, but I only work for free product.

You should also never pay for shipping. No matter how small you are…it should be free to you and you should quickly fulfill whatever agreement to the brand you have agreed on.

The first time a brand contacted me:

I initially starting working with brands because a small brand reached out to me when I had just reached 1000 Instagram followers. They messaged me via social media because I forgot to put a contact email on my new blog…oops!).

The company liked my style and asked if I would like to collaborate.

They proposed sending me two swaddles in exchange for a blog post and Instagram photo.   And, they offered to host a giveaway to my followers which they sent directly to the winner! (UM, YA!) I was so stoked! I could hardly believe it and was doing a happy dance!

This was my very first gig, and I had no idea what I was doing.

This is how I realized I was even able to work with brands. If a brand contacts you first, it’s a sure sign that you should also be out there contacting more brands!

What to do if a brand contacts you to collaborate

When brands have contacted me, they usually have pitched some sort of idea of what they are looking for, (like sending their product for an Instagram post, or if they are hoping for a blog post too) which is nice because it gives me an idea of what they are looking for.

If they don’t specify anything, I usually say something like, “I think my audience would really like your product! What did you have in mind?”

When a brand contacts you, it’s a luxury because you don’t need to worry if they think you are a good fit for them.  But you do still need to ask if they are a good fit for your audience.

Not every product is worth the work they are asking. I learned this later on when a lot of influencers with similar numbers to me (1,000-3,000) were getting the same products, but doing way less work (aka no blog post, just an Instagram post or two).

Research who is getting sponsored by the brand

It’s super helpful to see if the brand reposts any influencer’s photos to their Instagram.  If they do, follow the tag back to the name of the influencer to see how many followers they have, and how many times you see them posting a pic for that brand.

Then, if they have a blog go search it for a sponsored post for that brand. This can give you a feel for what others are required to do!

Remember, brands can work with big and small influencers. They may work with you if you are small for free product, and be working with a bigger influencer doing a paid collaboration. You won’t know.

How to find other influencers who have worked with a brand

Google the “brand’s name + sponsored post”.

You can find out if the brand does a lot of blog posts this way and then go check out the influencers Instagram from there. (Note, you will not be able to know if the influencer or blogger was paid or just sent free product even if it says “sponsored”).

You can also go to a brand’s Instagram, search around in their posts for a campaign hashtag they’ve used recently, and click on it. There you should see every influencer’s post that was required to post on Instagram for that campaign.

See what size they are, and how their photos look. Is your Instagram feed as good or better? It will give you a good idea of what the brand expects and who they work with.

My first pitch as a micro influencer

The first time I contacted a brand, I was so scared of rejection and didn’t know how to “pitch” (or what that was) in an email.

My first pitch was basically like “Hi, I’m Liz and I love your — and think my audience would too! I would love to collaborate for your —. Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you!”

It wasn’t great, but everyone has to learn. I think the best way to learn is to see examples of how other people pitch. And to work with brands that are used to small influencers.

What does it mean to pitch a brand?

A pitch is an email that:

1. Introduces yourself as an influencer.
2. Explains who your audience is.
3. Shares in a sentence something genuine you like about the brand/product.
4. Lays out what you hope to deliver for the brand and what you are hoping for in return. Hint: It’s all about what the brand can gain!

At this point, it’s access to your clearly defined audience. For me, it’s moms with small kids who love baby products, mom style, and things that make mom life easer.

Never just introduce yourself, ask for a product, and run. No no no.

Pitch companies that collaborate with small influencers

This is often smaller brands that can’t pay influencers. They are the ones sending free product to Instagram influencers/small blogs.

Often times, you can see influencers working with them who have less than 10K followers.

How I found brands that collaborate with micro influencers

I looked at Instagram accounts in my niche with a similar following (around 1,000-2,000 followers) to see what brands they were collaborating with.  Sometimes you really have to click on a lot of pictures to find out if it’s sponsored!

Hint: I’ll usually notice a product featured in a photo and click to read more and see if it was sponsored. Then, I’d work on finding a contact for that brand and writing a short pitch if I want to work with them.

One thing to expect: Some will say no, or offer radio silence.  If you pitch enough brands, plenty will say yes. Some people I know who have around 1,000 followers on Insta pitch brands almost daily and work with a LOT of baby brands!

Want my real pitches? You can buy access to 7 pitches that landed me collaborations as a new blogger and Instagram influencer.  (Including rugs and a bed!) + a guide to pitching for free product.

Start with posting pictures for free product.

It made sense to me that as a new influencer I would just work for free product and later charge.  Get some experience working with brands for free product in exchange for posting a photo to your Instagram and/or blog.

I still do photos for free product (now at 2,400 followers) if it’s something I really want, or would have to buy anyway!

If you really want something and pitch well, so many more brands will be willing to work with you for free product than if you charge.

When to begin monetizing your Instagram

I started charging when I was doing more free collaborations than I had time for, because let me tell you, trying to post beautiful photos, and writing blog posts all while trying to make it not look like an ad is WORK.

My first paid Instagram post was for $25 for a diaper bag post when I had around 2K followers.

