Setting Up Your #gift: Everything You Need to Know

#Gifted lets you get matches from people who are interested in collaborating directly with you in a contra capacity - no more cold outreach on IG hoping for a reply! To make your next collab easy, we’ve put together this guide on how to maximize your influencer gifting collaboration:

#1 - Set a fair gifting exchange (be realistic in your expectations!)

Remember, influencers normally get given products plus payment to promote brands. If you only have contra available and not monetary compensation, then make sure you’re making it worth their while. 

If you are asking for social posts, do the maths:

• ‍Product or service value: $150 (this is the minimum value for contra gifting on #Gifted)‍
• Influencer following: 5k max Content: 1 x Instagram in-feed post, or 3 stories‍
• Product or service value: $300-$500 ‍
• Influencer following: 10-20k Content: 1 x Instagram in-feed post

Remember most people over 20k followers would charge a fee (plus be given product) for an in-feed post - so be realistic in your expectations that they are likely to be happy to do stories for you free of charge but not an in-feed post. And that’s OK - stories generate great ROI and can include swipe up links to your website!

Don't limit yourself just to Instagram too. You can ask them to leave a review on Google or Facebook or Amazon, which is a fantastic way to build trust and generate sales. 

A good sense check is to ask yourself, "Would I do this collaboration myself? If someone gifted me this product/service, would I want to post about it, tell my friends about it, or write a review?"

If your answer is no, rethink your offer. 🙂

#2 - Attach photos

Attach clear photos of your product or service and a catalogue so people can see if it's a product or service they are interested in trying and if it's going to align with their audience and things they are interested in. If you have more than 1 product in your bundle, please have clear photos showing all the items. On #gifted we ask for a minimum of 3 photos of the product so influencers are easily able to see the fab things you are offering!

#3 - Describe your gift

In 3-4 sentences describe the gift, why people love it, any press you have received, awards won, or celebs who have used your product. Detail any relevant info about the product/service that they need to know before swiping Yes or No.

#4 - Don’t limit yourself just to Instagram!

Don’t forget, contra gifting is so much more than just asking for an Instagram post! Perhaps instead of asking for a post on Instagram, which most influencers will charge a fee for, you can ask for a Google review, a Facebook review, a post on Facebook, or even on LinkedIn! You can ask for feedback, testimonials, and reviews which can help you better market your product.

Also, remember that Instagram stories are a great way to work with influencers as they can use swipe-up links that can drive traffic to your website.

#5 - Understand the difference between contra collaborations and paid posting

Contra gifting is like social sampling – you can’t dictate what a person writes or posts, ask them to use discount codes, dictate what words they use and when they do the post, etc. This person has expressed an interest in collaborating with you, so if you provide them with a great product or service, they’ll share it in a way that best resonates with their audience in an authentic way and on a platform that works for them. It has to be organic!

If you want full creative control, and to dictate the deliverables, then a paid influencer campaign is the way to go. You can do this at our sister business, The Right Fit.

#6 - Make your delivery impressive!

Go the extra mile and include a handwritten note or beautiful packaging for a 'WOW' moment from the moment they start interacting with your brand. 

#7 - Keep your brief simple

Keep in mind with unpaid collaborations that the person isn’t being financially compensated for their time, content and reach so we recommend keeping your brief super simple. They are much less likely to take part if you have way too many guidelines and requirements for an unpaid collab. A great idea is to just get them to check out your socials and then let them bring it to life in a way that they know is going to resonate best with their followers. After all - that's why you're collaborating with them!

Why a contra offer might be declined on #gifted: 

Some of the most common reasons include:

• You’re asking to use the influencer's content for advertising
• You haven't shared what your brand or the product is (so they don't know what they’re applying for)
• You’re asking for an unfair exchange (lots of posts for a low-value item)
• You have created long, complicated terms and condition
• You're making it all about you and your brand
• You haven't added a photo of the product or service so the influencer doesn't know what they’re getting
• Your product isn't valued at $150 or over
• You’re asking for content or caption approval before a post goes live
• You’re asking for the influencer to send the high-res assets for you to reuse
• You haven't listed specifically what the influencer is going to receive

When it comes to contra gifting, both brands and influencers need to be clear about what they're offering and what they expect in return. Be upfront about your brand, product, and the value of what you're offering so that there is no confusion later down the line. If you can't provide a high-value item, consider offering gift vouchers or a bundle of product, or an experience.

And finally, always remember to say thank you! A little appreciation can go a long way when it comes to building long-term relationships with influencers.

Want to drive brand success via influencer partnerships? Click here to connect with thousands of leading influencers on #gifted