How to get brand deals as a small creator in India.

A few years ago, brand deals went mostly to people with big numbers. That’s changing. Brands are learning that smaller creators often have closer, more specific audiences who actually act on what they hear, and worldwide searches for micro-influencer marketing roughly doubled over the past year, according to Google Trends.

So the opportunity is real. Here’s how to get ready, find the right brands, pitch so they reply, and spot the offers to walk away from.

Do brands really work with small creators?

Yes, and increasingly by choice. A creator with a few thousand engaged followers in one city, one language or one subject can be exactly what a brand needs, especially a newer brand, a niche product or a campaign that runs over months. We explain why in micro-influencers: why smaller creators often win.

What do you need before you approach brands?

• A clear niche. Brands should be able to say what you’re known for in one sentence.
• Recent, consistent work. Your last twelve posts are your portfolio, whether you like it or not.
• Your numbers, ready. Screenshots of your insights: where your audience lives, their age and language, your typical reach and Story views.
• A one-page media kit. Who you are, who watches you, what you make, any past collaborations, and how to reach you. Keep rates for the conversation, not the PDF.
• A professional contact. A dedicated email address in your bio.

How do you find brands to work with?

• Brands you already use. The most believable partnerships start here.
• Newer and smaller brands in your niche. They’re often the most open to creators who are still growing.
• Brands already working with creators your size. Look at who gets tagged in your niche, and notice which brands come back to the same creators.
• The platforms’ own marketplaces. Instagram’s creator marketplace opened in India in February 2024 and is now part of Meta’s Creator Marketing Hub; YouTube’s BrandConnect is open to eligible creators. Both have eligibility rules, so check yours.
• Agencies and talent managers, once your inbox needs one. More in do you need a talent manager?

How do you pitch a brand?

Short, specific and about them. A pitch that gets replies usually has six parts:

1. The right person. A brand or marketing manager, not the general inbox if you can help it.
2. A subject line with the idea, not “Collaboration request”.
3. Why you, and why them, in a sentence each.
4. One specific idea: the format, the angle, and why your audience would care.
5. Proof: two or three links to your best work and a one-line audience snapshot.
6. A simple next step, such as a short call or a proposal. Then follow up once, about a week later.

Keep it to a few short paragraphs. The brands most worth working with get a lot of pitches, and the short, specific ones get read.

Should you work for free products?

Sometimes. If you’d genuinely use the product and want to post about it anyway, a gifted product can be a fine start, especially with small brands. But the moment a brand wants specific deliverables, dates, approvals or the right to reuse your content, it’s work, and work should be paid.

Either way, a free product is still a material connection, so the post needs a label such as “Free gift” or “Collaboration” under ASCI’s guidelines.

How should you price your first deals?

By the work and the rights, not by follower count alone. What you’re selling is the content (how many pieces, in which formats), the usage (where the brand can use it, and for how long), any exclusivity, and your time. Ask about the brand’s scope before you quote, quote for a clear package, and don’t give usage rights away for free: they’re often worth more than the post itself. We explain usage in usage rights and partnership ads.

How do you spot a fake brand deal?

• You’re asked to pay a fee, buy the product first, or “register” to collaborate.
• You’re asked for a password, a one-time code or login access. No real brand needs them.
• A “big brand” writes from a free email address, or a domain that doesn’t match its website.
• You’re sent files or apps to download before anything is agreed.
• The pay is far too generous for the work.

When in doubt, check the brand’s official website and social handles, and contact it directly.

How do you turn one deal into many?

• Deliver on time, and labelled correctly.
• Send the results without being asked: reach, saves, comments, link taps.
• Share what your audience said, good and bad.
• Follow up with a next idea while the campaign is still fresh.

Brands rebook creators who are easy to work with. For the longer view, read our creator’s guide to working with brands, or see how we work with creators.