Do you believe you can make good money as a small influencer in 2023? If you ever had doubts, let me tell you it’s possible. As a small content creator myself, I made over $10,000 in nine months. I went into 2022 with a goal of making just $1,000, but thank God for people like @herlifesparkles and @jalynbaiden, who shared how social media is becoming a reliable source of income. For someone who entered the content-creating world as something to do for fun, making $10,000 is a big deal, so let’s talk about it.

how do small influencers make money?

Small influencers make money on social media through brand collaborations, affiliate links, or selling products and services. In this post, we’re focusing on brand collaborations.

I am going into detail about how much I made as a nano-influencer. I’m sharing this to let you know that if you’re a small creator, your voice matters and you can get paid by sharing the things you love. A quick disclaimer before we move forward: this is not a get-rich-quick business. You would have to put in the work to make social media work. A lot of time goes into building an engaged community, creating quality content, and showing up consistently.

Where to start before you work with brands

Identify Your Niche

Find a niche that aligns with who you are. A niche is a topic that you’d like to focus on. It’ll help you target potential followers and develop content that will resonate with them. Consider what topics interest and motivate you the most—whether it’s lifestyle, fashion, travel, beauty, or something else—and focus on those for your posts. Knowing your niche allows you to stand out from other influencers and gives brands a reason to consider partnering with you!

Show up consistently & post quality content

Be intentional with the content you post. Some of my paid deals have come from brands seeing my old content and reaching out to me to create similar content for them. Social media is that place that is truly out of sight, out of mind.

Focus on Building Relationships

When building relationships with your community, authenticity and genuine connections are key, they should be able to trust your recommendations. Engaging with your community through interactive content like storytelling, polls, giveaways, or Q&As will help establish a stronger connection with them.

Create a media kit

A media kit is your resume for social media. It gives an insight into why the brand should invest in you. There are so many free templates on Canvas that you can use to build your media kit. For a more professional route, @julisimmons made my first media kit when I had about 1200 followers on Instagram, so don’t wait until you have a big following to get a media kit. Some brands will ask for it, so you want to be prepared.

Have a rate sheet

Have your rate sheet handy for when you are asked to provide your rates. Influencer Rates: How Much do Influencers Really Cost in 2023? is a great guide to creating a rate sheet.

How I got brand deals as a small influencer

Influencer Platforms:

This is a huge one for influencers and creators starting out. There are so many of those out there that are so easy to join. Even though most of these platforms will only give small influencers product exchange deals, it is a great start to help you learn about deliverables and brand expectations. My favorite influencer platforms for nano-influencers are Mavrck, Aspire, and People First. I have only had paid collaborations through Aspire and People First. But the experience I gained working with brands on gift exchange has helped me come up with a fair fee since I have an idea of the amount of work that goes into the deliverables.

Ambassadorship Deals:

It typically involves an influencer and a brand or company signing a contract that outlines certain terms, such as the length of time you’ll work together, payment structure, and the number of posts you’ll create. For small business influencers, this is an opportunity to make money through affiliate marketing, as most ambassador programs will pay you a discount for purchases made through your links.

Pitch to Brands:

To make money as a nano influencer, you’ll have to prioritize pitching. It can be an intimidating process and a not-so-fun part of getting brands to notice you. But this is how you will let brands know that you’re available to work with them. I reach out to companies that I want to work with through their Instagram DMs, asking for contact information for who to email about collaborations. Here are ways I research to know which brands to reach out to:

• If you’re using or buying from a company frequently, reach out to them.
• Look at whom other creators in your niche are working with.
• Brands with ads (TV, Instagram, Facebook, etc.)
• If you pitch a brand you love and don’t get a deal, pitch their competitors.
• Exchange brand contacts with other influencers you trust. Here is a list of some of my favorite influencers.

It’s a lot of work, and you’ll get a lot of NOs, but as with anything, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. I got my pitch template from @herlifesparkle. (Great purchase! There are different responses for different scenarios when interacting with brands). If you aren’t ready to invest yet, there are free templates available on Tiktok, Youtube, and Google that you can personalize.

Brands reaching out:

Have your email address in your bio, so it’s easier for a brand to contact you. The company will contact you directly or reach out to you through an agency. When a brand reaches out, know that they already love your content. Now is the time to charge what you’re worth.

Some companies will try to play you, especially when it comes to small influencers. Always look out for yourself! If a product exchange does not make sense, don’t take it. If a brand is not paying you a fair price, it’s okay to say ‘NO’. Your time is valuable. I still accept product or service exchange deals, but they must be things I use or would have bought or paid for anyway. Brand collaborations should be mutually beneficial.

More Tips for landing paid partnerships

• Be professional when dealing with brands, no matter the size of the company. Respond to emails on time and turn in deliverables as agreed. (Best practice: go above and beyond.)
• When sending a pitch email, avoid attaching a PDF file. Some companies restrict attachments, so your email may be flagged. Attach your media kit as a link. I use google drive.
• Only send your rate sheet when the brand asks for it.
• Most scam emails will come from a Gmail account; beware of clicking any links.
• Creating quality content is not about the equipment you are using, it is the message and how it’s delivered that matters.
• Prepare yourself for rejections from brands. That doesn’t mean that your content isn’t good enough or that you’re not making an impact. Some companies start their paid partnerships with content creators that have a minimum of 10,000 followers. Others just don’t have the budget or might not be working with influencers at the time you contact them.
• Always be truthful in your recommendations to your audience!

One major lesson I have learned as a small influencer is that your number of followers doesn’t define your influence or your ability to create great content. Don’t get me wrong, the numbers are important. Most influencers, myself included love to see the growth, the numbers. But I want you to know you can still make an impact and earn money with your growing audience. Get more information about the difference that Influencer sizes make.

Another way small influencers are also making money on social media is by being UGC creators. I have also earned some money through that. If you find this post valuable and would like more details about how UGC creators make their money, let me know and I can share some tips on how to get started as a UGC creator.

Best wishes on your influencing journey! 

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