How To Collaborate With Bloggers

A great way to reach a wider audience and increase trust in your brand is by collaborating with bloggers who already have a following. Some of the most powerful people on the internet are bloggers. Securing a partnership deal with a relevant one acts as a great advert for your brand and helps you to easily reach a larger network.

If you don’t ask, you won’t get!

Requesting sponsorship from a successful influencer can be an intimidating prospect... Follow our tips for the best ways to go about it.

1. Choose your collaborators wisely

Don’t waste time contacting influencers who aren’t relevant to your brand. The collaboration needs to be a seamless integration between your brand and theirs, so don’t choose anyone who isn't an obvious match for your company’s theme and values.

Make a list of potential areas that could generate interest in your product or service. Eg. if you’re selling handmade soaps, look at beauty bloggers, or if you're selling baby toys, then look for family bloggers. 

2. Do Your Research

Once you have a list of potential collaborators, check out their activity and who engages with them on social media. You need to have an understandingof the demographic your product could potentially be reaching.

Do your research. Before you approach any of your chosen bloggers, make sure you have an in-depth knowledge of them and their brand. You need to demonstrate an interest in them if you want them to be interested in you.

3. Optimise Your Website

You should almost be ready to reach out. Before you do, it is a good idea to make sure your website is optimised and looks like a good fit for your chosen blogger too.

You never get a first impression back, and your website will be their first impression of you. Just as you have looked at their website to see if they are the right fit for your brand, they will do the same with yours. 

Dedicate some time to making sure that all your links are working on your website, that your website is mobile-friendly and that you are using Content Pages to display your website to ensure you nail this first impression.

4. Send a personalised message

A successful collaboration is usually achieved with a carefully crafted email. Remember these key points when writing your message:

• Find as much contact information as possible. It’s good practice to use full names when addressing potential business connections and makes people more likely to read your message.

• Twitter is a great way to contact a potential collaborator if you need more contact details.

• Your message should be short and to the point - a few sentences are enough.
• Introduce yourself and explain a bit about your brand

• Explain why you love their blog/brand (don’t lay it on too thick - too much flattery can be offputting)
• Get to the crux of the message - a call to action. Explain what is to be gained from a collaboration between the two of you.

Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get an immediate response. Wait a week or so and send a follow-up message, and accept that it may take a while to finalise a collaboration.


5. Let them try your product / service

Getting an experienced influencer to try (and enjoy) your product or service for themselves and post a favourable review is a great way to boost your brand. 

Offering a product for free shows you are willing to take risks and that you believe in your brand’s quality. And, obviously, the best way to connect with a brand is by trying - and enjoying - its products or services.

You could also suggest they host a contest or giveaway among their followers. Choose an appropriate product to be given away - something you would want to win and that suits their audience.
 

6. Consider Instagram influencers too

Instagram is easy to use and is fast becoming the most successful channel for showcasing products and gaining brand awareness and fresh traffic - all resulting in more sales!

As well as bloggers, it’s easy to get in contact with Instagram users. Many provide contact details in their ‘bio’ section, or you can message people directly through the app.

For more info on collaborating via Instagram, check out this awesome guide. 

Who will you collaborate with?

There’s no harm in putting yourself out there, and you never know where a collaboration could lead in the future. Reaching a wider audience is just the beginning of potential new business opportunities and the chance for your brand to reach exciting new heights, so what are you waiting for?

Have you collaborated with anyone in the past? What topics work well for collaborations? It would be great if you would share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below to help other readers!

Need more inspiration? Check out Lylia Rose and Cocoa & Heart, two brilliant bloggers from Create.