How to Score Brand Sponsorships: 7 Influencer Marketing Platforms to Help You Make Money

Today, we are going to talk about influencer marketing platforms to use to apply to brand deals. People often ask me how I started working with brands. I actually outlined my entire journey working with brands in this post, providing examples of past campaigns and how I made them happen. There are many ways to get in touch with brands that you can try TODAY!

Here are a few ways I’ve worked with brands in the past:

• Direct pitching to the brand
  • Check out this post with email templates you can use when pitching to brands!
• Pitching to PR Agencies
  • Here, I share my strategy for finding PR contacts and how I pitch to them
• Brands have reached out to me over email
• Applying directly to collaborations through influencer marketing platforms

Today, we’re going to talk about influencer marketing platforms YOU can use to start applying to collaborations. Each platform is different, but here are a few pros and cons I’ve found while using them in the past.

Pros of using influencer marketing platforms

• Direct communication with the brand or their representative
• Choice of which brands you partner with
• Deliverables are easy to reference throughout the campaign
• Clear information about payment
• Discovering brands who are OPEN to influencer marketing
• Quick payments

Cons of using influencer marketing platforms

• Less room for negotiation than email
• Eligibility requirements – following count or different forms of social media
  • Some brands will only work with influencers with a certain follower count, meaning if you are below that number, you cannot apply.
  • Some platforms require you to apply to campaigns with multiple forms of social media, meaning you might not be eligible for application if you do not have all of them. One platform I use often requires social shares to Facebook. I do not have a Facebook account for my blog, so even though I have all other forms of social media they request, I’m not eligible to apply.

Now, let’s get into the good stuff.

Here are 7 influencer marketing platforms I use to apply to collaborations:

Cohley

First on the list is Cohley! Cohley is one of the first influencer marketing platforms I used. I’ve done many successful campaigns with Cohley, but some of the most notable were with CVS and Ann Taylor.

Below are some of the other brands Cohley partners with:

AspireIQ

Next on the list is AspireIQ! AspireIQ is one of my favorite platforms to use to apply to collaborations. Their mission is “Create great content, get rewarded. Over 500,000 creator-to-brand connections made.”

Below are some of the brands that AspireIQ partners with for influencer collaborations.

I used AspireIQ recently to collaborate with Empress 1908 Gin!

ACTIVATE

ACTIVATE is an awesome platform for influencer collaborations. I’ve only recently started applying to campaigns using this platform, but I’ve found that there are some really awesome brands on there. Their tagline is “thousands of opportunities at your fingertips – join our community today to work with the world’s leading brands.” I like that brands can view my stats and analytics through this platform easily to see if I’m a good match for a campaign.

Below are some of ACTIVATE’s partners:

IZEA

I recently started using IZEA as well. While I can’t share the details quite yet, I just landed a 4-figure campaign using this platform. Below are some of the brands that partner with IZEA and influencers:

Obviously

Obviously was one of the first platforms I started using early in my influencer career. With this platform, I was able to work with a brand on my first 4-figure paid deal in September of 2019. In another campaign, I was also able to parter with two huge brands: McDonalds and UberEats!

One of the things I like most about this platform is that they reward you for each successful collaboration you complete. For each collaboration you complete successfully, you receive one “corgi” (how cute right?!?). Once you reach 3 corgis, Obviously sends you an automatic payment reward through PayPal.

Below are some of the brands that Obviously works with:

Octoly

Octoly is a platform I have used mainly for product-based collaborations in the beauty industry. I find that many of my favorite hair, skincare, and makeup products can be found through this app. You can apply to receive the product in exchange for either a static post or stories depending on the brand’s requirements. I do believe Octoly is expanding paid campaigns – be sure to check that out in the future!

I was able to partner with BECCA Cosmetics through Octoly:

Below are some of the brands Octoly collaborates with:

Statusphere

Next up we have Statusphere! Statusphere is the first ever influencer marketing platform I used! I love the concept – you fill out a form and receive a box of products based on what you are willing to post about. Statusphere was a great way to build my resume and start collaborating with brands. It helped me get my feet wet and to understand terms and different deliverables required by brands.

I believe Statusphere has expanded to include some paid collaborations, so look into those as well if you are accepted!

Let’s get you paid! Start applying to brand collaborations today using influencer marketing platforms.

Now that you know about 7 influencer marketing platforms to use to apply to brand collaborations, what are you waiting for? Check these out and begin applying today!

Know of any others? I’m always looking to join new influencer marketing platforms – share them down below!

Are you a new blogger or content creator looking for more resources? Check out these recent posts:

• Pitching to PR Contacts (+ How To Find Them)
• Boost Your Instagram Story Engagement
• How to Get Noticed By Brands for Collaborations
• Pitching to Brands as an Influencer (+ real email templates that I actually sent!)
• The Tea on Instagram Giveaways