Instagram is no longer just a social platform—it’s a money-making machine for influencers, content creators, and small businesses. With influencer marketing continuing to grow rapidly in 2025, brands are actively looking for authentic voices as brand partners to promote their products through a paid partnership on Instagram.

But do you need hundreds of thousands of followers to land paid brand deals? Absolutely not! Today, brands prioritize engagement, niche influence, and audience trust over sheer numbers. Even accounts with as little as 1,000 followers can secure sponsored deals if their branded content drives real engagement. You just have to come up with out-of-the-box marketing plans for growing business.

This guide shows you how to get the paid partnership on Instagram, from setting up your profile to connecting with brands and securing deals. If you’re ready to turn your content into a profitable brand collaboration platform, let’s get to it!

Key Takeaways:

  • Brands prioritize engagement and niche influence over large follower counts as a brand partner.
  • Micro and nano-influencers are in demand due to higher engagement rates and audience trust.
  • Optimizing your profile makes you more attractive to brands.
  • Proactively pitching is essential—don’t wait for brands to find you.
  • Crafting a strong pitch and media kit improves your chances of landing deals.
  • Negotiating rates smartly ensures fair compensation for your branded content.
  • Using the Paid Partnership label maintains transparency and credibility among brand partners.
  • Tracking performance and providing insights helps secure long-term partnerships.

Why Brands Pay Small Accounts for Partnerships

Many people assume that brands only work with influencers who have hundreds of thousands of followers, but that’s no longer true. Micro and nano-influencers (1K – 50K followers) are now in high demand because they offer better engagement, trust, and affordability compared to larger influencers by sharing informative Instagram posts.

1. Higher Engagement Rates

  • Micro-influencers (10K-50K) have engagement rates of 3.86%, while macro-influencers (500K+) have only 1.21%, mentioned experts.
  • Smaller influencers connect more deeply with their audience as a personal brand, making brand recommendations more effective.

2. More Trust & Authenticity

  • Neart half of consumers rely on influencer recommendations as a brand partner.
  • Smaller influencers have stronger relationships with their followers, making them more trustworthy than big celebrities.

3. Cost-Effective Marketing

  • Smaller influencers charge less but offer better ROI.
  • Instead of paying one celebrity, brands can work with 10-50 micro-influencers and get better engagement.

4. Niche Targeting & Better Conversions

  • Small influencers have focused audiences, leading to higher conversions for niche products.
  • Example: A pet influencer with 5K followers is more valuable for a pet food brand than a fitness influencer with 100K followers.

5. Long-Term Brand Loyalty

  • Brands prefer working with small influencers regularly rather than one-off celebrity promotions.
  • Consistent partnerships build credibility and audience trust over time.

Benefits of a Paid Partnership on Instagram

A paid partnership on Instagram offers more than just financial rewards. It helps you grow your brand, increase visibility, and build credibility in your niche. 

Here’s why you should consider securing paid brand deals:

1. Earn Money from Your branded Content: Turn your Instagram into a revenue stream with sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and brand collaborations, which is beyond Instagram reposts.

2. Gain More Exposure: Brand partnerships introduce your branded content to new audiences, helping you grow your follower base and engagement.

3. Build Trust & Authority: Working with established brands boosts your credibility, positioning you as an expert in your niche.

4. Strengthen Your Brand: Consistent collaborations make your Instagram profile look more professional, helping you attract even bigger deals.

5. Access to Free Products & Exclusive Perks: Many brands offer free products, early access to launches, and VIP experiences as part of their partnership programs.

6. Secure Long-Term Brand Partnerships: A successful one-time collaboration can lead to ongoing brand sponsorship marketing, ambassador roles, and exclusive deals.

7. Increase Engagement & Audience Growth: Brand sponsorship marketing often comes with giveaways, discount codes, and brand promotions, leading to higher engagement and follower growth.

How to Get a Paid Partnership on Instagram?

Securing a paid partnership on Instagram isn’t just for big business and creator accounts, it’s possible even with a small but engaged audience. So how to partner with brands on Instagram? Brands are now prioritizing authenticity, niche influence, and engagement rates over follower count. Here’s how you can land paid brand deals and turn Instagram into a revenue stream.

How to Get a Paid Partnership on Instagram?

1. Optimize Your Instagram Profile for Brand Partnerships

Your profile is the first thing brands check, so it must be well-optimized to attract sponsorships.

  • Professional Bio: Clearly state who you are, what you do, and how brands can contact you (email, Linktree).
  • Engaging Content Strategy: Use a mix of Reels, Stories, and Carousels, post consistently (3-5x per week), and maintain a visually appealing Instagram feed.
  • Strategic Hashtags & Keywords: Use hashtags like #BrandCollab, #MicroInfluencer, #PaidSponsorshipInstagram to appear in brand searches.
  • Engagement Over Follower Count: Reply to comments, interact with brands, and engage in conversations to boost your visibility.

Pro Tip: Follow and engage with brands before pitching—comment on their posts and tag them in relevant branded content to get noticed.

2. Get a Brand Deal on Instagram

Take a proactive approach Instead of waiting for brands to approach you, if the question is how to get a brand deal on Instagram. Ensure to learn how to partner with brands on Instagram. 

  • Find Brand Partnerships: Use platforms like AspireIQ, Heepsy, and Upfluence to discover brands looking for influencers.
  • Check Competitor Collabs: See which brands are sponsoring similar influencers in your niche—they may be open to working with you, too.
  • Craft a Winning Pitch: Keep your DM or email concise. Introduce yourself, explain why your audience aligns with their brand, and propose a specific branded content idea as business and creator accounts.