Monetizing Instagram is a worthy goal and something I’m beginning to do, but it also narrows the brands that will work with you.

I was excited to find out that a few of my influencer friends with around 5K-7K followers were getting PAID to post a product, around $100 a photo. Just FYI!

If you want to know more, here’s how I started charging brands for sponsored posts on my blog and Instagram.

What networks work with small influencers?

There are TONS of networks that connect brands with influencers. You usually have to fill in some info, blog URL if you have one, upload a photo (always use the same photo across all social media accounts and your blog), and connect any social channels.

I’ve found it really hard to get collaborations through these and I’ve applied to a lot. It’s tricky because sometimes it’s how you pitch, or that it’s oversaturated, that you’re too small, or who knows.

I signed up for SO many, and wasted so much time. I personally think direct pitching is 100% the way to go when you are small. If you plan to just post a pic to Instagram and not to your blog, then a lot of networks have a 5K threshold when applying.

Tomoson

Sign up, fill out a profile, and then apply for sponsored products you want. They have filters so you can search for paid sponsored opportunities (which I’ve only ever gotten 2 there), and free product opportunities which I imagine are WAY easier to get. They even have a tab called “Easy Approvals”.

Simply choose the product, and fill out your asking price (I recommend $0 at first) and what social channels you’d be willing to post. There’s a spot for you to pitch why you are a good fit too. Pretty easy and there are hundreds of free products available.

I’ve gotten a few kid toys free through Tomoson, and a nursing cover. Brands have also reached out to me through this network, but I’ve mostly declined as it’s often not related to my audience.

I’ve also managed to snag a couple paid collaborations for Instagram only posts through this network. I began to experiment charging $25 for an Instagram post with just around 2k followers.

Collabor8

This is just an app, but a great place to start! Lots of small businesses that don’t pay are looking for small influencers to promote things from baby bows, to jewelry, to handmade clothes, to home decor items. My one tip, don’t pay for anything.

A lot of start ups offer you a 40% discount for product that you are then obligated to take pics of that they can then use. I tell people kindly, “thank you, but I only work for free product”.

How to find a brand contact

I would recommend creating a new email just for your blog or Instagram to keep it separate from personal email. I just created a new email using Gmail that had my blog name in it so it looks professional.

To give you a starting point, you need to find a brand’s email to send a pitch.  I usually go to the brand’s website and search at the bottom for a “contact” page, or “press” or “media”.  That will be the person or department who deals with collaborations.

Unfortunately, it’s not a specific person’s email. I’ve also googled “brand’s name + media contact” and can usually find a contact page that way.

Using social media to find a brand contact

I don’t recommend pitching using the message feature inside of Instagram as it’s less professional and only allows short messages.  The exception here would be to use it to ask them for the contact in charge of influencer collaborations.

You can also reach out on Facebook or Twitter to ask the brand for a contact for the person in charge of influencer collaborations.

I would only do this if you have already followed the brand and engaged with their photos. Don’t be shy, give them a shout out sometime and see if they “like” your comment!

How to write your first pitch without a media kit

Essentially in your pitch as a newbie, you need to

1. Introduce yourself.
2. Say what you like about their product you are about to ask for.
3. Ask to collaborate!
4. Tell them who your audience is that would be interested in their product.
5. Tell them your total reach (add up followers to any platforms you would be posting to)
6. Leave links for each social channel you are proposing.

It can be hard to know what an email might look like, so I put together 7 pitches I sent to brands that have landed me free products, + specifics on writing a pitch for $29.

What do brands mean when they say collaborate?

Collaborate is a VERY broad term.  I used to think it just meant exchanging a free product for a photo. Nope.  It just means “working together”. So when I ask to collaborate,  I usually say what product I would love to share with my audience, why they would love it,  and on what channels I’d like to post on.

A typical collaboration for a newbie might look like this: One Instagram photo and a story for one product or bundle.

For more expensive products, maybe two photos, or a blog post too if the brands asks and you agree. If you are unsure what would be appropriate to offer them as far as photos on platforms, then leave it open and they may suggest what they want in the return email.

Tip: I highly recommend joining the Facebook group called “That Pitch Life”. I have learned SO much from other influencers about handling future situations with brands.

A lot of people on there are at the point where they charge brands so you can learn a ton by just following along.

What is a media kit and do I need one?

A media kit is a pdf that brands will sometimes ask for, usually if you are asking for payment.

On mine, I have my follower count on each social channel, what my blog is about, info about my audience, and a few small photos to showcase my best work…all on a one-page pdf.

I leave off my fees so that I can adjust it for each brand. Check out this 2 page cute template on Etsy! Or this 1 page one on Etsy.

If you are only pitching for free product, you can get started working with brands without one!

Brands have not asked for mine when I have pitched for free product.  They certainly have though when I’ve asked for payment.   Just know if they ask you for it you may need to scramble to get one.

I made my own free on Canva by using a blank sheet and adding all the info, but it took me like a whole day because I didn’t know what all to include and how to get it down to one page!  You could also buy a customizable one on Etsy.

