A media kit is a functional and beautiful document that showcases your creative flair and presents your most important business statistics. Brands won’t stand for you forcing them to work for their information. You will only be overlooked and quickly tossed to the side. In order to be considerate of your chosen brand and respect their time, link your documents seamlessly in a sentence or just below your pitch. If you’re an influencer without a media kit, you’re missing out. This is a document that will require time, dedication and updating here and there but it is worth it. You will use your media kit time and time again.
Even so, quite like myself, you may have reservations about creating a media kit when your statistics aren’t exactly mind blowing. This is what has stopped me putting together a kit in the past and continues to do so. Take my Instagram statistics, for example. I have four thousand, four hundred followers and an engagement rate of just under three percent. How can this be? Well, it’s a fault with the instagram algorithm. If your content isn’t receiving the applause, bravo and recognition you know it deserves, consider this. My following is ninety eight percent more than my actual engagement rate meaning that very few people see my posts pop up in their feed. I would never opt to share these facts with a brand. Instead, naturally, I’d highlight the positives. This is why I prefer to keep a portfolio.
Your document can be made and designed through Apple pages, Microsoft word, Canva, Photoshop and other digital platforms. You’d want to include an about me page where you introduce yourself and your interests + give your reader an idea of what’s to come next. You can expand briefly on your personal backstory or creative journey. Include your full name, your titles, location, content focus and do so persuasively. Make your writing engaging and be intentional. In order to be interactive, include a call to action to capture the interest of your brand and encourage them to read on. Your words should invoke a mental image in your reader’s minds when done so right. Do not underestimate the power of this section- an introduction serves as the brand’s first and lasting impression of you. You must not brush over it and rush your writing.
Ideally, include a clear, styled headshot of yourself so the brand can put a face to a name. By including a couple of photos in your media kit, a brand gets a visual sense of your work. They are able to anticipate what content they could expect you to produce should they engage your services. Your photos are what sells the whole deal! After all, an image is worth a thousand words. Include photos on your cover page, throughout your kit or dedicate a couple of pages to photoshoots from jobs you’ve taken on. You might be wondering if your line of work really requires a media kit. That’s fair enough- we are all busy and have lots to attend to. However, what’s important to you will fit in somewhere. If you’re an influencer, a content creator, blogger or else, you will require a media kit. If a brand emails you with a proposal, you’ll need a media kit. If you wish to become a paid influencer, attain ad placements and up sell your work, you’ll need a media kit. Point made.
Let’s talk about when you’d use a media kit. If a brand emails you regarding a potential collaboration, they may request your media kit or a look into your insights. If you have an Instagram business or creator account, you’ll be provided with these features automatically. Accessing these statistics, even if you don’t plan to share them, will aid your understanding of how your content performs and strategies you could implement to better them. Imagine being asked for a screenshot of your insights and presenting a beautifully finished media kit in return! What could be more satisfying? Your media kit will come in handy when you make a brand pitch as well. Attaching your media kit as a supporting document alongside your email will be the backing you need. Not only will it showcase your marketable qualities and provide a deeper look into your platform but it will allow your pitch to be distraction free.
You haven’t heard the real kicker though- your media kit can be used to negotiate better deals. If your insights show that you have an inarguably successful platform, you will have the wiggle room needed to call the shots and make your collaboration terms clear to the brand. When you are willing to offer up the necessary information, you will do yourself a service. Say a brand approaches you and says right off the bat that they don’t have a budget. You could respond with your outstanding media kit and have it speak for itself. Once they see what you have to offer, they are likely to reconsider. Just like that, the table has turned and you now sit at the head. A favourable outcome if I do say so myself!
Love this Maryam! Yes, after I had my first brand collaboration I decided to create a media kit and it’s definitely much more simpler then having to explain to brands yourself all your statistics and demographics! Also, congratulations on 1000 followers!!!
Thank you so much for reading Zainab! I’m glad you found the post helpful. It is always a good idea to have your pitch, statistics and other important information in a succinct, easy to follow document.
Ah yes, the big milestone! I actually reached 1,000 followers two or so weeks ago. My current count is 1023 as I’ve got a fair few email subscribers! x
I’ve never heard of media kits before – just resumes – so this was a nice informative post! Keep up the great content ♥
Well, they are basically just an influencer’s resume but with a creative twist! Thank you so much for reading Wardah. Your support means so much x
Sounds very cool! I’ll have to give them a try 🙂 You’re welcome! xx
Really helpful post for bloggers looking for brand deals! Love how you’ve explained it all so concisely. Have you worked with any brands yet? How’s your experience been? I’d love to know more! 😊
Thank you so much love! I’m really happy to hear you enjoyed the post and found it valuable. It is always my aim to bring you content that is interesting, to the point, walks you through an experience or serves as a how to guide!
I’ve had about sixteen brand collaborations so far, although some were repeat opportunities with the same brand 😊 my area of focus is skincare, beauty and home decor and they make up the bulk of the collaborations I’ve been offered. I’ve also worked with make muse, a female led online and print magazine that offers smart content. None of those silly gossip columns you find in magazine! They have sections for wellness, beauty, politics, activism, mental health, creative writing, poetry and more. That’s definitely a standout partnership for me as it was so up my alley!
Another collaboration I throughly enjoyed was with DiveThru, a guided journaling app. They ran a thirty day challenge where I’d reflect on a set prompt and discuss my experience with my Instagram audience. I’ve also worked with a couple of photo/poster/wallpaper brands as I enjoy interior design and home decorating! Other than that, just skincare, hair masks, clothing and the like. I’m hoping to expand my reach this year and work with fine jewellery brands and ethical clothing boutiques. As you likely know, I don’t shop fast fashion and these brands make up the majority of collaborations on offer. Ethical boutiques want to work with influencers with a bigger reaching and older audience. Most teens aren’t shopping in these places after all!
Thank you for taking out time to reply. Love that you’ve gotten to work with such amazing brands that match your ethics and likes. I haven’t gotten their yet – but here’s hoping I get to work with brands I believe in sometime in the future. 🙂
Oh, of course. That’s not a problem at all! Thank you for taking such a keen interest. Working with brands is definitely not hard- there are creators of all ages who have mastered this and are able to get jobs! I know thirteen year olds who are working with fine jewellery companies. It blows my mind but goes to show that anything is possible! x
I really love how all your posts are so helpful!! THANK UUU!
You brighten up my day! Thank you love ☺️
I keep reminding myself to create a media kit, but I’ve been procrastinating on that since forever. I guess I’ll have to carve out the time to do it now. Thanks for this reminder. And I love your blog!
That’s alright! Thank you for your kind words Stuart. I’m very happy this post gave you the encouragement you needed to get started. My media kit is currently underway. Although, that’s to be expected. Just as with a resume in the business world, a media kit is something to be updated as you go.
I have a portfolio that I created as part of my college application. I’m taking a diploma of interior design and decoration course. It begins this upcoming February and I’m quite thrilled! x
Lovely and informative post! I’ve been wanting to create a media kit for myself, just haven’t got around to it and partly because I didn’t know how. This was really helpful though, thank you! 💕
Thank you beautiful! I’m so glad you found this post encouraging and now have a better idea of how to put together your media kit. Enjoy the process! x
Thank you for sharing this information. This was very helpful.
I’m so glad you found this post helpful! Thank you love x
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU TIMES A MILLION! ❤️
This post was so helpful, Maryam! I didn’t really know what a media kit was until reading this. Love that this post was really informative!!