In today’s media landscape, social media drives the conversation, and leading the charge are influencers and creators - setting trends, sparking engagement, and even guiding choices for their audiences. This makes building strong relationships with influencers more than just a nice-to-have – it’s a key strategic necessity for brands looking to stand out, connect with the right audience, and drive real engagement.

Influencers are no longer just trendsetters - they’re working on real campaigns and driving measurable result for brands of all sizes, making them an essential part of any PR and marketing strategy. A well thought out influencer strategy can amplify your PR efforts, boost engagement, and introduce your product to audiences who actually care about what you’re offering, and who you may not have been able to reach through traditional channels.

If you think that building relationships with influencers is as easy as sending products and hoping for a post, think again. Whilst this may have worked ten years ago, today influencers are far more savvy and more selective over the brands they chose to work with. It’s about creating partnerships grounded in mutual understanding, trust, and respect. The most successful collaborations happen when both the brand and the influencer see value, understand each other’s goals, and work together toward a shared outcome.

But don’t worry- we’re breaking it down for you, guiding you through the art of building relationships with media influencers, from that very first follow all the way through to long-term partnerships that drive real impact.

Identifying Relevant Influencers

The power an influencer holds, lies within their relationship to their audience - not just the number sitting beside their follower count. Whilst scoring a deal with a mega macro influencer might look impressive, this doesn’t necessarily always translate into meaningful engagement or brand impact. Instead of just shouting into a sea of people, hoping someone picks up the message, working with influencers whose audience genuinely overlaps with your brand, can ensure you reach the right ears.

To do this, we’re taking it back to university days and those marketing classes where, if you learnt one thing at all, it was the word segmentation. Now, if you’ve got a product and a marketing plan, you’ve most likely already segmented your target market. But the trick with influencer marketing is to get niche, and we’re talking real niche. Don’t just segment according to the basic demographics but narrow in on specific behaviours and interests.

The great thing about influencer marketing is that there almost always is an influencer with a specific niche and the audience to match. The trick is just taking the time to find them. Search the socials for content topics that suit your product and brand - whether that’s sustainable fashion recs, home reno series or wellness tips – and become familiar with the influencers posting within those circles. Follow them and get to know their content, their personality, their dog, their lifestyle and posting styles. Understand how they engage with their audience, and how the audience engages back.

This isn’t as hard as it may seem. From the moment you start to conceptualise your brand or product, begin following potential partners and observing what resonates with their audience. Over time, you’ll get a clearer sense of whether they’re truly a good match for your brand and the type of collaboration that would work best.

Engaging Authentically

If you’ve already taken the time to follow and understand your influencer, then the next step becomes much easier: authentic engagement. Don’t just make your first point of contact a generic, one template suits all outreach message. Approach your desired influencers with genuine interest in their content – mention specific posts you loved, reference their styles or values, and most importantly, highlight how their audience aligns with your brand. If you’ve been following the influencer for a while and know the name of their dog, don’t be afraid to mention it - it shows you’re paying attention and adds a personal, authentic touch.

Engaging authentically also goes beyond a single outreach message. Interact with influencers consistently – like, comment and share their content when appropriate. Take the time to nurture the relationship so that collaborations feel like a natural extension of a genuine connection rather than a transactional request. Not only does this create the potential for long-term partnerships, but a level of authenticity your audience will recognise and appreciate.

Creating Value for Influencers

Just as any symbiotic relationship in nature, a successful brand-influencer collaboration should be mutually beneficial. It’s not just about what the influencer can do for your brand – it’s also about what your brand can do for them.

Offer influencers opportunities that align with their interests, passions and professional goals. This could be creative freedom in content creation, or access to new experiences that complement their niche. When influencers see tangible value in the partnership, they are more likely to engage authentically and produce high-quality content that resonates with their followers.

A big part of this is tailored partnerships. Customise your collaboration proposals based on the influencer’s style, audience, and preferences, and give them a level of creative freedom. Influencers aren’t naive – they know their power, the value they can add to a campaign, and the results they can drive. Simply throwing ideas at them without collaboration and respect won’t go down well. Recognise that they’ve built their audience and engagement because they are doing something right. Truly collaborate by listening to their ideas and incorporating their insights.

