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Natalie Myers

Natalie Myers

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13 min read

Clock

13 min read

Calender

Date Publish: Jun 21, 2024

Calender

Last Modified: Jun 21, 2024

Top Brands That Collaborate With Small Influencers on TikTok

Table of Content

Are you a micro or nano TikTok influencer wondering if you can get collaboration offers from big brands? The answer is definitely a big YES!

Authenticity, trust, and engagement are three major points that any brand looks for before collaborating with influencers on TikTok, and small influencers excel in all these categories. This has changed the way brands collaborate with influencers, and now number of followers is not the only driving factor for brand collaborations.

Still, feeling too small to work with a brand?

Don't worry. We have covered top brands that worked with small influencers to help you understand how impactful small-influencer collaborations can be.

Why Do Brands Collaborate With Small TikTok Influencers?

Small Influencers on TikTok are incredibly effective; they bring genuine content, have solid passions, and have a devoted following that follows their every move. Let's examine in more depth why small TikTok influencers are revolutionizing the marketing world!

1. Skyrocket Engagement

Engagement means how much time your audience spends on your post. Is the audience waiting for your post? When you give your audience a supreme level of engaging content, they come to your page repeatedly, which can help boost your brand visibility. 

That is why when brands collaborate with micro-influencers, they get the advantage of their genuine following like an increase in brand awareness, sales, engagement, and interaction with the influencer and their content. 

2. Reach Gen Z audience

Generation today, also called Gen Z, is much more hands-on with social media platforms like TikTok than any other age group. The audience between 16 and 24 is constantly active and interacts with influencers' content. Some of them are die-hard fans of their ideal influencers.

If your target audience is Gen Z, you can collaborate with micro-influencers and boost your engagement rate and audience interaction. A higher engagement rate indicates that your content is resonating with your audience and can lead to increased brand visibility and sales. 

3. Deliver authentic content

Authentic content means when creators generate something truthful or trustworthy. In that scenario, Small influencers work similarly to the closest friend who recommends necessary items for your needs. 

They maintain their authenticity by only partnering with brands that align with their values and by clearly disclosing sponsored content. Their followers believe in them because they can relate to them, as they are like them, instead of prominent celebrities who endorse brands. 

Their followers see them as peers rather than distant celebrities. This level of trust is not easily earned, making it a valuable asset for brands. By collaborating with micro-influencers, brands can tap into this authenticity, gaining the trust and loyalty of their followers. 

4. Connect With Niche Specific Communities

A devoted and highly engaged niche community of followers surrounds small influencers. These influencers have grown their fan base by producing content that appeals to their audience. 

Through this specialized community, brands may connect with highly engaged consumers interested in their offerings. Working with minor influencers allows marketers to reach these niche audiences and increase interaction rates.

5. Cost-effective 

Promotion & Marketing need a big budget, especially if you involve a big celebrity in your campaign. Collaborating with small influencers will not make the brand's finance team crazy, as it can work on customized budgets. 

Budgets can quickly spiral out of control regarding promotion and marketing, especially when big celebrities are involved. However, collaborating with micro-influencers offers a cost-effective solution. These influencers provide practical, targeted ads without the high cost of celebrity endorsements. 

With them, there is no need for extravagant sets, locations, or other high-maintenance expenses. In short, micro-influencers offer the best of both worlds-a big impression without blowing your budget.

Top Brands That Collaborate With Small Influencers On TikTok

Let’s go in-depth to learn about brands that have collaborated with small TikTok influencers and how it benefited them: 

1- Coca-cola

Niche - Beverages

There's no need to introduce Coca-Cola. Even though well-known, conventional celebrities have long supported Coca-Cola, the company has chosen to include micro-influencers in its marketing campaigns.

Using branded hashtags through sponsored postings was the main focus of the first Coca-Cola TikTok campaign, #ShareTheMagic. With the help of TikTok influencers, the campaign #ShareTheMagic garnered over 11.9 billion views on TikTok, enabling the brand to enter new markets.

2- Daniel Wellington

Niche - Watches

The Daniel Wellington watch brand was established in 2011 and has over $200 million in revenue. That happened because their founder, Filip Tysander, realized early on that smaller influencers' voices were more potent than a single large star's. With their growth, it is understandable that he was correct.

