Influencer Collaboration Ideas

I’ve hosted 250 CEOs and thought leaders on my podcast. Here’s how YOU can get booked on TOP PODCASTS. Getting featured on high-impact podcasts can be a game-changer. It’s one of the most powerful ways to: • Build your brand • Reach new audiences • Share your story authentically • Build trust The thing is, almost everyone goes about it the wrong way. I get up to 10 pitches a day for Speak Like a CEO. Unfortunately, most of them are bad. Often it is a podcast agency, presumably charging someone good money, that sends boilerplate emails like: “Hello, we really liked your episode with (last guest) and think that (client) would also be a great guest. S/he can talk about (list of topics that have little to do with Speak Like a CEO).” You get the gist. Here’s the right way that gets you booked: 1) Create a compelling pitch  Why are you the perfect guest for this particular podcast? Show you are credible, interesting, and know how to communicate value. Don’t state topics like “I can talk about company culture, team engagement, … “ Instead, think in headlines. If you lead with a compelling title for the episode, I am interested. 2) Get a warm intro Do you know a previous guest, or have a connection in common? If you can’t get an intro, reach out yourself. The best is to build an authentic connection with the host via social media.  3) Ensure high production quality  Poor sound quality is a deal-breaker. Invest in a proper mic, camera, and set-up. 4) Build rapport with the host Get to know each other before the recording. Show that you care and listen to some episodes. 5) Maximize value for the audience  A podcast is not a chat. Come prepared with stories, pithy insights and actionable advice. 6) Promote the episode Engage and share the episode on your channels. This is a win-win, yet some guests neglect this part – which leaves a bad aftertaste. 7) Climb the podcast pyramid Get your reps in. Because top podcasts only book battle-tested guests. Go on smaller podcasts and knock it out of the park. Then work yourself up the podcast pyramid. The most important step is the unignorable pitch. Tomorrow, I will share exactly how to craft one in my newsletter (sign up via bio or link above). ♻️ Please share with your network & follow Oliver Aust for daily tips on leadership communication.

Creators are becoming essential for today’s affiliate marketing. According to impact.com's latest research, over 59% of brands plan to dedicate a quarter or more of their affiliate budgets to creator partnerships, of which  18% expect to allocate more than half. (Impact Partner) Creators are also projected to see the biggest growth among all partner types. Why? Creators do what other partners can’t—they deliver across the full funnel, driving both performance metrics and brand building. As brands integrate creators into affiliate programs, and as more creators tap into affiliate marketing as a revenue driver, one of the most critical factors for success is compensation. Compensation is often treated as one-size-fits-all, but for creators, that can be a mistake. The data highlights how creators prefer to be compensated, which varies depending on their experience with affiliate marketing: ▪️ Newcomers (1–6 months): 38% prefer pure commissions, with flat fees second at 28%. ▪️ Growing creators (1–2 years): Lean toward hybrid models (32%) combining guaranteed pay with performance incentives. ▪️ Experienced creators (3–5 years): Prioritize security, favoring flat fees (31%) and hybrid models (29%). On the flip side, there’s also a misalignment between what creators prefer and what they actually receive. For example, 26% of creators prefer flat fees, yet only 19% currently receive them. This gap represents a big opportunity for brands: having a compensation strategy that aligns with what creators value is key to unlocking top talent, keeping them engaged, and tracking towards the results you actually care about as a brand. It’s especially true for me as a creator. Whenever I partner with a brand and the compensation aligns with what I’m looking for, I’m naturally more invested in their success and often go above and beyond the original scope of work to help achieve their goals. For more insights across the current state of affiliate marketing, check out impact.com’s new report—it’s packed with actionable data and frameworks, to have more strategic partnership programs, as opposed to transactional relationships. Grab the report here ▶️ : https://lnkd.in/g2aFFNrh

