How To Get Sponsored on Instagram: 6 Actionable Tips

When you open YouTube, you’ll notice a gallery of images and video titles. These visuals are called thumbnails, and their goal is to get new viewers to click on them. Creators often use bright colors, funny text, and vibrant emojis to entice potential audiences. 

There are several ways to accomplish this, so read on to learn how to make a thumbnail for YouTube.

What’s a YouTube Thumbnail?

A YouTube thumbnail is an image that represents a video or Short on the platform. When viewers search for a specific type of YouTube video, like “how to cook beef Wellington,” they’ll see multiple thumbnails designed to tempt them to click. Images could contain the creator's face, a still from the video, or text hinting at the post’s content. 

If the thumbnail is attractive, people are more likely to watch your video. It should stand out, be clear on the content, and catch users’ eyes, making their thumbs stop on your content instead of someone else’s.

Paid Sponsorships

Paid sponsorships are direct partnerships between you and a brand. In this arrangement, you create content directly featuring the company’s products or services, with agreed-upon deliverables and compensation.

This type of brand deal is generally more personalized, so you can show products and services in a way that feels authentic to your style. Try to work with businesses you genuinely support, as it’s a valuable opportunity to build credibility and foster trust with your audience.

6 Tips To Get Sponsored on Instagram

Securing sponsorships on Instagram isn't just about boosting your follower count. It's also about showing your unique content style, voice, and reliability as an Instagram influencer. Here are some tips to help you attract brands for sponsorships.

1. Define Your Brand

A clear, well-defined brand identity helps potential sponsors understand who you are, what you stand for, and why you'd be a great fit to represent their campaign. Brands look for creators who align with their image, so having a recognizable identity will make you a more attractive candidate. 

Captions makes this easier with ready-made templates to help you maintain consistency across posts. You can also customize them to your liking to match your exact style. 

2. Know Your Target Audience

Understanding your demographic's interests will help you attract sponsors who are relevant to your Instagram followers. By studying your audience insights on Instagram, you can approach brands confidently. Show your ability to reach a target market that matches theirs, and back it up with statistics. 

With Captions' Prepare Social Post feature, you can optimize content to appeal to your audience. This tool offers AI-suggested titles and descriptions crafted from your Instagram video's content.

3. Tag Brands

When you post content using products or services, tag the related company. This puts you on their radar and shows them how their products fit into your life. Your post may appear on their tagged feed when you tag them, and they're more likely to notice you. 

It's a simple but effective way to gain exposure and demonstrate your potential as a partner. Be selective about the accounts you tag — target those whose values align with yours to secure the right partnership.

4. Post Consistently

Uploading regularly shows that you’re active, consistent, and dedicated to engaging your audience. Consistency keeps you top-of-mind for your followers and potential sponsors. Come up with a posting schedule that suits your lifestyle and stick to it. 

Captions’ Social Studio can help you maintain this consistency by generating social strategies and scheduling posts, making it easier to stay on track.

5. Share Contact Information in Your Bio

Putting your contact details in your Instagram bio makes it easier for brands to reach out. To show you're open to partnerships, add a professional email address, link to a contact form, or include a call to action like "DM for collaborations."

6. Use Hashtags

Hashtags expand your account reach, helping new followers and brands discover your content. To improve your profile's visibility, try using a mix of trending and niche hashtags relevant to your audience. Use Captions' Prepare Social Post tool to get quick and optimized AI-recommended viral hashtags suited to your videos.

Using #ad and #sponsored Hashtags

It's essential to be transparent with audiences when posting sponsored content. Using hashtags like #ad or #sponsored lets your Instagram followers know the post is a paid partnership. These disclosures build trust with your audience and show you're upfront about brand deals. Clear labeling also helps you comply with legal guidelines, so you avoid potential penalties and suspensions from advertising authorities or Instagram.

Instagram introduced the "Paid partnership" feature to support transparency in 2017. This makes it easier for creators to disclose partnerships by automatically adding a "Paid partnership with (brand name)" label at the top of the post. It's a direct way to show sponsorship and helps brands track post performance, which helps with future collaborations.

Here are a few ethical guidelines to consider when creating sponsored content:

• Use hashtags — Always add #ad, #sponsored, or #spon at the beginning or within the first few lines of your post. Avoid burying disclosures among other hashtags or at the end of your caption.
• Avoid vague language — Make it clear that a sponsored post is a brand partnership. Words like “thanks to” or “in collaboration with” can seem ambiguous, while #ad and #sponsored hashtags explicitly indicate the nature of the post.
• Disclose in Stories — If you post sponsored content in Reels or live streams, include the hashtag or “Paid partnership” label on each frame featuring the brand. This keeps your disclosures consistent and visible wherever sponsored content is.

Pros and Cons of Instagram Sponsorships

Instagram sponsorships are a rewarding way to earn from your content, but they also come with challenges. Understanding the pros and cons can help you decide if sponsorships are the right path for you.

Pros of Instagram Sponsorships

• Additional income — Sponsorships provide an additional revenue source to support your content creation or even become a primary income stream as you grow.
• Free products — Many sponsorships include free products or services, so you can try new items that fit your lifestyle or niche without spending out of pocket. You can also organize giveaways to quickly generate engagement.
• Increased exposure — Partnering with brands can expand your reach by attracting audiences interested in the sponsored post, potentially boosting your follower count.
• Credibility — Working with reputable brands can position you as a trusted account in the Instagram influencer market.

Cons of Instagram Sponsorships

• Pressure to deliver — Sponsorships come with expectations, such as deadlines, specific content guidelines, and engagement targets, which can add pressure and affect creative freedom.
• Risking followers’ trust — Followers may feel that sponsored content lacks authenticity, and overposting ads can reduce trust or even cause people to unfollow.
• Potential misalignment — Sometimes, a brand that doesn’t entirely line up with your values or audience may approach you, making the partnership feel forced or inauthentic.

Elevate Your Sponsored Posts With Captions

When it comes to Instagram sponsorships, authenticity is your strongest asset. Engaging meaningfully with your followers and staying true to your values will attract the right companies. When sponsorships align with your brand, they become more than partnerships but encourage long-term engagement.

Captions makes that connection even stronger. With AI video editing features, you can create high-quality content, add captions to your ads, and repurpose them for other platforms like YouTube or Facebook. 

Let Captions' AI edit your videos for you while you focus on building long-lasting relationships with brands and followers.