Daniel Wellington offers micro-influencers a unique opportunity as part of their influencer marketing strategy. They receive a watch and a coupon code in exchange for a TikTok post promoting the collaboration. 

These influencers can engage their audience and promote the brand by simply mentioning @danielwellington and using the hashtag #ad. This approach not only benefits Daniel Wellington but also provides a platform for these micro-influencers to grow their own brands.

An instance of this may be found in this European TikToker, who uses her 1,8k followers to endorse watches Daniel Wellington gave him.

3- Airbnb

Niche - Lodging

Short form of Air Bed and Breakfast Airbnb is a website that offers places for short- and long-term house stays. It has a knack for making the globe seem cozier and more minor.

Their ingenious plan to utilize small-scale influencers to provide genuine local experiences works out well because other than locals, who are the best people to represent a city's charm?

Airbnb worked with regional influencers to highlight must-try activities in various cities for their Local Lens Series (2015) campaign. As a result, travel advice gained a personal touch, highlighting the hidden treasures in every place that encourage travelers to use their genuine facilities.

4- Guess

Niche - Fashion

GUESS has evolved into a genuinely worldwide lifestyle brand, offering a comprehensive selection of denim, clothing, and accessories in over 80 nations.

They were among the first users of TikTok and the first TikTok brands to collaborate with influencers. Guess started their #InMyDenim challenge on TikTok to advertise the Denim Fit Collection for Fall '18 to raise awareness among millennial and Gen Z consumers during the back-to-school purchasing season. 

As a result, Guess's TikTok account gained over 12,000 new followers, over 5,550 user-generated videos, 10.5 million views, and a 14.3% interaction rate in just six days after the campaign went viral.

The firm even collaborated with influencers who released videos for Guess to give TikTok consumers a clear explanation of how the challenge operated. The business ran the campaign brilliantly and produced outstanding outcomes.

Guess's most popular videos also feature sponsored posts featuring @mylifeaseva, @brentrivera, and @madison_willow.

5- Adidas

Niche - Athletic Footwear and Apparel

Adidas is a German company that makes athletic gear and footwear; it can be recognized by its signature three stripes.

Adidas has made a significant shift in its marketing strategy. Instead of prioritizing accounts with over 5 million followers, they've launched the world's most extensive micro-influencer program. 

This ambitious initiative aims to recruit 50,000 college athletes from all corners of the US to act as local brand ambassadors. Known as the NIL Network (NIL = the Name, Image, and Likeness deal they sign), this program combines affiliate sales and pay-for-content to reward participants.

Adidas distinctively adopted micro-influencer marketing to connect with its audience.

6- Apple Music

Niche - Tech and gadgets

Apple Inc. created Apple Music, a streaming service for music and videos.

One would anticipate that Apple Music would release previews of new music videos. As an alternative, Apple Music encourages musicians to participate in a casual campaign to promote humorous hashtags like #SoundtrackToMyDay, #PerfDate, and #NeverStop.

It works because who doesn't adore knowing personal information about their favorite celebrity? Instead of recycling content from other channels, Apple Music offers audiences exclusive content on TikTok.

Furthermore, the branded hashtag strategy is a beautiful addition since it lets followers reply and provide user-generated content.

7- Dunkin

Niche - Food

The well-known coffee and doughnut chain Dunkin', which rebranded itself as Dunkin' after Dunkin' Donuts, joined the influencer marketing trend.

They aimed to attract new customers and increase sales by focusing on millennial nano- and micro-influencers with up to 50,000 followers.

By utilizing these influencers' genuine voices, they hoped to establish a connection with a younger, tech-savvy audience.

As part of an expansion of its approach, Dunkin' teamed up with popular TikTok user Charli D'Amelio. D'Amelio's viral creation, "The Charli," was a Dunkin' Cold Brew with three pumps of caramel. This partnership increased Dunkin's viewership and revenue by utilizing D'Amelio's significant social media following.

8- Sephora

Niche - Cosmetic

The multinational behemoth in the cosmetics industry, Sephora, is renowned for maintaining its competitive edge.

It also manifests through accepting micro-influencers. Through a rigorous screening procedure, the Sephora Squad Program offers small influencers and artists the chance to be sponsored by the company. 

Following the program, Sephora releases a welcome video for the chosen brand ambassadors on their TikTok account.

Sephora looked to these influencers because of their genuine relationships with specialized beauty communities to promote a wide variety of items in a customized way. 

