Guides for InfluencersPunoList Building, Analyze

The Power of Collaboration

Guides for InfluencersPunoList Building, Analyze
The Power of Collaboration

Guides for Influencers

The Power of Collaboration

Collaboration is critical for influencers who want to grow past a few thousand followers. Not only does it give you exposure to entirely new communities, but it builds your personal brand by affiliating it with a like-minded brand and/or person. That's social proof! By creating content with other people and brands, you can reach new fans and even new opportunities.

Check out Puno's growth chart on the right. You can find this in PeopleMap under Stats. See how the bumps are related to campaigns (eg, small boxes with numbers on the bottom). You don't have to be a brand to track campaigns. If you want to see how any collaboration contributes to your engagement rate or followers, create a campaign in PeopleMap.
 

How do I collaborate?

As a content creator, it's up to you decide what kind of a content your community would want to see (even if it's just 20 people) and what other person or brand makes sense to create that content with. Just like creating content solo, it's all an experiment. Enjoy the process and have fun! After a few collabs, you'll be able to see which ones made an impact on your engagement rate and/or followers.

For example, if you love cooking plant-based meals and you came across another blogger who does as well, maybe you can go on a picnic together and document it through stories and photos. Or, if you are both in different cities, you can make each other's recipes. Or, you can co-create a recipe book and sell it. Or, you can invite a bunch of wellness bloggers to your favorite restaurant and learn a recipe with the chef. When you come across an account that you are super inspired by, the ideas should start flowing!
 

Building your Lists

There are only so many collaborations you can do. It takes a lot more time to coordinate and edit the content when you involve another person(s). Aim to collaborate at least once a month, but if you can do more (or less), then that's what works for you!

As you come across people or brands on PeopleMap, jot down your ideas of ways to collaborate in the Notes section and add them to your Lists. Analyze those accounts to see who they're interacting with. Then, you can comment, DM, or email the person with your idea(s). The more you "produce" the collaboration and the faster you execute, the more likely it'll happen! It doesn't have to be a 50/50 split in terms of effort just because it's a collaboration. 

 

Example

Collaborate with Local Shops

A lot of accounts focus on mentioning big stores (eg, ahem Zara). Have you ever seen Zara regram? If you're a micro-influencers (under 10K followers), focus on local shops and micro-brands. If you can find accounts at your follower level, you're way more likely to collaborate. 

Read how to find and pitch Micro-Brands.

 

Example

Aussie Mum? Collaborate with other Australian Mom Bloggers

Let's say you're visiting Australia as a mom blogger. Who can you collaborate with? Perhaps you can schedule a content shoot or coffee date with an Australian mom blogger and grow your reach while you're there? On top of making an awesome new friend, of course. Be strategic by collaborating with people that you can swap social currency with, in addition to increasing your content's aesthetic.

  1. Search for #mumblogger in PeopleMap and click the most popular result (later you can try different searches like #aussiemum or #mumblog).

  2. Filter the posts with keyword sydney or whatever city you're in (this filter can take up to an hour to generate a lot of results) and 200 Min. likes.

  3. Look through the posts and click through to the profile.

  4. If you like what you see, click Add to List on the profile. You can add the profile to several types of lists, depending on how organized you want to be. Some example list names:

    • Mom

    • Blogger

    • Sydney

  5. To find even more like-minded Mom Bloggers, Analyze each of these accounts in your List—mom bloggers follow other mom bloggers!

 

Building the Perfect Content Strategy 

Like we said above, there's only so much you can do by yourself. We believe in the power of collaboration and PeopleMap can help you uncover those key people that can help execute your vision. This is our step-by-step guide, from content strategy to pitching. Because great content starts with a good eye and solid creative direction. 

 

Step 1

Finding stylists for your shoot

  1. Search for #stylist in PeopleMap

  2. Click the hashtag result that best aligns with your goals

  3. Add a filter for Min. likes. 300 is a good starting point.  

  4. Look through the filter results for posts that have the right aesthetic and the right location. Add those accounts to a Stylist list. If you want to get even more specific, you can make separate lists for locations and types of stylists (editorial vs commercial).

  5. After you organize your list, have your moodboard ready before you reach out.

  6. Email the stylists your mood board, letting them know your vision, and ask if they'd be down to work together. Establish a relationship and get a conversation going! Create a pitch funnel in your Lists to organize your efforts.  

 

Step 2

Organizing your Pitch Funnels using Lists

Once you have the lists of stylists you want to work with, you can create list funnels to help organize your outreach. This process ensures you don't pitch the same person twice, or let someone slip through the cracks.

  1. Create three Lists: Stylists To Reach Out, Stylists Emailed, Stylists In Talks.

  2. When you email a stylist your pitch, move the account to the Stylists Emailed list: on that account's Profile Detail panel in PeopleMap, click the List button, then deselect the first list they were in and select the Stylists Emailed list.

  3. Keep doing this as you reach out. As stylists get back to you, do the same thing in Step 2, but for the Stylists in Talks list. 

 

Step 3

Collaborate with a Photographer

A great way to find photographers is to Analyze a bigger photographer that fits your aesthetic and vibe. This works for any professional, really (eg, Magazine Editors). Like-minded accounts follow/attract other like-minded accounts. This is why the Analyze feature is so key to list building. 

  1. Search for the photographer's Instagram account on PeopleMap and click the Analyze button on their profile

  2. Filter your analysis results by typing photographer into the Search field of the results.

  3. Anyone with photographer in their Bio will show up. Pick out the accounts you like and add them to your list.

  4. Analyze every account you found in Step 3.

  5. Email the photographer a note saying you love their work (include your moodboard) and let them know about your concept. Maybe you've already even found a location. Ask them if they would be down to shoot. The more you produce the shoot, the more likely it'll happen! 

By bringing on a stylist, a photographer, and your brands, you'll be able to build more social capital. People like sharing their work and building their personal brands. So the more integrated and thought out the concept, the more beautiful (and therefore shareable) the content will be.