We met with Cecilie to talk about brand collaborations from the creator's point of view. Highly energetic and with an incredible sense of storytelling, Cecilie gave deep insights into a usually forgotten part of what it means to be a creator - the business side.
Instagram was very different when I started to use it. Back then it was just a place to share pictures with your friends and family. Then I started sharing things from my life, such as dancing and participating in bikini contests. It was years later, when I became a mother and started sharing my family life that my profile really took off.
It wasn't something that happened overnight. But when my profile started to grow, i thought why not give it a shot.
I like long-term collaborations - collaborating with brands that make sense for me and my followers. I’ll always focus on satisfying every party involved - that goes for my followers and the brands I work with. I do that by building great relationships with the brands I work with. I don’t want to just promote products, I aim to provide something that creates value and authentic experiences for my followers.
In terms of what kind of brands I work with - it isn’t necessarily about a specific industry. My Instagram covers a lot of topics, which allows me to work with a lot of brands. The only thing I truly care about, is that it creates value for my followers.
Personalize your message when you reach out to creators! Put in the time to understand the creator, who they are, and what their profile is about. That’ll increase the chance of collaborating.
It is a little cliche, but be yourself. Trust that what you have to say is something worthwhile. Don’t copy others just for the sake of trying to be like them. It is more than okay to let you be inspired, but always stay true to who you are. And remember to put in the time and make an effort!
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I think there will be a bigger focus on relationship-building between the creator, the brand, and the followers. With long-term collaborations you can create more authentic and creative experiences for your followers. For example, i've been to a lot of events held by brand i'm collaborating with. These events offer me the perfect opportunity to personalize the experience for my followers. Whether I'm meeting them to these events or providing behind-the-scenes glimpses through my posts, I believe it fosters a stronger connection between my followers, the brand, and myself.
Creating that type of content and be able to give back something of value to your community is truly the best thing ever. I'm here because of my followers, so i'll always try to give something back to those who choose to invest their time in me.
Thanks to Cecilie for the lovely chat, you can take a look at her Instagram profile right here.