Helpful things to own for taking Instagram photos

A tripod for your iPhone or Android.

You will get so many more shots if you have this! And it’s small enough to take with you places.

Contact paper for flat lays.

This will be a game changer when placing product on flat lays and will also give your feed a uniform look.

A roll on Amazon is around $10-$20 and comes in any texture you like such as white marble, wood, whatever. You can stick it onto a cardboard box, foam board, or just keep it on the roll.

This beach wood paper is AMAZING. Look how it snazzed up my Instagram photo here.

Lessons I learned when working with brands

By writing my first few pitches I learned SO much.

• Like emailing back and forth with a brand rep.
• Clarifying details like how many photos you are obligated to post to social media (usually just one or two), as that should be clear before you agree to any product.
• Some brands specify a post date, but if not I try to post within the week I receive a product
• Email the brand once the post goes live.
• How to tag brands in my photos, so they could see my post and feature it on their page.

I learned to study the brand’s social media pages to see the types of pics they love.  Most importantly, I learned that at 1,000 followers I could start treating my Instagram like a business and not just a hobby.

It gave me the confidence keep pitching and working with brands. I don’t know about you, but when I’m on a tight budget and pretty sure I can get that thing I have to buy for free instead…I’m motivated to send a lot of emails!

Only ask for products your audience would like

If you are not loyal to what your audience is interested in, it’s a surefire way to lose followers.  That is key to how I started working with brands! I am a motherhood influencer, so I first ask would my audience find this useful?

If not then the free product will hurt my following in the long run. It’s easy to get so excited about ANY offer in the beginning, but only take it if you are proud to show to your audience and if it relates to them or you will get dropped.

Working with brands on Instagram without a blog

If you don’t have a blog, you can still work with brands! Lots of moms I know collaborate with brands ONLY on Instagram with 500 or more followers! They just work very hard to have GREAT engagement (say 5% of your followers are commenting and liking posts), and you must have a uniform feed.

Anyone can go and follow for follow these days to “get to 1K followers” and still have a garbage looking feed. Ask yourself would a brand be proud of yours?

Without a blog, make it clear in your pitch emails that you would like the product to feature just on Instagram. When you purchase my guide to pitching brands + 7 real pitches, you will see examples of pitches for both blog posts and just social media collaborations.

Start today setting up a Twitter, Facebook page, and Pinterest business account with the same name as your Instagram profile.  It will take months for those to grow, especially if you are focusing more on Instagram or your blog.

But once you get 500-1K on each, then you have just a tiny bit of extra value to give brands.

Having a few hundred followers (and hopefully a few thousand on each a year from now!) will be a huge perk you can offer brands in your pitches. I only have 2,400 on Instagram right now, but it’s nice being able to offer brands a couple of tweets to my 6,500 on Twitter. And it’s far easier to grow than Instagram!

Just know without a blog and with low social numbers, you may get rejected more often, or find it harder to get larger items at first.

I read that as of 2018 about 90% of influencers have a blog. While I no longer offer blog posts for free product, I’m glad I did at first because it allowed me to get things for free I couldn’t have without it like area rugs, a DockATot, and even a bed.

What product amount I should keep in mind when pitching?

With 1,000 Instagram followers and no blog, I pitched for products in the price range of $25-$100 I’d say. That’s what I saw other similar sized influencers in my motherhood niche getting for one or two photos.

With a blog post on a new blog and 1,000 on Instagram, more like products in the $150 or more range.

When working with brands the average cost of an item I’ve gotten for free is around $200. That’s for an Insta photo with 2,300 Instagram followers, a post to my Twitter that has a few thousand, and a blog post.

The most expensive I’ve done is around $1500 for two blog posts + two Insta posts +2 Twitter posts + Facebook page post. For one Insta pic alone, products I get range from $50-$150.

I’d love it if you would follow my Facebook page here!

Engagement

If you have high likes and comments, say better than 3% which is pretty average, then brands may be more inclined to give you more expensive products or work with you period!

Brands would rather work with influencers who have higher likes and comments, so focus on that. If you have a really engaged audience then you can let a brand know.

Fake engagement

This is a real and very absurd thing everyone is doing to beat the Instagram algorithm. I’m convinced brands are clueless to it somehow.

(Ahem, almost every influencer I’ve seen uses groups to “like swap” or “comment swap” because otherwise, it’s nearly impossible to get over 3% of your followers to like your photos.)  After all Instagram barely shows 10% of your audience your photos anyways.

There are groups called Telegrams that do this or Facebook groups.  Just DM another influencer to ask them if they use them and if so if you may be able to join.

It’s actually ridiculous to me and there is no way to know if an influencer has genuine likes and comments or not, or if they are “swapped”.

But, that’s what the masses are doing.

In the beginning, they were my only source of comments. I’ve heard that Insta’s algorithm shows you to more people based on activity within the first hour of posting, and they show you to less people if you edit your photo or comments within 24 hours.

If you made it this far I’m so amazed! Hopefully something you read today will get you closer to reaching out to brands and becoming an influencer for free product!  Come follow me on Instagram!

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