During the early days of Instagram influencer marketing, I was a huge fan of the fashion creator, Song of Style. So when major fashion houses like Louis Vuitton and Dior started sponsoring her, I was ecstatic. Now she’s turned into one of the biggest success stories, amassing over 7 million Instagram followers and even launching her own fashion brand.
In fact, she even has a Prada bag named after her. This puts her on the same level as other fashion icons like Jane Birkin and Alexa Chung.
But as the scene becomes increasingly saturated with mega-creators dominating the headlines, it’s harder than ever for smaller creators to make it big…let alone land a big-brand collaboration. That’s where an influencer talent agency comes in, helping creators form strategic partnerships with leading brands in their respective niches.
This is the key to establishing a long-term relationship with influencers if you’re running a talent agency. After all, what creator wouldn’t want to keep working with an agency that can connect them with the world’s biggest brands?
And for brands, working with an influencer talent agency that has a long-term partnership with credible talent is the key to campaign success. This lets you tap into the existing relationship between the agency and the creator, making for a more authentic collaboration.
So in this post, I take a closer look at the agencies nurturing the next generation of influencer stars—and the micro-creators growing their careers one strategic brand partnership at a time. Let’s get started.
What Makes a Great Influencer Talent Agency for Micro-Creators
Big-brand connections may be appealing. But it’s not the only thing that gets micro-creators to work with an agency. What really sets an influencer talent agency apart is the thoughtfulness and care that go into building thriving creator relationships.
Here are some of the main factors that make a great influencer talent agency for micro-influencers.
Focus on Career Growth
You may want to get as many bookings as possible for your influencers. But if you’re only managing to book them for one-off campaigns, it may not do much for their career. This is especially true for micro-influencers since their presence isn’t always big enough for major brands to notice them.
That’s why great influencer talent agencies focus on helping micro-creators grow their career. Instead of settling for multiple short-term bookings, they work to negotiate longer contracts with the right brands. Additionally, they may try to land repeated bookings with the same brand, which will help to foster long-term brand-influencer relationships.
Take, for example, how the Paris-based agency, Ykone, helped build the career of micro-influencers like Sarah Najafi. The agency landed repeated bookings for the influencer, signing her on for multiple campaigns with big brands like Ferragamo.
Najafi, who currently has over 50k Instagram followers, has been a part of Ferragamo campaigns like Silk Your Style and Viva Viva under Ykone’s management.
Access to Relevant Brand Opportunities
Sure, you have a lot of brand opportunities for influencers. But do you have opportunities that match their niche and values?
Many influencers may appreciate the opportunity to earn money. Yet nothing beats the opportunity to earn money while working for a brand that’s perfectly aligned with them. This is the best way to ensure that they’re involved in more authentic brand partnerships, which will help them retain trust with their audience.
Ykone nails this again, matching creators with brand opportunities that reflect their unique values, interests, and niches. For instance, they matched influential makeup artists like Nick Barose for Armani’s Luminous Silk campaign, promoting the brand’s foundation range.
Personalized Support for Individual Influencers
With micro-influencers still learning the ropes, working with an agency that can provide them support and guidance makes all the difference. The best influencer talent agencies can offer coaching and feedback that’s personalized for each creator.
Moreover, they also offer support for creative development, which empowers micro-influencers to become even better creators. In other words, the agency sets them up for success and equips them with skills and knowledge to achieve sustainable growth in the long run.
Relationship Management Tips for Agencies and Brands
While the three factors I shared above will set an agency apart, you also need to work on your relationship with creators. This will help you establish rapport and foster a partnership that lasts through the years. So any collaboration will come across as more genuine, enabling you to earn audience trust.
Let me share a few tips on how to manage influencer relationships for agencies and brands.
Maintain Regular Check-Ins (Even Post-Campaign)
Check in with your creators regularly throughout the course of the campaign and even after it ends. Regular communication is essential for any inter-personal relationship. It helps you stay on top of what’s happening in their lives and gives you a chance to answer questions or address concerns.
So when you check in with influencers, you’re showing them that you care about them. Share feedback – whether good or bad – about the work they’ve been doing and offer support. Give them the opportunity to ask questions, share their concerns, and provide updates. You can even ask questions yourself and maintain an open line of communication.
The more you communicate with your creators, the closer you’ll become. This helps you foster a genuine connection with them, making them more open to a continued partnership even long after the campaign ends.
With a tool like Influencity’s IRM, it becomes even easier to track and manage your long-term creator relationships. You can use the built-in communication tools to seamlessly interact with influencers and keep track of all your communications. The influencer relationship management tool also shows you your collaboration history and notes, which can inform your interactions.
Celebrate Creator Milestones
Got a creator who’s recently achieved something big? From reaching follower goals to getting positive media coverage, make sure to celebrate these moments with your influencers.
Show them your appreciation and support by celebrating their major milestones. You could mention them in your socials or even send them goodie bags to celebrate the achievement. While they may seem small, these gestures are what will strengthen your relationship with influencers.
For instance, Italy-based talent agency, Simone Belli Agency, regularly shares Instagram posts celebrating the achievements of the influencers and celebrities they work with. When Letizia Toni got featured on the cover of Marie Claire, the agency shared the achievement on their Instagram to celebrate the moment.
Offer Early Access to Campaigns
Campaigns involving big brand names can get quite competitive. And many micro-creators may fail to get considered for these opportunities. When possible, give your creators early access to campaigns to show how much you value them.
Giving them first dibs on the campaign is a great way to prioritize them. In return, these influencers will remain loyal to your agency to show their appreciation. This strategy is also an effective way to build trust, as you show them that they can trust you to present them with prime collaboration opportunities.
Prioritize Transparency
Transparency is the essence of a trustworthy partnership. Make sure to prioritize this in your relationship with creators, as it will allow you to build trust.