Plot twist: Your influencer campaigns could be performing 10x better than you think 📊 Most brands are massively underestimating their influencer ROI because they're only looking at discount codes. Real example from our agency:  → Client thought cost per customer: $1,000 (based on discount codes) → Actual cost per customer: $82 (based on pixel data) → That's 92% of customers going untracked! 🤯 The attribution reality: Even our most sophisticated clients with seamless tracking see a minimum 40% "halo effect" of unattributed sales. For luxury/considered purchases? We're talking 100%+ unattributed impact. Why this happens: → People screenshot products and buy later → They share with friends who purchase → They search your brand name directly → They purchase but don't use the code. What to track instead:  ✅ Pixel data and site behavior analysis ✅ Brand lift surveys ✅ Search traffic spikes ✅ Overall sales velocity during campaign periods ✅ Customer journey mapping The takeaway: If you're only measuring discount code redemptions, you're probably missing the majority of your influencer marketing impact. Time to dig deeper into your data. Your CFO will thank you. How are you measuring the true impact of your influencer campaigns? #InfluencerMarketing #MarketingAnalytics #Attribution #ROI #Data #performancemarketing

Influencer compensation is evolving 💰 The influencer marketing industry transforms regularly, and the same goes for how we compensate content creators. Flat fees are just one piece of the puzzle now and with so many new options, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. What are some unique ways you've seen influencers get compensated? Performance bonuses? Brand equity? Share your thoughts in the comments. Here are a few winning ideas to consider. ➡️ Performance Incentives: Influencers earn additional incentives above their flat fees. These work mainly for creators who have a high converting audience and those who like to sell. Influencers earn extra based on results (traffic, sales.) This win-win incentivises high-performing content. ➡️ Hybrid Models: We've seen a lot of our game publisher clients push for a hybrid payment model. This is where an influencer would be paid a certain flat fee. Then they would receive a CPM based payment above a certain minimum views. E.g. $10k flat fee than a $20 CPM on all views over 600k for 30 days. ➡️ Brand Equity: Mainly focused on the really big creators. Build deeper connections and loyalty through long-term partnerships with the top tier creators. Sometimes the flat fees you have on offer won't be enough to incentivise the top tier creators. Therefore, a lot of brands (especially in the US) are tying equity based compensation into their partnerships with creators. As the company grows, the creators earn massively. I'm curious to hear your thoughts. What are the pros and cons of these different models? Have you come across any other creative approaches to influencer payments? #influencermarketing #compensationmodels #contentcreators #marketingstrategy

Most startup x influencer equity deals fail, but some make founders very rich...Kind of like startups, since 90% of those fail. Today, Phil Ranta and I went deep on how to make these deals succeed! Phil's been in the Creator space forever - COO at Studio71, Head of Gaming Creators at Facebook, CBO at Fixated, and now CEO of Stealth Talent. His new model is all about getting Creators equity in businesses that could be worth billions. 3 takeaways for COMPANIES: 1. Stop thinking equity is more valuable than it is. 90% of startups fail. If you want a creator's influence, structure deals with performance-based cash AND equity. Phil's seeing success with $5-10k in performance bonuses plus 0.5-5% equity instead of just equity alone. 2. Creators are your marketing "cheat code". The average startup spends $150k and 6-12 months to get their first 1,000 customers. Phil has Creators who can do that in a single tweet. If a Creator can double your valuation overnight, what's that worth to you? 3. "Creators aren't a crutch - they're rocket fuel." If your company can't survive without the Creator, don't do the deal. Look at what happened with David Dobrik and Dispo. Build something defensible first, then add Creators as acceleration. 3 takeaways for CREATORS: 1. "Tithe your influence." You don't need to monetize every post. If you're making $10k on a typical brand deal, taking $5k cash + equity in the right company could turn into millions. Ryan Reynolds didn't just promote Aviation Gin - he owned it. 2. Demand ongoing liquidity. Pure equity deals rarely work. Push for affiliate commissions, performance bonuses tied to funding rounds, or success fees. You should make money along the way, not just at exit. 3. Only back products you believe in. Phil's team is rejecting 9 out of 10 companies, and you should too. Your reputation is worth more than a lottery ticket in a bad business. The old model: Creators do one-off brand deals for quick cash. The new model: Creators become owners in the companies they help build. As Phil put it - this is about "investing with your influence." Creators are becoming owners and driving companies to success - yet another way the Creator Economy is becoming the Economy! What other tactics would you employ in Creator x startup equity deals? P.S. - Watch the video for a story about a multi-million-dollar equity deal I once made for a Creator. P.P.S. If you want to watch the full discussion, you can do so here: https://lnkd.in/e63ysHuF

