How to Get Sponsored on Instagram: A Step-by-Step Guide

What Is a Sponsored Instagram Post?

The basics of sponsored Instagram posts are simple: a brand pays a content creator or influencer to create and share content that features the brand. 

Some of these paid partnerships are built directly around the brand or the brand’s product, where the creator is showcasing or using it; others are more subtle (kind of like product placement in movies), where the product is in view, but not necessarily being featured.

Both are considered branded content, and are great ways to get into content creator and influencer marketing, which creates another revenue source for you.

Sponsored Instagram deals can be as subtle and low-key as this one by Jestinna for Eclipse Mints, or (once you’ve got the numbers) as big-budget as a comped stay at a travel destination.

Why Do Brands Need Instagram Influencers?

Instagram content creators and influencers - yes, this means you! - have three main things to offer to brands and businesses via promoted posts and Instagram advertising. One, their numbers. If you have even a moderately successful Instagram account, this means you have a lot of eyes on your posts, and probably also a decent amount of fan engagement.

Two, content creators are exactly what’s in their name - creative. This means that a brand’s product or services will likely get presented in a fresh, exciting new way on social media that will help that product or service be seen as relevant, worthwhile, and cool.

And three, influencers promote brands without the stigma of traditional advertising. People in general are endlessly exposed to ads every day, which means ads have started having less impact. But seeing that a content creator that they already like is interested in a product creates a new, positive gateway to that product, without the sales pitch trickery of so many “regular” ads that are not targeted and feel like they’re wasting the viewer’s time.

Influencers that are a good fit with a company’s products bring a lot to the table. They can create unique posts; help a company reach a larger, more proactive, or different audience; give some street cred to a company’s brand; and, hey, there’s always the chance of going viral, too, which can create a burst of high demand for a company’s product or service. What’s not to love?

Your First Insta Steps 

So how do you get a sponsored post on Instagram? By building your Instagram foundation! Decide on (or fine tune) your Insta’s vibe, leverage your fan base, post post post, and use Instagram’s tools to grow even faster. Here’s how to get going in four steps:

1. Build an Engaged Audience 

You can’t invite brands to your party if there’s no party. Once you’ve chosen the niche, theme, and direction for your Instagram account, it’s time to focus on creating consistent, high quality content on Instagram that encourages high engagement, comments, shares, and participation. 

Learn about your audience, too - their age range, gender, geographic location, and what times of day/night you get the most engagement back from your posts. Share links to your Instagram account, invite your fans to follow, and respond to comments to increase engagement. Doing extras like collaborating with fellow influencers or showing up for Insta events can’t hurt, either!

2. Pick a Niche

Having a focused, niche audience is much more appealing to sponsors, who will be better able to visualize their product or service on your Instagram (and other social media) if your content, target audience, and vibe visibly and clearly align with their professional goals. 

Are you posting on pop culture, food, fashion, music, gaming, memes? No matter what your topic, try to keep the styling of your posts consistent (colors, fonts, framing) to cement your personal brand. The style of your posts communicate your personality, which can help brands narrow in on people they want to work with.

3. Be Direct! 

There are no perks to being a wallflower when it comes to getting sponsored on Instagram, or anywhere else, for that matter. When working with brands and paid sponsorships, it’s best to be direct, proactive, and enthused. 

Craft a general pitch deck (content creator portfolio) for sponsorship inquiries, and then go back in and customize it specifically for each different brand you want to pitch to. Do research on the brand - what are their current marketing initiatives, who else are they partnering with, and what do they seem to care about? Clearly outline your observations of what they’re doing, who you are, what your niche and audience are like on Instagram, important analytics/data like your follower count and average engagement rate, and why you’re a great fit for their strategy!

4. Use the Tools

Use SEO and Instagram hashtags to make your posts more discoverable, which will help you grow your following faster. Instagram’s @Creators recommends using no more than 3-5 hashtags per post, making sure they’re relevant to your content; hashtags should provide context to your post, and should also, of course, name check your sponsor! 

And be sure to include your contact info in your bio (email, website, Linktree), so potential sponsors can reach you. If you convert your personal Instagram to a professional account, you can also apply to join Instagram’s Creator Marketplace, which will provide opportunities to help make you more discoverable by brands.

Once you’re eligible, Instagram’s Creator Marketplace is a great place to work on building influencer-brand partnerships!

Money (That’s What I Want!)

Instagram does not pay users directly for popular posts (no, not even ones in the thousands of views), so sponsorship deals are definitely your focus (check out How to Monetize Instagram to learn more). Nano and micro influencers (up to 50K followers) can get started for an average of $10-500 per Instagram post, while mid-tier creator rates (50K and up followers) start at averages of around $500; larger influencers can see their sponsored post rates kick up into the thousands. Negotiating and packaging your sponsorship deals can raise those rates up even more!

Visit Justin Moore's Brand Deal Wizard at this referral link to learn how to pitch, price, negotiate, deliver, and renew brand partnerships to make higher than the average rates! 

The amount of money you can make depends on follower count, creator/product match, engagement, personality, and track record; so when you’re putting together your pitch deck, make sure it really shows off your good side! 

Ideas for Engaging Sponsored Posts

Creating Instagram sponsored posts definitely takes some planning and creativity, but we know you’re got mad skills! 

Here are some ideas for Instagram sponsored posts to get you started (and don’t forget those hashtags!) 

Take Them Traveling

If the product suits, take it with you traveling, to show your followers how it can be easily used on the go! This doesn’t necessarily have to be on a major trip; you could also show how well a product works on your commute, or your daily walk.

Finally Found…

If you’ve been looking for a particular type of product or service for a long time, and finally found it via your sponsor, let your followers know. Share your excitement about finding the perfect thing for your situation.

Bring a Pal

Collaborations are a great fit for Instagram! Bring a fellow influencer or even just an everyday pal into the mix, and have them experience or use the product with you; for instance, you could both make and try a new smoothie mix. Check out How to Collaborate on Instagram to learn more!

Celebrate!

Birthdays, social milestones, major holidays - anything celebratory is a great way to bring in your sponsor’s products, and surround them with a festive, positive feel that suits the season.

Halloween - or any other holiday! - is a perfect opportunity to create a timely and fun post with your sponsor.

Behind the Scenes

If the product is one that helps you with your content creation - for instance, a particular microphone or set piece - share a little peek at your process with your followers, and show them how the product improves your work, and can improve theirs, too!

GRWM (Get Ready with Me)

This one’s perfect for beauty and hair products - simply start with a fresh face, and bring your viewers into your getting-ready process before you record an Instagram video, sharing why you like the products.

Meme It Up

If any of the products you’re working with fit into a current meme - music, dance, comedy - double the product’s appeal by working it into what’s trending! This can be a really fun one to do as a challenge with your followers, too.

Day in the Life

Go through a day with your followers (edited down into short form for Insta), and include your sponsor’s products and how they fit into your life from morning to night. 

Feeling Ready? Of Course You Are - Let’s Crush This!

Follow the steps and tips outlined above, and becoming a sponsored content creator on Instagram will be a breeze. It won’t be long before you’re ready to start reaching out to brands, so get out there and get sponsored on Instagram!