By collaborating with influencers who utilize and like their products, Sephora ensures that the promotions significantly impact prospective clients.

9- Starbucks

Niche - Food and Beverages

Starbucks is currently the most prominent coffee store chain in the world. It is an American multinational company that operates roastery reserves and coffee shops.

Their methodology of utilizing micro-influencers and user-generated content (UGC) to their full potential was also a huge hit. Nothing compares to a coffee shared through sincere moments and true stories. 

Starbucks knows that customers relate to these authentic voices the most because they make every drink feel relatable and genuine.

They recognize the power of its community and has selected fifteen hashtags, such as #icedcaramelmacchiato, #IcedCoconutMilkMochaMacchiato, and #pinkdrink, to encourage interaction. 

By using these hashtags, users engage with the brand and become valued content creators, contributing to the buzz these related hashtags generate.

10- Nivea

Niche - Skincare

One of the most well-known skincare companies in the world is Nivea. 

Nivea's consumer awareness in the US is 88% (Statista), making the German cosmetics brand a well-known rival in its industry.

The # NiveaSoftFreshBatch campaign was a resounding success as a testament to Nivea's commitment to innovation and inclusivity. This initiative sought out micro-influencers to aid in its global expansion and provided a platform for 75 diverse Gen Z innovators from around the world to kickstart their social media careers.

Recognizing the importance of local markets, Nivea strategically recruited micro and nano influencers from Spain, Germany, and other European nations. This approach allowed the brand to effectively break into the European market and promote its products throughout the summer.

Nivea's digital marketing strategy is on point as it effectively promotes its new product line on TikTok. The brand has successfully established an organic online presence on the platform through engaging content, influencer partnerships, and strategic use of hashtags.

11- Nike

Niche - Skincare

One of the most well-known skincare companies in the world is Nivea. 

Nivea's consumer awareness in the US is 88% (Statista), making the German cosmetics brand a well-known rival in its industry.

The # NiveaSoftFreshBatch campaign was a resounding success as a testament to Nivea's commitment to innovation and inclusivity. This initiative sought out micro-influencers to aid in its global expansion and provided a platform for 75 diverse Gen Z innovators from around the world to kickstart their social media careers.

Recognizing the importance of local markets, Nivea strategically recruited micro and nano influencers from Spain, Germany, and other European nations. This approach allowed the brand to effectively break into the European market and promote its products throughout the summer.

Nivea's digital marketing strategy is on point as it effectively promotes its new product line on TikTok. The brand has successfully established an organic online presence on the platform through engaging content, influencer partnerships, and strategic use of hashtags.

12- Red Bull

Niche - Beverages

Red Bull, a powerhouse in the soft drink industry, is the brainchild of an Austrian firm. It's the third most valuable soft drink brand globally, trailing only behind Pepsi and Coca-Cola.

Red Bull, always at the forefront of seizing opportunities, is now making its mark on the TikTok dance scene. If you still need to catch on, TikTok is the hub of all things dance. And now, Red Bull is thrilled to bring its unique energy to the platform with exclusive dance challenges and a dedicated Red Bull Dance TikTok account.

Red Bull doesn't just post on TikTok; it co-creates with its audience. Red Bull keeps its TikTok accounts buzzing and connected through challenges, influencers, and branded hashtags. Red Bull cherishes its active and passionate community of extreme sports enthusiasts. 

By embracing the dancing trend on TikTok and opening multiple accounts, Red Bull is throwing a global social media party, inviting all its fans to join in and reaching out to even more niche demographics.

How To Reach Out Brands And Make Them Work With You?

It's usually a good idea to contact brands that already work with influencers because they probably have a budget and an efficient system for running influencer marketing campaigns.

It's a good idea to approach brands about collaborating, but if you want brands to approach you, adhere to these guidelines:

1. Specify Your Target Market

It might be challenging to stand out when there are so many influencers. But focusing on a particular market can make you stand out. 

You can use the following questions to identify your target market- first, what sets you apart from others in your industry? Do you see yourself as an expert in any particular field? What are your areas of passion? Answer this will not only stand out in front of the market but also in front of the Brand.

2. Be Regular With Posting

Are you hoping for social media growth? Would you like to draw in emerging businesses and remain at the forefront of your fans' minds? It would help if you remained constant. 

