Make money from… brands
Want a slice of a mega-brand’s budget? Unfortunately, you’re going to need a big following. But (thankfully) it doesn’t have to be hundreds of thousands. “Realistically, you need 10,000 followers or more,” says Dominique Audibert, head of community for Whalar, an influencer marketing agency that works with Adidas and Deliveroo. This, she reckons, will take about a year to build – providing that you stick to posting to one core demographic. To boost your following, find someone with a large fan base, and an account similar to yours, and begin engaging with those who follow them, liking and commenting on their posts, putting aside 10 minutes a day to the task. Already got the numbers? Get noticed by creating content that suits the brand’s style, and then tag them in the picture and the comment. You should also email them directly. “I once contacted a brand’s marketing manager through LinkedIn and said I’d love to work with them. She said ‘no’ at the time, but emailed six months later when I’d grown my following,” says Aimee Victoria Long, a health and wellness blogger with around 68,000 followers. “Once you’re in touch, ask to be put on any mailing lists, then attend any events they invite you to. It’s a way of getting to know the right people.” – Read