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Some people literally make their living for advertising awesome products and I think that is so neat! Have you ever thought about making money through affiliate marketing? Kate, aka @thekeybykate on Inta and Poshmark, has done tons of affiliate posts, so I wanted to get the tea!🍵 Previously, I have personally only been involved with the Poshmark Affiliate posts, so I was so intrigued and excited to learn more. What got you interested into affiliate advertisting?
I got into affiliate or collaboration type posts on a small scale back when my page was mainly focusing on working from home as a posher! I started seeking out brands I felt fit me and my vibes on Instagram mainly. It never really came as a “time to be an influencer!” moment. It still doesn’t feel that way. Even then, it’s always been about recommending things I would recommend to my mom or my best friend.
What was your first affiliate post?
So this may not have been my absolute first, but one of my firsts ever was for Touchland hand sanitizers. They are fabulous lil’ scented spray hand sanitizers and I was obsessed after finding their page! They were super responsive to my comments so I decided to ask if I could work with them in some facet. My mother in law still uses them because of the recommendation from way back when.
How do you decide which brands you would be interested in representing?
Picking brands is a weird practice. I try to focus on mutually beneficial relationships. I hope to bring a new angle to a brand and hope the brand brings something special to the people following my page! You have to find a brand that: You like to use (or would try) Your followers + friends would like to try or see Their brand values match yours You fit their needs too and can provide something worth getting freebies/payment for Continued thoughts: I currently am focused on body positivity + mental health, fashion trends esp regarding plus size style, and a bit of lifestyle vibes too. For example, I worked with a business @ownyourstigma to help promote reducing the negativity surrounding admitting personal mental health struggles that one may experience. That collaboration felt very important to me.
Is there a minimum amount of followers needed for these programs?
For the number of followers needed to achieve a successful partnership with a brand, it usually is in the thousands. BUT I want to emphasize — there are a million things that enter the equation here. You can have less and do things still, and I’ve seen it. Some other things to consider instead of just follower count would be: Reach: how many pages you’re reaching with each photo (use Instagram business insights profile to access) Views: if it’s a video, you may not see as many likes as usual. Many will watch and move on without remembering to scroll back and like the video. So views would be more important than likes Website clicks: a brand may give you a link to direct followers to a shoppable site that tracks your progress — while ramping up for that, you can focus on seeing what garners more people clicking the link in your profile to seek more info Bookmarks: I’ve read a lot of research on Instagram trends, and because likes are becoming slowly less important (very slowly..), we’re seeing other metrics become more vital to a post’s success. If you can get a follower to bookmark your post, that means you’re becoming a solid resource worth revisiting
There are many ways you can contact a company - how do you find the right person to contact?
My ideal method for finding the contact info for collaborations is to check the website and Instagram contact information for an obvious email to use, which some brands provide! I prefer finding it this way if possible to get a direct access to the person in charge of marketing. If it’s hidden or not readily apparent, try to reach out via social media OR email support with the question “who is a good contact regarding partnerships?” included. The people who run the social media pages rarely make the call on hiring reps, but can point you in the right direction usually to the person who does.
Sometimes I receive comments on my insta photos about an affiliate post, how do you typically respond to those comments?
The comments that are brand reps seeking ambassadors for super vague sounding things, especially where they direct you to go reach out to the brand they represent? Super fake. Absolutely a scam. Usually highly marked up items that you pay for at a discount or they have you pay “shipping only” which happens to cost over $50. 🤨 If it feels slimy and scammy, it probably is. Check google, check the brands tagged posts, and check comments on recent posts to verify authenticity of a page.
Make a media kit if you’re interested in reaching out to brands! It’s essentially a resume for social media. It includes statistics and you/your brand’s story. Include some photos, some text info, and your best contacts for being reached. Also, don’t talk money or freebies in the first moment of the conversation. Focus on your value and theirs without mentioning what you physically gain, that comes later!
To anyone wanting to try this: If you have questions, please reach out! I’m happy to help however I can. 💛