The hardest part of influencer marketing isn't just finding the right creators. It's also managing the 20+ details that happen after you say "yes." From the back-and-forth on agreements and the internal team briefings to chasing down the final performance report, a single missed detail can turn a great opportunity into a frustrating headache. We've turned the entire influencer hosting process into a simple, step-by-step checklist you can use for every collaboration. In our new guide, you'll get a checklist covering: ✅ The 4 pre-arrival steps you can't afford to skip (from vetting to agreements). ✅ How to create a "wow" on-property experience that generates amazing content. ✅ The post-stay process for proving value and maximizing your new content. Your hard work deserves a professional and repeatable system. One that saves you time, so you can focus on what truly matters: creating memorable guest experiences and building real relationships with influencers. Check out the full, step-by-step guide here: https://lnkd.in/ggMgjM4z #HospitalityMarketing #InfluencerMarketing #HotelMarketing

Last month, Storylane drove over 700,000+ impressions through influencer marketing. And at the start of the year, I had no idea how to make this channel perform consistently. I had no playbook, no proven process, and no ideas. So, I experimented. A lot. And while we’re still figuring it out, here’s what I’ve learned so far: 1. Smaller creators are outperforming larger ones for us Smaller creators often produce better, more authentic content. They’re typically more affordable, work harder, and deliver results with a hyper-focused audience. Larger influencers charge a premium, and the content often feels average. Exceptions exist, but they’re rare. 2. Build a curated influencer portfolio. There are more great influencers out there than your budget can handle. Start small, experiment, and refine a curated portfolio of creators who align with your goals, budget, and audience. This takes trial and error, so don’t rush it. Your “go-to” influencers will emerge over time. 3. Three months is enough to evaluate an influencer. In three months, you’ll know if the partnership is worth continuing. It’s enough time to assess content quality, audience engagement, and impact. 4. Set up clear contracts with influencers Include everything in writing: - Who owns the content? - Can you run ads with it? - Will they engage with your posts? - How many posts will they deliver? Clarity now saves confusion later. 5. Influencer costs vary... a lot. Pricing is all over the place, but here's a starting point. For this platform, expect $500–$2,000 per post for influencers with fewer than 100K followers. Bigger names might quote $5K or more. The highest I’ve seen is $650k per post (no joke). Decide what’s worth it based on your goals and their audience quality. 6. Influencer onboarding matters. Hop on a 1:1 call to align. Share your knowledge, past successes, and internal data. Learn their creative process and set expectations. The better you collaborate upfront, the smoother the partnership. 7. Influencer program management is a full-time job. I tried juggling this alongside my other responsibilities, and it’s a lot. Between sourcing, contracts, payments, content review, and feedback, the workload multiplies with every creator. Bring in outside help if you can afford it or upskill someone internally. 8. Give creators creative freedom. Over-controlling a creator’s content kills authenticity. Work closely on the brief to give them all the context they need, but let their voice shine through. The results are far better when they feel trusted. 9. Ethics build trust (with influencers and your buyers) Always disclose influencer partnerships (FTC compliance isn’t optional). I see a lot of brands and creators not disclose these partnerships (on LinkedIn, in private communities, Slack groups etc.) and it's WRONG. Don't trick your buyers. Be honest. We’re still learning, but this channel is showing promise, and I plan to scale it further in 2025.

