8 Tips to Help Get Selected by Brands
We’re so excited you landed here because it means you want more opportunities to get selected for campaigns. Brands come to Hummingbirds as a way to drive local behavior — and you are a key part of it by experiencing and sharing a brand on your socials.
Having now completed thousands of campaigns, we asked our team and our brands, “What can hummingbirds do to increase their chances of being selected?”
Let’s dive in!
1. Connect a creator or business profile INSIDE the HUMMINGBIRDS PLATFORM
Brands are looking for ways to see and feel the impact of working with you. Having a Creator profile (or Business profile) allows our platform to automatically pull in things, like reach and engagement, making it easier for them to get a sense of how the content is performing. We call this having an “enhanced profile”. But it’s not just about making it easier to see the impact, it’s also a signal to brands you’re committed to creating and curating content in a meaningful way.
How do you know if you have an enhanced profile? Go to “My Profile” inside the platform and hit the “Social Networks” button in the top right. You’ll see a blue icon next to your social handle if you’re enhanced. If you are not and you want to be, we make it easy! Follow these steps to get started.
2. Include an Awesome Pitch IN CAMPAIGNS
The easiest step to get noticed by brands is to include a creative and authentic pitch when expressing interest in their campaign.
Try this:
Share with them why you are excited to try their specific product, service, or experience.
Highlight any personal connections you have with the brand or its larger category.
If you have a concept in mind for your post, let them know your vision and how you plan to showcase it!
3. highlight brands in YOUR personal feed
Having a couple of your own favorite products and services in your feed is a great way to demonstrate to brands how you present and share content.
To build up your portfolio:
Consider completing one of our “New Bird” or Community Campaigns. These posts will populate in our platform under your profile, so brands can start to see how you pull content together.
Vary the formats of these posts. Whether that’s a video compilation on Instagram Reels, a thoughtful carousel post, or even the text you add to a picture, this shows intention and curation that’s very attractive to our brands.
4. CREATE A SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE BEYOND SPONSORED CONTENT
I know that this may seem odd after #3, but here us out.
We’ve heard repeatedly from brands that they want to work with our local creators who do more than just Hummingbirds or other influencer campaigns. When your social media feed only looks like sponsored content, it doesn’t give brands the opportunity to see what else you do or care about. It’s got to be a healthy mix! We recommend a minimum ratio of 2-to-1, or for every sponsored or branded piece of content make sure you include two that are uniquely you.
What other pieces of content can you share from your day to day life? Working at a coffee shop on a Saturday morning? Show us! Did you hit up a farmers market and buy fresh produce or beautiful flowers? Pull it together in a carousel. Did you visit a music festival with your close friends? Share a Reel compilation.
5. try Creating Reels
A photo can say a thousand words but a video can say a million. Brands love Reels because they showcase your experience with their offer in a personal and impactful way by painting a vivid story that is more engaging and very trendy.
Birds who highlight Reel content in their profiles or include plans for creating a Reel in their pitch are more likely to stand out and get selected.
6. be the person brands can count on
Just like people, brands want to surround themselves with people they can trust. Creating Reels when a Reel is requested, adding the correct tags, and completing campaigns you were selected for is a surefire way to build a strong profile and completion percentage that will give brands confidence in your selection.
And, if you are selected and have questions about a campaign, hit us up at help@hummingbirds.com. We’re happy to clarify a campaign detail.
7. up your “content quality” game and engagement
Brands that work with Hummingbirds understand the value everyday people have. It’s this authenticity that makes us (and you) different. Instead of looking at how many eyeballs your post got, our brands tend to look more at engagement. While your engagement isn’t the end-all-be-all in the selection process, we have seen previous posts’ likes and comments serve as tie-breakers in the selection process.
To create engaging content, focus on trying new things, learning best practices, and continuing to post personal and authentic content. If you’re interested in learning how to create compelling, authentic content, sign up for the Local Creator Academy! (see below for details)
8. showcase your community
Much like #3, brands love hummingbirds that highlight their ties to the community. Ask yourself:
Does my feed feel local in any way? Would someone be able to tell I’m a local champion, buyer, event attendee, etc.?
If a brand wants to move product off the shelves of a grocery store in your city, does my feed provide a brand confidence that my profile has the followers, engagement, and content that could do that?
If a brand wants to see a very creative Reel promoting their upcoming Moulin Rouge show in your city, would they be inspired by what Reels you’ve already created locally?
It’s important to stress that you don’t have to be perfect or have a million followers, just that you’re showcasing who you are and what your ties to your community look like.
join local creator academy
We are excited to announce Local Creator Academy is launching fall 2024. This free, cohort-based course is a way for you to get started and level up as a local content creator. We’ll dive into topics like personal brand strategy, how to create authentic and engaging content, and more of the tactical tips and tricks on when to post and how to grow your audience. Get on the waitlist today!