At the end of the day, influencing isn’t just a hobby or a bit of fun; for many, it’s a full-time job that requires creativity, strategy, and dedication. Recognising this helps you approach collaborations with respect, thoughtfulness, and a mindset of true partnership.

Open Communication and Transparency

In saying this, at the end of the day, you’re the brand with the product, and hundreds of hours of work and investment behind it. While collaborations can be highly rewarding, it’s crucial to be clear and honest from the start - without transparency, even the most promising partnerships can fall short of expectations.

From the outset, clearly define the collaboration’s terms, deliverables, and compensation. Outline timelines, content formats, posting schedules, and any brand guidelines. This clarity ensures both parties are on the same page and reduces the risk of misunderstandings.

It’s equally important to maintain open lines of communication throughout the collaboration. Be upfront about changes, feedback, or concerns, and encourage influencers to do the same. Respecting their perspective and keeping communication transparent builds trust and strengthens the relationship, setting the stage for successful and authentic content.

Long-Term Partnerships

Building successful influencer relationships doesn’t end when a campaign wraps up. Nurturing these connections over time can lead to more meaningful collaborations, stronger brand advocacy, and sustained audience engagement. What once started as a 15 second gifted product mention in a GRWM video can evolve into co-created content, or even entirely new product lines. Small, authentic moments of exposure can lay the foundation for bigger, more impactful partnerships over time.

Once a campaign or collaboration ends, take the time to check in with the influencer and thank them for their contribution. If they’ve helped you reach - or exceed - your target goals, acknowledge their work and let them know the impact they’ve had. This all comes back to respect - respect for the influencer’s time, creativity, and expertise. Recognising their efforts not only strengthens your professional relationship but also lays the groundwork for future collaborations built on trust and mutual appreciation.

From there, continuously engage with influencers even through small, micro moments. Keep in touch through social media interactions, check-ins, or sharing updates about your brand. Invite them to new product launches and events, provide sneak peeks of upcoming campaigns, or simply share content that aligns with their interests.

This means that when the time is right, a once ‘simple’ collaboration can turn into so much more. Long-term partnerships can transform influencers into authentic brand advocates. When influencers genuinely support your initiatives, their endorsements feel credible, and their audience is more likely to trust and engage with your brand. By investing in these ongoing relationships, you create a network of loyal partners who can help amplify your brand consistently over time.

A platform that connects: Meet Flaunter

Flaunter is your all-in-one PR software and ultimate digital PR assistant, giving you the tools to connect with influencers in a meaningful way. From initial outreach and gifting management, through to tracking engagement and measuring campaign impact, Flaunter streamlines every step – making influencer collaborations effortless and results-driven.

Here’s how: Tap into Flaunter’s extensive database of top-tier journalists, editors, stylists, creators, and freelancers. Stay ahead with real-time influencer opportunities using our callouts feature – creators and media can pitch themselves directly, sharing upcoming projects, trips, and campaigns. If your brand is a good match, simply respond, leading to lasting media relationships and meaningful collaborations.

Then, once you’ve secured a collaboration, make gifting effortless with Flaunter’s sample management software. Say goodbye to spreadsheets and hello to Flaunter’s intuitive system. Manage product loans, gifts, and inventory in one place, and let creators and influencers browse your showroom visually. The result? Clear, seamless communication that fosters authentic collaborations and future opportunities.

And remember when we said Flaunter is an all-in-one PR platform? That’s right, the magic doesn’t stop there. From your own digital press centre to PR reporting software, media coverage tracker and beyond, Flaunter is designed to streamline every part of your PR workflow.

To discover all the goodness Flaunter has to offer, head to our website and see how we can help you do PR, better.

Ready to get started? Sign up for your two-week free trial today, or book a complimentary discovery call with our team at hello@flaunter.com.

Forge meaningful influencer relationships and take your PR to the next level with Flaunter.

Unveiling the Art of Relationship Building with Media Influencers