From zero podcast appearances to 2 high-quality bookings in 30 days. No media kit. No connections. No PR agency. This wasn’t from mass pitching to 500 shows. It came from making podcast hosts discover her as the obvious choice through strategic positioning. When this business coach reached out, she wanted to be on podcasts. The problem? Hosts had no idea who she was or why their audience should care. She had: → Expertise but no online presence → No content showcasing her frameworks → Zero social proof of her speaking ability I wasn’t there to write pitch messages . I was there to make her impossible to overlook. Here’s what we did: (1) Built content that showcased her signature coaching methods → The frameworks she uses to transform businesses → Real client transformations and case studies → Contrarian takes on business growth that make her quotable We positioned her as the expert coaches and entrepreneurs need to hear from. (2) Created social proof through live speaking opportunities → Organized live sessions where she could demonstrate her expertise → Let her natural speaking ability and insights shine through → These lives became content that showed hosts exactly what they’d get (3) Leveraged network connections strategically → Connected her with the right people in my network → Made warm introductions to podcast hosts who needed her expertise → Let her content and live demonstrations do the selling These weren’t cold pitches. They were warm referrals backed by visible expertise. 30 days later: → 2 podcast bookings with shows that reach her exact target audience → Hosts approaching her after seeing her content and live sessions → A content library that serves as her speaker reel → A reputation that opens doors instead of her having to knock on them If you’re struggling to get podcast invitations, the problem isn’t that you need better pitches. It’s that you need better positioning. I help Business Coaches, Consultants, and Experts build authority so opportunities come to them, not the other way around. I take 2 DFY clients/month to keep this process sharp.

If you want to measure influencer marketing the right way, then these are the 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 core pillars And worth noting that there is no one metric that tells the full story, you need to be prepared to speak to all five of these to demonstrate total value 5 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 💬 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 These are the metrics you are used to (impressions, views, engagement, etc), with the one callout being that Share of Voice is incredibly valuable and underutilized here 🎯 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 How much more effective/efficient is your paid media when you utilize creator content, because you are likely spending many times more on media than creators 💰 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 When you compare the cost of influencer content on a per-asset basis against what you'd spend on a traditional production shoot, the math is usually striking. And brands need a lot more content than they ever had before 📈 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐈𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐊𝐏𝐈 Whether it's brand lift, sales lift, or foot traffic - it's often important to have a third party measurement study prove the impact of the work. MMM is also a critical pillar her if your brand uses that type of modeling 💡 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 Every influencer campaign generates a wealth of intelligence: which creative formats drove the strongest response, which audience segments over-indexed, which product messages resonated. Ignore this at your peril! Measurement is still by far the greatest challenge for influencer marketers And the ROI picture is bigger than just sales. Use this framework to help prove the value #influencermarketing #socialmedia #creatoreconomy

Almost every startup founder I mentor asks the same question: How do we make influencer marketing actually work? It’s an evolving space, full of buzzwords, constant algorithm shifts, and formats that become stale overnight. Here’s my quick checklist from what’s worked across the brands I’ve led and the startups I’ve advised: 1) Start with the “why.” Are you using influencers to build brand awareness and relevance (long term objectives), amplify a campaign, or drive sales (short term objectives)? Your objective dictates everything from investment levels to creator selection, content strategy, to paid media amplification. 2) Measure what matters. Define which metrics should move as a result of influencer activity. For awareness, track site visits or a surge in brand searches; for relevance, focus on engagement and shift in sentiment; and for sales, look at add to cart or conversions. Brand lift studies are a good start, but don’t stop there. Build a full measurement framework. 3) Build social intelligence to fuel your creator strategy. Don’t just track brand mentions or sentiment on social. Analyze trending conversations, buzzwords, and creator themes. The Vaseline Verified campaign that won a Grand Prix this year is a great example of using social intelligence to spark creative ideas. 4) Avoid format fatigue with social fresh storytelling. GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos owned beauty last year but quickly flatlined as more brands copied them. Experiment with episodic storytelling in social first series instead. Gen Z and Gen Alpha follow creators like they follow shows. Multiple exposures in the same content series with a loyal fan base earn brand recognition quicker than stand alone creator videos. 5) Go broad, not just big. Many nano and micro creators across different niches often outperform a few big names. Diversity drives discovery. 6) Frequency compounds. Working with the same creator across multiple drops builds trust faster than one off shoutouts. 7) Let creators lead. Campaigns that start from creators, not with them, scale better and feel more authentic. #ShotOniPhone is a great example, always fresh, always creator led. 8) 9) 10) Leaving the last three open, what would you add to this checklist?