Getting Noticed as a Creator: How to Attract Brands for Lucrative Partnerships

Ever dreamed of your content being the talk of the town, attracting the crème de la crème of brand partnerships?

Gaining recognition is like constructing a towering skyscraper in the city of influence. Brands want to partner with creators whose influence rises above the rest — and by ‘influence’, we don’t just mean ‘number of followers’.

Working with brands begins with crafting a compelling story backed up by self-aware insights and an accurate reflection of your unique values.

Define your goals

Before you dive into the brand partnership game, it's essential to define your goals. What's the purpose of your content? Are you aiming to educate, entertain, or inform your audience?

Aiming to educate? Consider the depth and specificity of the information you want to share. If entertainment is your focus, think about the tone and style that resonate with your audience. What type of content brings your followers joy, laughter, or engagement? And what metrics are you analyzing to ensure you're meeting your goals?

On the other hand, if your goal is to inform, zone in on the topics that align with your expertise and the interests of your followers. What subjects do they find most relevant or intriguing?

Most importantly, take a close look at the balance between these goals. Is your content a mix of education, entertainment, and information, or does it lean more heavily toward one aspect?

Once you've got your content goals crystal clear, the journey to attracting like-minded brands begins — and the first step is conducting meticulous research to find the brands that resonate with your audience and values.

Research brands

Vertical alignment

Aligning with brands that fit your niche is crucial for effective and authentic affiliate partnerships.

For instance, if you're running a health and wellness website, think about partnering with a health supplement brand. Maybe you run a popular page for your pets — perhaps pair up with an organic pet food company. Video game streamer? Consider a brand that makes, for example, mechanical keyboards.

Use research tools

If you're struggling to find brands in your vertical, use tools like SimilarSites or impact.com to discover competitors. Compile a list of potential brands and dig into their business practices.

You’ll want to explore characteristics like audience demographics, how they go about engaging with their customers, their transparency about the quality of their products or services, and their payment and contract terms.

It’s also worth asking, “Is this brand open to long-term partnerships, and do I see myself collaborating with it over multiple campaigns?”

Customer experience matters

Remember, when you promote a brand, you're essentially a brand ambassador.

Double-check that the brands you're eyeing share your values, mission, and goals to ensure a seamless customer experience. Make sure to compare the brand’s values with your audience’s values, too!

If you’re all about authenticity, keep a close eye on the brand’s transparency about its products or services, as well as its style of engagement with its customers. How does the brand handle negative customer feedback? Is it clear about information and pricing?

Many creators have found themselves in the unfortunate position of endorsing insincere brands or harmful products, only to discover that their followers, who purchased that product on the creator’s recommendation, absolutely hated the product.

This can be pretty problematic for maintaining the trust painstakingly built between creator and audience.

Once you've identified promising potential partners, it's time to research competitive payouts.

Research competitive payouts

Affiliate programs and payouts

Brands with active affiliate programs often provide key details on their dedicated landing pages. Publicly shown commissions serve as a baseline for negotiations.

Use cashback sites

For deal or loyalty sites, sites like Cashback Monitor offer insights into competitive payouts. Understanding the commission structure helps you gauge the brand's generosity and negotiate effectively for the compensation you want.

Craft a one-sheet

Now, let's talk about your creator resume – the one-sheet.

Essential components

Create a concise summary of your business in two or three sentences. Make sure the flow is easy to follow, highlighting audience demographics, successful categories, and placement opportunities.

Be cautious about disclosing pricing just yet; save that for a confidential rate card.

Visual appeal

Enhance readability and aesthetic appeal with color, typeface, or small images or graphics that reflect your platform. Branding is crucial, but keep it tasteful and not overwhelming.

Contact info

Don't forget to include a clear way — ideally more than one — for brands to get in touch with you. Include, at the very least, your email address and your social handles. Make it easy for them to take the next step in forming a lucrative partnership.

The bottom line

Armed with defined goals, aligned brands, knowledge of competitive payouts, and a polished one-sheet, you're ready to captivate top brands and turn those dreams of lucrative partnerships into a reality.

Happy creating!