Be transparent about the results of the campaign – be it good or bad. Share reports from your performance tracking efforts. This will help them get a realistic understanding of the impact they were able to make. While good results may boost motivation, negative results could serve to encourage them to do even better.
Similarly, share any feedback that could help them improve their work. Take a tactful approach to show that you appreciate their time and effort. And make sure the feedback is constructive, which will help them navigate next steps. Be open about any client feedback or comments as this will give them the insights they need to improve.
Set Up Loyalty Programs for Your Creator Roster
Loyalty programs are a highly overlooked strategy to enhance creator relationships. Set up programs that will reward influencers for being a part of your talent agency. This may involve tiered reward systems, where influencers get access to early access opportunities, performance bonuses, and recurring campaigns.
You could set a minimum requirement to join the program, such as having X number of followers. Additionally, private creator hubs offer an excellent opportunity to share campaign previews and resources not available to the public.
SevenSix Agency is a London-based influencer talent agency with an exclusive “Creator Club.” Members of the club get access to deals and discounts, campaign opportunities, resources, and exclusive event invites.
Case Studies: Micro-Influencers Who Made It Big with the Right Talent Partner
To get an even better understanding of how the right talent partner has contributed to the success of micro-influencers, I hand-picked a few case studies of real-world success stories. From landing major brand partnerships to growing their influence – these micro-influencers can attribute their success to the guidance and strategic connections provided by their influencer talent agency.
Ana Peinado (@soylapeinado)
Ana Peinado is an actor and influencer based in Spain. At over 10k Instagram followers, she’s still considered a micro-influencer. But with the guidance of Okiko Creatives, she has landed a number of major brand partnerships, including names like Dior Beauty, Armani Beauty, and Kérastase. In addition to this, she’s currently the face of Lexus Spain.
Carter (@cookingwithcarterofficial)
Carter, better known as Cooking with Carter, is an adorable 4-year-old home cook. Although his social media journey only began in September 2024, he’s quickly gained massive popularity and has reached macro-level with 650k Instagram followers. Thanks to professional talent management by Connect, Carter has landed strategic brand partnerships involving names like Heinz UK, Bluey TV, and McCain Canada.
Korlan Madi (@korlandmadi)
Korlan Madi is a fashion stylist known for serving iconic looks and creative visuals. She has amassed over 97k Instagram followers through her stunning content. Under the management of BOLD Management Agency, this Milan-based influencer has managed to partner with major fashion brands like Miu Miu, Stella McCartney, and Roberto Cavalli.
She’s even managed to get featured in Vanity Fair Italia as part of the “New Fashion Community.”
Interview Spotlight: Mini Q&A with the Talent Team at Germany-based Buzzbird Agency
As I mentioned earlier, the best talent agencies help influencers build their career instead of simply booking them for one-off campaigns. So this brings up the question: How do you achieve that as an agency?
This typically calls for pairing influencers with the right brand matches and nurturing that partnership for a long-term relationship. In many cases, it could even unlock brand ambassador opportunities. We asked the talent team at Germany-based Buzzbird Agency how they did it. Our question was:
“What’s your process for helping a micro-influencer grow into long-term brand collaborations?”
Here’s what they had to say:
“We invest time upfront—understanding the creator’s voice, goals, and ideal brand match. Then we pitch them strategically to partners who value authenticity over numbers. One of our creators went from a niche skincare account to a European ambassador for The Body Shop within a year.”
So it’s clear that having a deeper understanding of each creator is essential to make the right brand pairing. This will also pave the way for a long-term collaboration once the brand sees the value that the creator can deliver.
Why Brands Should Care About Long-Term Talent Relationships
On that note, you may also wonder what the big deal is about long-term creator relationships for brands. How will the brand benefit from this type of collaboration? Let me break down the key benefits.
Reduce Creator Churn and Onboarding Time
The most obvious benefit of a long-term talent relationship is that you can significantly reduce creator churn. This means you don’t have to restart the whole influencer discovery and vetting process from scratch.
So you get to save a huge amount of time building and managing your influencer marketing campaigns. Not to mention the time you save on creator onboarding. Since you get to keep working with creators who are already familiar with your brand, you don’t have to onboard them all over again.
Improve Campaign Consistency and Brand Affinity
Long-term creator relationships mean getting to work with creators who know your brand. They already have a deep understanding of the creative requirements and brand guidelines, especially with the feedback they’ve received from previous collaborations. So even with an entirely different campaign, they know how to maintain branding consistency.
On top of this, a long-term relationship strengthens your connection with the creator. People will naturally associate your brand with the creator, which will subsequently bring them closer to you. As such, you could see a stronger brand affinity among the influencer’s audience.
Build Deeper Audience Trust
When creators have a strong bond with your brand, it reflects in the way they talk about you and your products. Their promotions come across as more authentic and more passionate, which is essential for building trust with the audience. Additionally, when people see that an influencer is consistently vouching for you, it will eventually strengthen their trust in your brand.
Unlock Co-Creation Opportunities
As influencers become more familiar with your brand, it gives them the opportunity to gather valuable insights that could inform your strategies. This may include insights from customer feedback or complaints, product gaps, or even their own observation.
Make the most of their insights and creative capabilities by involving them in co-creation opportunities. Whether this involves creating content together, developing new products together, or hosting events together, you get to co-create with influencers who know your brand.
Foster Thriving Micro-Influencer Relationships
Whether you’re running an influencer talent agency or a brand, strategic relationships with micro-creators can yield a long-term impact. For agencies, it’s important to nurture career growth for micro-influencers through big-brand collaborations and long-term partnerships. Make the most of the tips, examples, and case studies I highlighted above to guide your strategy.