Understanding how to make IG branded content stand out is what can set you apart from other influencers.
IE 329: How to Make Your IG Branded Content Stand Out with Kristen Bousquet
On today’s episode we have special guest Kristen Bousquet of Your Soulcialmate.
Kristen is a creator monetization coach where she helps content creators and influencers learn how to monetize their social platforms and their creativity a little bit more successfully.
She’s been a creator for the last five years and had a blog back in 2008 so Kristen’s has been at this for a while.
What does IG branded content consist of?
IG branded content is typically content that you are creating for brands.
It’s sponsored content that you’re usually getting hired to create whether you’re getting paid or it’s gifted.
It’s content that you’re creating to help the brand reach a certain goal.
So for some brands that might be the goal of sales.
While for others that might be the goal of brand awareness.
Meanwhile, some brands just want content.
Different brands are looking for creators for different purposes, but overall it’s to help them reach some sort of goal.
How to you help a brand if they don’t understand their goal in IG brand content?
A lot of brands, especially brands who are newer to influencer marketing, might know that they want to work with influencers and know that they should be working with influencers.
Typically in that situation, if I have a brand who they know they want to work with me or they know they want to work with creators, but they’re not sure exactly where to go or where to start, I typically will start by asking them what do you guys want to see out of this?
What are you struggling with the most?
Is it sales that you’re really trying to make?
Do you just want people to know who your brand is?
Are you having trouble keeping up with staying consistent on socials, like what is your biggest struggle right now?
And typically that gets us to a place where we can understand what their goal might be.
And for some brands it could be all three of those things.
In that situation as a creator, it’s actually a great situation because then we can offer so many different types of content in a partnership that can help up our ticket price, which is really great.
Should we be using the IG branded content tool when working on a sponsorship?
Using the IG branded content tool is actually something that is technically required.
If you are creating sponsored content according to FTC guidelines, you do actually have to disclose that.
Some people will simply put #ad, but if Instagram catches you doing a sponsored post where you’re not using that branded content or that paid partnership tool, you can actually get in trouble with Instagram.
Influencers have gotten posts taken down or have gotten their accounts disabled because they didn’t utilize it.
This is because you’re going against branded content guidelines.
At the end of the day, I know a lot of people have issues with using that branded content tool because they’re scared it’s going to make the performance of the post lower than they would expect, but to keep on the safe side, it’s definitely very smart for you to use it anytime it’s paid or even when it’s gifted too.
If you’re working in any sort of sponsor or partner capacity, you have to disclose that.
How do we make branded content stand out?
In a partnership with a brand, they have requirements typically that you have to pay attention to, but a lot of brands will give you creative freedom.
Typically, when I’m planning out what is this partnership going to look like?
What is this piece of content going to look like?
I ask myself, what does my audience typically see from me that they’re comfortable with?
I typically like my branded content to fit in and look exactly like it’s regular content.
I don’t want to disrupt the flow of what my audience is already seeing from me.
In terms of how it looks and how it’s formatted, that’s definitely something I think is important, but at the same time, I think you have to make sure that you are elevating it a little bit because the brand is paying for that content.
They’re paying for you to create an ad for them a lot of the time.
It has to have a call to action.
It has to sell a product.
But I again, think it’s still important for you to stay true to what your audience is really used to seeing.
Hopefully that’s the perfect recipe for a great piece of branded content.
How can being well branded as a creator help you make more money?
When it comes to creating a personal brand around what you’re doing as a creator, the most important thing is figuring out what your mission statement is.
And this can almost kind of go in place of a niche.
People are so afraid of picking a niche.
Instead of saying you’re a beauty creator, have a mission statement that maybe is you help mothers live a more confident lifestyle, which then allows you to show them how to put their makeup on, or how to style themselves.
All different ways that show them how to be more confident, and that kind of gives you so much more room to play with rather than just I’m a beauty creator.
How can we make branded content a more consistent stream of income?
It’s really all about making connections.
At the end of the day, our industry is literally such a human connection industry, and I think it’s so easy for us to lose that because we do everything behind computers and we just type, type, type.
But at the end of the day, you really have to worry about how am I going to make a connection with this person?
So instead of being a robot, when you’re messaging back, instead of being super straight to the point, ask how that person’s day is going.
If you saw on Instagram that they went on vacation, ask how was your vacation?
These are people and the stronger connection you build with them the more they’re going to want to work with you.
By being a great brand partner by really genuinely caring about the people behind the brand and the brand itself, is going to set you apart.
The Anti Pitch Class is where you’re taught not to pitch, but rather to make connections with brands, small little connections.
You’re planting seeds so that when there is actually a partnership that you’re a good fit for, this brand already has you on their mind.
Basically you are just letting the brand know that you exist through this kind of anti-pitch method that we teach in the class because it is a great way to be top of mind when they are looking for influencers.
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