Gaining new followers and raising engagement rates require activity. How often should you share content on social media, then? One daily? One in a week? According to a study, you may increase engagement rates by posting content more frequently. Your content will remain current and relevant if you publish one or two times a day.

3. Make Direct Conversation

The first step is to find a strategy to approach the appropriate marketing team or social media manager. Look them up on the company's website and social media accounts to find out how to contact them. Additionally, be aware of any requirements they may have set up. 

The next thing you must do is construct your email or messaging pitch. Try to come up with innovative methods to engage them during the pitch. Provide a brief profile, your media kit, and an explanation of how collaborating with you would advance their brand.

4. Start Tagging Brands In The Post

One of the best ways to stand out to brands seeking influencers is to use this strategy. Businesses are thrilled to see users tagging them in social media posts and spreading their content. 

Using @ tags, you can tag a brand on social media by adding its profile name to the description or comments of your post. Because these @tags have clickable links, the brand will see you are marketing them.

5. Use Brand-Related Hashtags

Utilizing hashtags will help you search for brand partnerships. You may draw in brands by producing engaging content and using the right hashtags. 

Most brands frequently search through their hashtags for influencers or content to highlight. In the micro-influencer realm, some pertinent hashtags are #microinfluencers, #smallinfluencers, etc. 

The brands have a distinctive hashtag that is quickly and easily recognized, like Coco-Cola's #cocacola. Look for hashtags used by businesses or other influencers in the captions of their posts to find relevant and branded hashtags in your field.

6. Make A Media Kit

It is an excellent tool for showcasing your work and expertise to businesses and marketers. When brands want to collaborate with influencers, they usually ask for a media kit. 

Therefore, having one can prevent you from missing out on collaborative chances and giving off an unprofessional impression. Make it visually beautiful; it contains your social media statistics, demographics, past projects and partnerships, and contact details.

7. Be A Part Of The Influencer Marketplace

Do you produce content that caters to a specific niche and is highly shareable? You might find the ideal solution to market your work in an influencer marketplace. 

Finding endorsements and collaborating with various brands may be done quickly and effectively using an influencer marketplace. To put it simply, it is platforms that link businesses with influencers in the industry.

How To Get More TikTok Followers And Attract Brands To Hire You For Endorsement?

To get more TikTok followers, follow these pointers: apply hashtags, follow trends, post regularly, interact with other users, collaborate with another influencer, and buy TikTok followers from authentic sites.

Once you gain more followers, you can easily attract brands for endorsements and find you because of your strong presence on TikTok.

Conclusion

Even though your company hasn't used TikTok previously, it might still be a terrific way to spread the word about your goods and services, given a slight learning curve. 

That concludes the matter! We've explored the vibrant world of businesses that collaborate with micro-influencers and learn the trade secret to their successful marketing campaigns. If you want to be any party in the deal, prepare to storm out the world with your social media presence.

FAQs

1. How do small influencers reach out to brands?

Reaching out to an influencer via email or direct messaging on social media is frequently the first step in brand-influencer communication. For more details, check out the above blog.

2. How to find brands that collaborate with small influencers?

You can find brands that collaborate with small influencers by considering the following; determine which brands are currently interacting with you, participate in an influencer market, use particular keywords to conduct a social media brand search and share content on social media regularly.

3. How do brands collaborate with small influencers?

It can be accomplished through product reviews, sponsored blogs, and other content production methods. In an influencer collaboration, the brand aims to increase its customer base and gain new clients by utilizing the influencer's reach and influence.

4. How are brands using TikTok for their business growth?

Brands get a rare chance to interact with a younger, very engaged audience on this platform. TikTok gives marketers access to a demographic that is frequently hard to reach through traditional marketing channels thanks to its enormous user base of millennials and Gen Z.

5. Why should brands use TikTok for promotion?

It has a very attentive audience. One of the most widely used social media sites worldwide is TikTok. With more than 500 million users, it caters to a highly engaged population. Its audience base is still expanding quickly, which implies that they will interact with your brand more on this platform than any other!

Natalie Myers
Written By
Natalie Myers

Natalie has the strongest control on words. She is the content manager at GPC.FM with an avid experience in content marketing. Her biggest strength is her ability to express through persuasive words. She has been working in the content industry for a decade and now works with GPC.FM to strategize and plan content marketing. From curating social content calendars to strategizing content for social media platforms, she ideates a bespoke content roadmap at GPC.FM.