Instagram Paid Partnership: Landing Your Dream Brand Deal

Instagram influencers and creators define their success in different ways. Some look at their follower count to see if they’ve hit the number of followers they consider the jackpot. Others might put more importance on their engagement rates or video views. But for many creators, it’s finally landing their first Instagram paid partnership, making them feel like a true success.

When collaborating with other brands on content, they might ask you to put a paid partnership label on your posts. But what is this partner label, and why is it important for sponsored content? And how do you even get the label on your content ads?

We’ll delve into all of this and more. We’ll even share some tips on how you can land your first sponsored collaboration as an aspiring creator. Keep reading to discover more about content partnerships and how they can allow you to flourish on Instagram.

The Lowdown on Branded Content: What Is Paid Partnership on Instagram?

Brands love influencer marketing because today, people trust real, authentic human beings over traditional content campaigns and ads. According to a 2023 study, 69% of people trust influencers over promotional materials by a brand.

So, instead of pouring marketing money into ads, brands tap influencers for paid collaborations on social media. They’ll recruit these influencers as brand ambassadors and sponsor some of their posts. In return, they’ll be able to reach that influencer’s followers in a more authentic, appealing way.

But what is a paid partnership on Instagram, exactly? What does that label mean on posts?

When influencers work with brands for content campaigns, all their posts must have the “paid partnership” label on them. Instagram’s branded content policies require this. This label discloses that the creator is receiving some sort of compensation to advertise their business partner’s goods and services.

The partner label shows up below the creator’s handle on the post. You can use it for regular feed posts as well as Instagram Stories, Reels, and Live videos.

The main purpose of the tag is to allow creators to be as transparent as possible with their fans. It signals to viewers that the content is paid and promotional. That way, potential customers won’t be misled into thinking the content is unpaid and a spontaneous recommendation.

Those involved in monetized collab posts also get access to paid partnership insights. These key insights can give you learnings about what may or may not be working for the partnership ad. You can take these insights and use them to improve influencer marketing content in the future.

The Benefits of Paid Partnership on Instagram for Creators

Content partnerships have plenty of benefits for businesses that hire influencers. It allows them to reach new potential customers and close deals.

But these partnerships are also advantageous for the influencers that are “hired” for the job. The right partnerships allow creators to flourish. Here are just some of the many benefits of paid partnerships on Instagram for creators and influencers.

Monetary Compensation for Sponsored Content

Brand influencers get paid for the influencer marketing work that they do. Usually, you and your client brand will draw up a contract that states your monetary compensation for the partnership. Sometimes, you will also be given free services or products from the brand. Incentives like brand trips and tickets to events can also be part of your incentives. 

Increased Social Proof and Credibility

When you collaborate with renowned and trusted brands, it increases your credibility. Paid collabs can give others social proof that they can also trust and see you as an authority figure. By simply associating yourself with household brand names, you automatically become more authentic and reliable in people’s eyes.

Having more credibility and trust as an influencer opens tons of other doors and opportunities. It positively affects your impact as a creator. Your engagement rates and follower count can go higher, leading to more sponsorships in the future.

Collaborative Instagram Posts Get Wider Reach

Aside from using the paid partnership label, some business partners might ask you to create a collaborative post with them.

Collaborative posts have two co-creators listed on top—you and your partner brand. These posts show up on the feeds of your followers and your partner brand’s followers. That means your content will be seen by two different sets of people, boosting your visibility and reach. This exposure and cross-promotion can result in higher engagement for your post and new followers rolling in for you.

Your Followers Know You Are Being Transparent With Them

Lastly, adding a paid partnership label to your posts shows your followers that you respect them enough to be transparent. Instead of trying to swindle them for a quick back, you tell them upfront that you’re doing a sponsored post.

This can create positive sentiment for you, thereby strengthening your relationship with your fanbase. That means your followers will be more loyal to you in the long run.

Getting That Bread: How To Get Paid Partnerships on Instagram

If you’re an aspiring influencer, you might still be trying to figure out how to get paid partnerships on Instagram. Allow us to break down this process for you in two phases.

First, you need to go through the motions and follow the steps to become an influencer. That means coming out with high-quality content and engaging your target audience. Your goal is to have a sizeable following, high credibility and a fanbase that trusts you. Only then will you be attractive to potential clients as a brand influencer?

When you’re already confident in yourself as an influencer, you can commence the second phase—hunting down potential partner brands. There are plenty of ways to get your name out there for brands to notice you. Here are just some of the tactics you can consider:

• Build a media kit with all your information and send it out to brands.
• Attend influencer events and expand your network to have as many brand contacts as possible.
• Reach out to brands by email or social media and ask them if they’re interested in collaborating.
• Make collaborative posts with other influencers working with your dream brands in an attempt to get them to notice you.

If you’re diligent with reaching out to brands and maintaining your engagement rates, you will land your first collab soon. Before you know it, you’ll finally be posting your first piece of content with that coveted label.

Cementing the Brand Deal: How To Add Paid Partnership on Instagram Post

Now that you know everything about sponsored collabs, it’s time to make a post of your own. Here’s how to add “paid partnership” on an Instagram post, step by step:

1. If you haven’t already switched to a professional account, you must do so first. Only business and creator accounts are allowed to switch on the paid partnership label on their posts. To do that, go to your Instagram profile and tap the Settings icon.

2. Click on “Settings and privacy” and scroll until you see the “For professionals” section. Click “Account type and tools.”

3. Click “Switch to professional account” and choose “Creator.”

4. Fill in all the necessary on the next pages, like your specific category and other pertinent information about you.

5. Finalize the switch to a creator account. You should now see your creator status plus a few new business settings on your dashboard.

6. Now, it’s time to prepare your branded post. At the bottom of your Instagram home screen, click the arrow button at the bottom to create a new post.

7. Select the photos and videos you’re posting for the partnership. Add your caption, location tag and other important elements of the post.

8. Click on “Advanced settings.”

9. Switch on the toggle that says “Add paid partnership label.”

10. In the search bar that appears, look for the name of your partner brand. You can also switch on the option for your business partner to boost your post as a partnership ad.

11. Then, click “Done” and post the content to your feed!

Ineligible for Branded Content: Why Can’t I Add Paid Partnership on Instagram?

If you’re looking through your advanced settings and can’t find the paid partnership label, you might be ineligible for it. You might be racking your brain and asking, “Why can’t I add ‘paid partnership’ on Instagram?” So, why isn’t the partner label option available to you?

Being a professional account on creator mode is the bare minimum for posting monetized collaborations on the platform. Instagram has other criteria to see if you’re eligible for posting sponsored content. Here are some of them:

• You must comply with Instagram’s community guidelines. That means you can’t have a record of any type of violation, from hate speech to bullying on the platform.
• You share accurate information. If you have a history of posting content flagged as fake news and misinformation, you may be ineligible for partnerships.
• You cannot be a politician or government official. These public figures are not allowed to share paid partnership content, ever.

Land the Instagram Paid Partnerships of Your Dreams by Growing Your Account!

Are you still having trouble landing your first paid collaboration? It’s important to focus on elevating your content and making sure the right audience sees it. That way, you can get a significant following and high engagement rates. These can make you look more attractive to potential clients and business partners, getting you your first content partnership.

Put your content on the map and get an uptick in reach and engagement with the help of Path Social. Our proprietary targeting tools can help push your content out to the people who matter—your target audience.

You’ll get likes and comments on your posts and tons of new, real, engaging followers in one breath! And soon enough, you’ll be a credible, established creator working on your first Instagram paid partnership. Start growing your community and land the brand deal of your dreams today!