Becoming a brand rep is an awesome way to grow your Instagram feed. Why? Because the more your images get reposted, the more you’re exposed to new audiences. Back in the Wild Wild West days of Instagram, this wasn’t that hard to do. Brands were still learning the ropes themselves and there weren’t really any hard and fast rules. Quite frankly, they didn’t have much to choose from. Now being a brand rep is big business, as is getting your pictures reposted. A big brand like Gap has literally thousands of images to choose from that they can repost, and it’s a pretty competitive field. Even for a teeny (in comparison) brand like cuteheads, there are lots of options when it comes to images.

SHOP: sandals // chairs (similar) // Naomi’s skirt (similar)

Although cuteheads doesn’t have any official brand reps right now, I do send a lot of product to bloggers and Instagrammers in exchange for images. These collaborations are a regular part of my business, and they’re one of the main ways I’ve grown cuteheads over the last several years. They’re a critical part of my handmade shop, and how I select who I send product to is based on criteria that I’ve determined over the years to be the most important to a good collaboration. It’s not random at all. I’m also on the other side of it, taking pictures for other brands I know, love and admire. The images in this post were shot for the cutest shoe company, Gracious May. They make the most adorable boots, sandals, and more. They sent the girls these gorgeous feather sandals and we couldn’t love them more.

First of all: what IS a brand rep? A brand rep — rep, short for representative — is exactly what it sounds like, someone who represents a brand. Shops choose children to represent them by sending them free clothing and accessories in exchange for posts on social media and blogs, as well as quality images that brand can use on its website and for marketing purposes. It’s a win-win for both parties; the rep gets free clothing regularly, and the brand gets great images.

After all my years experience, both as a brand and as a blogger, here are some of the tips I’ve learned for making the partnership positive and worthwhile on both sides.

Brand Rep 101: Tips for Amazing Pictures That Always Get Reposted on Instagram

1. It’s really not about cuteness. Having a cute kid is a plus, but really, all kids are cute. More importantly, get good shots of the products you’re trying to highlight in a variety of angles on the child. Styling a dress? Get a twirling action shot. Does the piece have cool button details? Highlight that.

2. Follower count isn’t a deal breaker either. I know I don’t look for accounts with the highest follower count (in fact, sometimes I avoid them, but that’s a post for another day!). I look for engagement and quality of posts. I’d much prefer to work with someone with a smaller following who is highly engaged with their followers and who posts kids fashion posts regularly. These are very good indicators that the collaboration is going to be a good fit. Follower count is not.

3. Don’t over-filter. Everyone has a “look” they like to stick to when it comes to their own feeds, but long gone are the days of over-filtering and our obsessions with Kelvin. Try to keep your images as true to color as possible. Or if you do add a filter that’s specific to your own feed, send the original to the brand via email or DM so they can repost it to match their own feeds. If your image doesn’t match the brand’s aesthetic, it will be hard for them to repost your photo.  If you love a brand and want to ensure your image gets reposted, follow the brand and take a good look at their feed to make sure your look matches theirs.

4. Photo quality is everything. This is by far the most important aspect to being a brand rep and getting reposted by your favorite brands. Photos need to be clear, crisp, and preferably shot in natural light or on a plain background. Blurry, grainy, dark, or discolored photos are also difficult to repost.

5. Get comfortable with your camera. Even iPhones can take great photos! Composition, background and light are what matter. Whether you’re shooting with an iPhone or a DSLR, figure out where you’re going to get the best shot and practice, practice, practice.

6. Post in a timely manner. Nothing frustrates me more than sending product to someone and not having them post for months. It’s just rude and unprofessional. And brands don’t love posting images of things that are already sold out. If you’re not going to be able to post and send images on time, make sure to inform the brand and keep them updated on when you will be able to. And even worse: DO NOT go radio silent. Brands talk. Same goes for brands who go silent… bloggers talk. Keep each other in the loop.

7. Build relationships. I’m much more likely to pay attention to a request for product from someone who a) is already following me, b) has been supporting my brand already, and c) is genuinely already a friend. I do tend to favor people I already have relationships with, because truth be told, I trust they’re going to follow through on what they promise. This can be true from the blogger side too; bloggers are much more likely to feel comfortable working with shops who they already know and love, because the post and review will be genuine. I’m certainly not saying cold emails and DMs don’t work, but I’m always quick to respond to people I already know.

8. Get specific. Where are you going to shoot? How are you going to style the piece? I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it when someone reaches out to me and says, “Hey, I LOVE the xxxxx Dress! I would love to style it for Fall, with boots and a cute wide-brimmed hat, in exchange for 4-6 high quality images and a post on Instagram.” Those emails and DMs get significantly more attention from me than the kind that say, “Hey, let’s collab!” because it takes a lot of the guess work out of it for me.

9. Make sure both parties know exactly what the terms are. If there’s an actual arrangement in place, it’s so important that both parties are on the same page about the expectations. When I first started doing this, I would just send an email or DM saying, “Hey, love your feed! I’d love to send you some product!” They’d agree, and I’d send it. Then I’d wonder why it all went wrong. After having this happen multiple times, I realized it was my fault. I was not specific about the terms of the agreement before-hand, and I did not properly set expectations. Now my initial request includes how long they have to post and what I require. I think it’s also totally fine as the blogger taking the photos to ask the brand to guarantee at least one repost, assuming their photos meet all the requirements.

Do you have anything to add to this list from either the brand perspective or the blogger perspective? I’d love to know what works for you!