Platforms for Small Bloggers to Find Brand Partnerships

When I first started blogging, I had no idea that this hobby could become something that I could get paid to do. I eventually learned that there were people out there, just like me, creating content and landing brand partnerships regularly.

Even with this discovery, I still didn’t think I had a “big enough” platform to leverage. On top of that, I honestly didn’t believe that I had value that I could provide. As far as I was concerned, no brand would ever think twice about looking in my direction let alone work with me on a paid basis.

Fast forward to July 2020 where I somehow landed on Adidas’ radar. Yes, adidas. Come on. How was this even possible? I had the opportunity to share how I was keeping healthy and active during the lockdown. I was excited to share my fitness journey and how I had discovered the joy of running.

Not only did I receive a pair of running shoes, but I was also paid to write this blog post. I enjoyed putting it together and finally saw how far my blog could go if I committed to it. Needless to say, opportunities are out there for bloggers at different levels with various audience sizes.

In this blog post, I am sharing 10 platforms for small bloggers to find brand partnerships. These are some of the things I wish I knew when I first started and I am happy to have put in some of the legwork so I can openly share. I want to preface that most brands on these platforms offer paid opportunities however some only offer product-only collaborations.

If you are just starting out with brands, I recommend starting with product-only collaborations first to get your feet wet. This is a great way to build relationships with brand contacts and put yourself on their radar for future paid opportunities. Above all, it is a great way for you to get some practice and figure out whether you truly enjoy partnering with brands.

There is a lot of hard work that goes into partnerships and brands do expect a return on their investment regardless of whether they are paying you money or providing you with free products. Treat collaborations the same way you would approach the job that pays your bills and puts food on the table.

Platforms for Small Bloggers to Find Brand Partnerships

While many platforms will allow small bloggers to join, the brands who are on those platforms individually select the bloggers they want to partner with. Unfortunately, this often means that large audiences are more attractive to most brands. I’ve joined many platforms over the years but I have found the most success and opportunities with the ones below.

1. Intellifluence
2. Fohr
3. Blog Meets Brand
4. Activate
5. Ahalogy
6. Insense
7. Peersway (A great app if you’re an Instagram blogger/influencer)
8. Node (Offers lots of local food and product based opportunities for Instagram bloggers/influencers)
9. BrandBacker
10. Cohley

This is by no means an exhaustive list however these are the places that I frequent to apply for collaborations. If you have found partnerships through other platforms, I’d love for you to share some insight in the comments.

Incorporating brand partnerships into your blogging strategy is a long game and requires you to put in the extra work. My biggest tip would be to regularly apply to opportunities and show the brands what you can bring to the table that will be beneficial for them.

While you might not have the largest readership you can certainly show how you can weave the brand message into your life. Brands want to authentically see themselves in your content and life so find your unique angle and run with it.