There are plenty of different ways of getting noticed on Instagram – be it paid ads, viral reels and video content, consistent posts, or live streams.
One of the best ways of getting your content and brand out there is by getting sponsored, either through promoted posts or by getting mentioned by brand ambassadors and influencers. Meanwhile, as a creator, getting sponsored by brands can be a great way to build your profile and monetise your place on the platform.
In this article, we’re covering the benefits of getting sponsored on Instagram and how to achieve sponsorship via paid promotions and collaborations.
What Is A Sponsored Instagram Post?
A sponsored Instagram post can appear in two different formats.
The first comes with a banner which shows it’s sponsored or paid for and can pop up in your newsfeed or on your Instagram stories or reels carousel. This kind of post is chosen by the creator or brand owner and paid for behind the scenes, selecting a custom audience based on the product or content being shared.
If you see a sponsored post appear when scrolling or browsing on Instagram, then you know you fall into the demographic as identified by the creator.
The second type of sponsored post is shared by an influencer that has been paid by a brand to share their product or service through some type of content. These are marked as sponsored posts but in a different way, requiring an “ad” disclosure somewhere in the post.
Is One Type Of Sponsored Post Better Than The Other?
It very much depends on who you are and what you want to achieve.
Brands will often find that promoted and paid ads are the best way to boost the visibility of their posts. This type of sponsored post taps into a niche and custom-built audience, sharing your content with those who are most likely to respond.
Influencer-led sponsored posts are designed to help creators build their profile by partnering with brands that want to sponsor them as part of an ambassador program. Provided you have the right disclaimers in place, as a creator you can become sponsored by brands and build your profile – ultimately charging brands for posts which showcase their products.
How to Become Sponsored As A Brand
Let’s take a closer look at promoted posts.
As a brand using Instagram, we don’t need to tell you how important it is to share good content that’s packed with value. But did you know that you can select certain posts to share with a targeted group of users based on your own demographic and criteria?
With a Business account, you can quickly and easily boost posts by putting money behind them – selecting the target audience that you want Instagram to show your sponsored post to. You can attach a direct action to these posts, from encouraging users to visit your profile, to sending them directly to a landing page.
Not only do these sponsored posts help to boost your visibility and engagement among potential customers, but they also provide a direct connection with your target audience (even those who don’t follow you) with access to tons of insights connected with each post.
How to Become Sponsored As An Influencer
If you manage a Creator account and want to become sponsored as an influencer, the best way to do so is by creating “Paid Partnership” posts with brands.
To become a sponsored user, you need to build and curate a profile that brands will want to connect with. Many brands will look for users that embody their values and that already reach out to and have an impact within their industry, connecting with their ideal audience or making waves in certain markets.
Here are some tips on how to become spotted by brands, so that you can start receiving invites to collaborate and ultimately become paid via sponsorship deals on Instagram…
- Define your profile’s niche. Doing this will create an audience demographic for your profile, which will attract brands that operate in the same space online.
- Know your audience and demonstrate an affinity with them. It’s great if you can tell brands who you regularly reach and interact with through Instagram.
- Post consistently to prove to brands that you are serious about your platform.
- Use hashtags which are relevant to your industry and to your niche. This will further show brands that you are connected with their target industry.
- Start tagging brands before you see any sponsorship or collaboration invites come in. Showing brands that you use their products, long before they reach out to you, is a great way of proving that you are the right individual to showcase their brand.
- Be obvious about wanting to work with brands! There’s nothing wrong with reaching out to brands that you resonate with and think you could support and offering them a paid sponsorship package. This could start with a simple exchange of free goods and a post, with the potential to become something bigger if it goes well.
As your profile grows and you bring more brands on board, you will find your sponsorship opportunities building.
And finally, if you are a brand looking to use sponsored posts as part of your marketing strategy on Instagram, our main piece of advice is to find creators and influencers that have a genuine connection with your target audience. The influencers you choose to work with can make or break your business reputation!
We hope this helps you to grow your profile and presence on Instagram!
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