Partnerships between musicians and social media influencers have created some of the most popular and impactful forms of marketing over the past few years. While there’s endless opportunities of engaging the new and exciting approach, it can also come across as an expensive investment that seems too overwhelming to include in your next campaign. 

‍

Before you completely scratch a social media influencer partnership off your list, let’s go over some creative and effective ways you can plan to build your social media influencer collaborations. 

‍

1. Reach out to influencers directly to help promote your Music

‍

As you may have noticed, TikTok has played a huge role in the success of some of the top-charting songs this year. Keep in mind that some of the trending songs may have grown naturally, but a large number of them were strategically placed in the hands of influencers to promote the tracks. Because of TikTok’s success, the pay-to-post content has extended beyond the app of TikTok and onto other platforms such as Instagram Reels, Triller, Snapchat and more. Paying influencers to promote your song (whether it’s through a dance, skit, or other popular trend) can be a huge financial risk, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Find some of the rising content creators that already post content fitting your brand or music genre. Take note of the type of videos they tend to create on their own time, then communicate with them on creative ideas that they can use to tie it together. The most important key to keep in mind is to ensure that the promotion looks native and interesting, not just a regular ad that people will scroll past.

‍

Here’s an example of a video you could ask for:

‍

‍

2. Star an Influencer or Two in Your Next Music Video

‍

If you’ve got a captivating music video idea that needs an eye-catching finish, consider casting a social media influencer to star in it. Similar to the pay-to-post approach, inviting a top-trending influencer for your shoot will cost you some big bucks, but don’t forget that there are hundreds of on-the-rise creators that are looking for content to boost their own online presence. Do some research and find a local social media influencer that fits the style of your music. Look into their demographic, their followers, and the kind of content their fans want to see from them specifically. This will ensure that you are not only casting the perfect role for your video, but you are also providing them with content that will interest their fans as well. 

‍

3. Invite Influencers to Your Show for a VIP Experience

‍

Have a show planned in a big city? This is the perfect opportunity to get connected with influencers from around the world in a way that can not only benefit the promotion of your tour, but can also be a fun night out for your guests to have a drink and listen to live music. Invite some people out to your next show, offer them a couple free drinks, and encourage them to stick around after your set to introduce yourself. Research their social media presence beforehand and ask if they’d like to film a few content pieces with you backstage. This is a great way to not only promote your tour, but to also gain a few influential fans and friends that will support your journey long after.

‍

4. Create Long-lasting Relationships with Local Influencers 

‍

Start from the ground-up together. Research and find the local influencers around you that you feel align with your own personal brand, and get to know them over coffee or brunch. Make sure to ask them about their goals and what kind of content they like to put out, and talk about the different ways that you could help each other in the long run. Look for those who are on-the-rise bloggers or vloggers that are eager to engage with new partnerships for their careers as well. Building a strong relationship with young influential people is one of the best ways to not only boost your presence locally, but also to benefit them and their content-career online.

‍

5. Most Importantly, Reflect on Your Own Personal Brand and Apply that to the Perfect Influencer Collab

‍

If your biggest presence is on Twitter, spend some time brainstorming the different ways that you could partner with influential Twitter accounts. You like memes? Create a meme around your song that would catch the eyes of the general public, and chat with the meme-centered Instagram accounts, @memequeen for example, about using it to promote your music. Don’t rule out a brand new idea that could work just because the big stars haven’t tried it yet! Find what content will benefit your career at best, and communicate your ideas to influential people who could provide feedback or build on your idea. Keep in mind that an influencer’s goal is to put out content that resonates with their desired audience, and it is always worth shooting your shot and forming an online relationship with them. The creativity around music and influencer partnerships is just getting started, so put your social media hat on and plan your next campaign!