Learn how to get on brand PR lists as an influencer or micro-influencer
This article was co-authored by Candace Gasper and wikiHow staff writer Bailey Bujnosek, B.S. Candace Gasper is a social media and digital marketing consultant and owner of the social media agency Digital Candy. With over seven years of professional experience, Candace is a social media and content creation expert, specializing in working with local businesses to share their stories and help them expand their reach. Candace graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Merchandising, Apparel and Textiles. There are 21 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of all facts cited and confirming the authority of its sources.
PR (public relations) unboxing videos are always a pleasure to watch. If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen a few PR unboxings. But have you ever wondered how to get a PR package yourself? Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need millions of followers to get free products delivered right to your door. We spoke with social media consultant Candace Gasper and social media expert Ramin Ahmari to find out what creators can do to improve their chances of landing on brand PR lists. Read on for easy ways to get a PR package, plus tips on how to contact brands and optimize your content.
Kindly reach out to brands and PR agencies in your content niche to get on email lists. Put your email in your bio and open your DMs to make it easier for brands to contact you. Tag them in the content you create about their products and use hashtags related to your niche to help them find your account.
Apply for brand ambassador programs. Many fashion, beauty, beverage and lifestyle brands have brand ambassador programs that you can apply for through their official websites. Ambassadors receive free products, usually in exchange for posting about them or reviewing them.[1]
In addition to PR packages, you can potentially receive exclusive discounts and invitations to brand events if you become a brand ambassador.- To find application forms, search for phrases like “application + brand ambassador”, “application + influencer partnership” and “[brand name] + ambassador + apply.” You can also look for the “Contact” or “Work with us” pages at the bottom of the brands’ websites.
- Some brands with ambassador apps on their websites include Revolve, Windsor and Sweetgreen.
- If you are currently a student, look for campus ambassador programs. Companies like SHEIN, Princess Polly, Red Bull, and poppi have annual entries exclusively for college students—and many have no minimum requirements for followers. Ambassadors typically receive PR packages in exchange for promoting the brand to colleagues online and on campus.[2]
Contact the brands you want to work with. Find general emails for influencer partnerships and PR package requests on brand websites.[3]
Additionally, you can contact members of their influencer marketing team directly if they announce that they are open to pitching. Always be polite, professional and patient when contacting brands.- Don’t be discouraged from reaching out because you have few followers. “Really what [brands are] they are looking for someone who appeals to their audience. Even if you have an account with 800 [followers]but your audience is really engaged, then they will be more willing to work with you,” says Gašper.
- You can also email PR agencies that represent brands in your niche. They may be able to connect you directly with marketing teams for influential brands—or add you to their mailing lists to receive PR packages from their brands.[4]
Sign up for product review platforms. If you want to get free products and don’t mind an honest review or content creation, this is an easy way to get PR packages. Popular platforms include Influenster, Aspire and Shopify Collabs.[5]
Some platforms require reviews, while others connect influencers with brands to collaborate on paid, sponsored content.- While the brands on these platforms are usually verified and legitimate, be wary of scams. You should never have to pay for PR packages, shipping or brand collaborations – brands send products to build a working relationship with you and potentially reach your audience.[6]
See who similar influencers are getting PR packages from. Look for accounts with similar content and following sizes to yours on the research page or through relevant hashtags. It will give you an idea of which brands in your niche are sending out PR packages—and which brands might be interested in the content you’re creating.[7]
Add your email to your bio and open your DMs. If you have an online following, post consistently and are highly engaged, brands may approach you to send PR packages. Make it easy for them to contact you by opening your DMs and putting your email address in your bio on all social media platforms.[8]
- Check your DMs and email regularly so you don’t miss out on potential opportunities. Research the accounts and brands that approach you to make sure their offers are legitimate.
- Create a separate email address for public social media profiles to avoid spam and harassment. Put this email address in your bios instead of your personal one. You can even put “PR/Collabs: [your email]” in your bio to make it clear who should contact you.
Create organic content about brands you want to work with. An easy way to get your dream PR package is to show the brand how much you love their products. Create organic content showcasing products you already own and enjoy – for example, a review or feature in a Get Ready With Me video – and tag the brand to try to get on their PR lists.[9]
Use brand-relevant hashtags to increase the chances that a brand will see your content and understand your unique style and audience.[10]- Talk about products you actually love and use regularly. You’ll enjoy PR packages from brands you love more than free products from brands you’re not really a fan of.
Post consistently and use relevant hashtags. When brands look at your profile, they want to see that you’re an active, reliable user and that you fit their niche.[11]
Post on a daily or weekly basis to show that you take content creation seriously. Use hashtags specific to your niche to help the right brands find your content.- The more specific the hashtags, the better, says Ahmari. “Don’t use hashtags that are like #beauty or #fashion, because there are millions of posts there. If you’re not big, you won’t be discovered there,” he advises. Instead, he recommends replicating hashtags used by successful profiles and creating your own.
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