Some influencers make it look so easy. There they are on Instagram or YouTube, casually sporting the hottest fashions, jetting around the world and creating glamorous looks with beauty products. They seem to be raking in the endorsement deals almost out of thin air and hardly lifting a finger to do it.
But first things first — that’s not reality for most influencers. A lot of work and dedication go into a successful influencer career. And if you’re just getting started as an influencer, there’s an important sales tool that’s a must. It’s a tool that shows brands you’re a professional who gets results. It’s called an influencer media kit, and before you even think about approaching brands for partnerships, you need to have one.
What Is It?
An influencer media kit is like a digital combination of an influencer’s resume and portfolio. It’s also like an advertising media kit because it contains the information that brands need to decide if they want to partner with you. It’s similar to a resume and a portfolio because it features stats and visuals that show your achievements. These elements should show your presence and influence on social media as well as your success with previous social media campaigns.
Why Is It Important?
It’s not enough to just have the numbers, experience and loyal fans that praise your posts. Don’t assume that brands will know who you are or that they’re willing to get the details they need about you by searching. They’re inundated with influencer pitches and pressed for time, so make yours stand out to make it easy for them.
There’s a lot of competition in the world of social media influencers. A smart, attractive influencer media kit is one way to cut through the clutter and show why you’re the best choice for brands.
Present all your details in an attractive, well-designed PDF that’s easy for brands and marketers to read and understand. Using a PDF for your influencer media kit also makes it easy for you to send multiple copies to prospects. Keep the design clean and uncluttered so brands and marketers can quickly find the important information they’re looking for. And don’t go over more than a few pages with your media kit. Keep it succinct and focus on the highlights.
Remember that the details need to justify the rates you charge for social media campaigns and show your experience, successes and professionalism. Having an influencer media kit shows that you’re organized, focused and serious about social media marketing.
Influencer Media Kit Essentials
What goes into an influencer media kit? Brands look to influencer media kits to get a complete picture of what an influencer can offer. That’s why the following elements are important to include in yours.
Your Biography
Your bio is your introduction to brands, and this first impression can make or break a partnership. It should give brands and marketers an overview of your background and what your social media specialties are. It should also project your identity or persona as an influencer. So, for example, if you’re a beauty influencer who’s worked at beauty-products companies or as a makeup artist, let brands know. Keep it short, simple and compelling.
Include a photo of yourself that’s properly lit, looks professionally done and reflects the focus of your content. For example, if you’re an outdoor-enthusiast influencer, use a shot that shows you in that environment.
The Basics
Put your logo or the name of your blog on every page of your media kit. Be consistent with colors and fonts and make sure the layout is properly aligned. And don’t forget to include your email, phone number, website and links to your social media accounts. Check for spelling errors before you hit send. Be sure to update your influencer media kit on a regular basis, too.
Your Blog and Social Media Channels
Let brands and marketers know the social media channels you’re active on and the most successful formats for your content. For example, is YouTube your forte, or do you knock it out of the park with Instagram? Or do you get great results from both? Include any special services you can offer, like styling photo shoots.
Demographics
Brands might love you and your content, but they also want to make sure you’re reaching and engaging their target markets. Break down the audiences your blogs and/or posts reach in as much detail as possible that’s relevant to the brand. Include as much information as you can about the locations, ages, genders and interests of your audience.
It’s a good idea to have different influencer media kits for different industries and target markets. Say, for instance, you reach a wealthy demographic that loves to travel and also spend money on luxury goods. You want to approach both high-end jewelry brands and boutique hotel groups for potential collaborations. It makes sense to create different versions of your media kit that use images and stats relevant to these specific product categories.
Statistics
Include statistics for your website/blog traffic and different social media channels. For your website/blog, include monthly page views and monthly unique visitors, which you can find using Google Analytics. For social media channels like Instagram, include your followers and impressions or reach. If your specialty is YouTube videos, include your subscriber numbers and views.
While follower numbers are important, so are engagement rates, so be sure to include likes, clicks and shares. Engagement rates are a good way for brands and marketers to see if your followers are real and if you connect with them. Also include the number of new followers you get a month.
Examples of Previous Campaigns and Testimonials
This is your opportunity to really get prospective partners excited about what you’ve done. Make sure your media kit reflects your talents as a creator and shows the high-quality content you create. Use attractive visuals that represent your brand image and your focus.
Include examples like photo shoots you created for content that got impressive results. Ask other brands you’ve worked with and have good relationships with for testimonials you can include. Think of testimonials like references on a resume, but in quote form.
Your Rates
Your influencer media kit should include a rate card that breaks down your fees for certain deliverables. Whether you offer a la carte rates so brands can pick and choose specific deliverables or all-in-one packages, be clear about the numbers. For example, how many sponsored Instagram or Facebook posts or tweets can brands expect at certain price levels? How much do add-ons like contests, giveaways and event posts and appearances cost?
Think of your influencer media kit as a sales rep for your brand. You wouldn’t want your sales rep to meet a client wearing a stained, rumpled sweatsuit. You also wouldn’t want the rep to fail to properly present the features and benefits of your services. Make sure you’ve covered all your bases so your media kit closes the deal.