Example: “Hey [Brand], I’ve been a fan of [Product] and recently featured it in my Stories. My audience (75% women, 18-35) engages highly with beauty content. I’d love to create an Instagram Reels tutorial showing [Product] in action. Let me know if you’d be open to a paid partnership!”

  • Follow Up Smartly: If you don’t get a response, send a polite follow-up after 5-7 days.

3. Get the Paid Partnership Tag on Instagram

Brands expect transparency in paid sponsorships. Instagram Paid Partnership Tag makes collaborations official and trackable. You must learn to add videos to Instagram stories in unique methods. 

  • How to Enable It: Go to Advanced Settings before posting, tap “Tag Business Partner”, and select the brand.
  • Why It’s Important: This tool builds trust, ensures compliance, and gives brands direct post analytics.

Pro Tip: Brands love working with influencers who know how to use the partnership tag properly, as it simplifies tracking results.

4. Set Your Rates & Negotiate Brand Deals

Don’t undervalue your branded content—set fair pricing based on engagement, content type, and exclusivity.

  • Pricing Guide:

(i) 1K-10K followers: $50-$200 per post

(ii) 10K-50K followers: $200-$800 per post

(iii) 50K-100K followers: $800-$2,000 per post

  • Negotiate Smartly: Always counter-offer—brands often expect a negotiation. Offer bundle packages (e.g., Reels + Stories) to increase value.

Pro Tip: Charge more if the brand wants exclusivity (e.g., preventing you from working with competitors for a set period).

5. Track & Measure Brand Deal Success

To secure future partnerships, you need to prove your value with performance analytics.

  • Use Instagram Insights: Track reach, engagement, and saves.
  • Monitor Conversions: If the brand provides an affiliate link or discount code, track how many sales you generate.
  • Send Brands a Performance Recap: Highlight key success metrics—brands love influencers who provide detailed post-campaign reports.

Pro Tip: If the collaboration performs well, pitch for a long-term partnership!

Common Mistakes to Avoid 

Even the best influencers and content creators make mistakes when trying to land paid partnerships on Instagram. Avoid these common errors to improve your chances of securing high-quality brand deals.

1. Prioritizing Follower Count Over Engagement: Brands focus on engagement, not just numbers. A smaller, engaged audience converts better than a large, inactive one. Track and improve your likes, comments, and shares.

2. Having an Unoptimized Profile: An incomplete bio, inconsistent content, and missing contact details make you look unprofessional. Ensure your bio clearly states your niche, use high-quality images, and stay active.

3. Waiting for Brands to Reach Out: If you’re not pitching brands, you’re missing opportunities. Proactively research companies, personalize your outreach, and showcase why your target audience is a good fit.

4. Underpricing Your Content: Accepting low offers undervalues your influence. Know industry-standard rates, highlight your engagement metrics, and negotiate fair compensation for your work.

5. Ignoring the Paid Partnership Label: Failing to disclose sponsored Instagram posts can hurt credibility and violate Instagram’s guidelines. Always use the branded content tool for transparency and trust.

6. Creating Low-Quality Sponsored Content: Poor visuals and generic captions in branded content can make your partnerships look forced. Keep your branded content authentic, high-quality, and engaging to maintain audience trust.

7. Failing to Track & Report Performance: Brands want proof that their investment paid off. Use Instagram Insights, track conversions, and share a post-performance report to secure future paid brand deals.

To Sum Up

Landing paid partnerships on Instagram is more than numbers and branded content. It’s about positioning yourself as a valuable content creator that brands can trust. The most successful influencers and small businesses treat Instagram as a business, investing time in building relationships, improving content, and proving their impact through data.

Brands want long-term collaborations, not just one-off posts, so think beyond a single partnership. Deliver quality work, track your results, and refine your approach with every campaign. The more professional and strategic you are, the easier it becomes to secure consistent paid sponsorships with branded content.

Remember, success doesn’t come overnight. Persistence, patience, and constant improvement will set you apart in the competitive world of influencer marketing. Whether you’re starting with 1,000 or 100,000 followers, the key is to keep evolving, engaging, and proving your worth.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I get a paid partnership on Instagram if my account is private?

No, brands prefer working with public accounts because their goal is visibility. A private account limits reach, making it difficult for brands to track engagement and performance. If you’re serious about landing brand deals, switch to a Creator or Business account to access insights and branded content tools.

2. Do I need a specific engagement rate to get brand deals?

There’s no set engagement rate, but most brands look for at least 2-5% engagement. However, some brands prioritize content quality and niche alignment over engagement numbers. Even with a lower engagement rate, you can still secure partnerships if you have high-quality content and a well-defined audience.

3. What should I do if a brand asks for free promotion in exchange for exposure?

Be cautious! Many brands offer free products instead of payment, but exposure alone rarely benefits influencers in the long run. If a brand is unwilling to pay, counter-offer with a mix of product and compensation or explain how your content creation requires time and effort. If they still refuse, it may not be worth your time.

4. How do I legally protect myself when working with brands?

Always request a written contract outlining deliverables, payment terms, usage rights, and exclusivity clauses. Some brands might want rights to reuse your branded content indefinitely—ensure you’re compensated accordingly. If a contract isn’t offered, draft one yourself or use our influencer contract template.

5. Can I work with competing brands at the same time?

It depends on your agreement. Some brands require exclusivity, meaning you can’t promote competing brand’s products for a set time. If a brand requests exclusivity, increase your rates since it limits your earning potential. Always clarify exclusivity terms before signing a deal to avoid conflicts with future sponsorships.