In digital marketing, collaborating with influencers is essential for brands looking to boost visibility and credibility. At Jump Influence, we specialise in building authentic, high-performing partnerships between brands and creators. In this article, discover 10 effective ways to work with influencers—whether you’re a start-up or an established company. Learn how to optimise collaborations, from sponsored content to prize draws, so you can maximise impact and hit your goals. Follow our tips to sharpen your influencer marketing strategy today.
Traditional collaborations: strong foundations
Traditional formats with influencers remain among the most effective ways to promote your brand. Here are five concrete examples to build successful partnerships:
Sponsored content
Sponsored content is one of the most common brand–influencer formats. You pay the creator to feature your product or service for their audience via social posts, blog articles, or YouTube videos. The advantage is direct exposure to a qualified audience that already trusts the creator. Make sure the sponsored content aligns with the creator’s tone and style to maximise impact and avoid anything that feels forced or overly commercial.
Example of sponsored content featuring creator Louis San in a YouTube video (Source: YouTube)
Product placement
Product placement subtly integrates your product into the creator’s everyday content. Rather than a direct advert, the creator naturally uses or mentions your product in posts—during a daily routine, a vlog, or an Instagram Story. This delivers more organic exposure, which often feels more authentic to audiences.
Important: commercial collaborations must still be disclosed (e.g., on-screen notices and in descriptions). See this French best-practice guide for influencers to avoid legal issues.
Ambassador programmes
Ambassador programmes go beyond one-off posts to create a long-term partnership between the brand and creator. Ambassadors become representatives of your brand and talk about it regularly across posts, videos, or events. In addition to strengthening brand image, this ensures continuous visibility with the creator’s audience. This type of partnership is ideal if you want a strong, values-aligned relationship.
Creators McFly & Carlito served as ambassadors for the fashion brand Célio (Source: Célio)
Reviews and testimonials
Inviting creators to produce reviews and testimonials is an effective way to build trust. After testing your product, they share an honest opinion with their community. Because their audience perceives these reviews as objective, they can directly influence purchase decisions. Choosing creators whose ethics align with your brand is crucial to preserve authenticity.
Long-term partnerships
Long-term partnerships are increasingly popular. They help you build a strong, durable relationship with creators and maintain consistency in your brand storytelling—through regular posts, brand events, or even co-branded product launches. Longevity adds credibility, as the creator truly becomes associated with the brand.
The creative approach: stand out
To stand out in a crowded market, think beyond traditional formats. Here are five creative ways to spark engagement and curiosity:
Co-creation of content
Co-creation goes beyond simple placement by involving the creator directly in the creative process. Working hand-in-hand, you can produce content that reflects both your brand world and the creator’s. This could be tutorials, podcasts, Instagram series, or themed content runs. It’s highly effective for generating unique and engaging output because the creator is fully invested.
Et si on vous disait que le design du prochain maillot AEGIS sera fait par l’un de vous ?
C’est le projet qu’on lance avec Fiverr, dans le cadre de notre collaboration ensemble !
Toutes les informations sur cette aventure en cliquant sur le lien !
➡️ https://t.co/i4dnYR4RjY pic.twitter.com/BY4DzANWdc
— AEGIS (@Team_Aegis_) October 15, 2024
Running prize draws
Partner with creators to run giveaways—a great way to stimulate engagement and increase reach. Entries often involve following your brand or sharing posts, which drives interaction. Attractive rewards help you draw in new prospects, grow your followers, and create buzz.
Social media takeovers
Also called “takeovers”, this format gives a creator access to your social accounts for a day or set period. During that time, the creator shares posts, Stories, or livestreams to give their community an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at your brand. This boosts engagement and offers your followers a fresh perspective.
Takeovers are especially useful for product launches or major events. For example, Nocibé, a cosmetics brand, has frequently used this strategy by giving creators control of their Instagram Stories or Snapchat accounts.
In 2023, Nocibé invited creators to run its Instagram Stories (Source: HubSpot)
Live events
Live events with creators—such as livestreams or webinars—offer a unique opportunity to interact with their audience in real time while promoting your brand. These can include product demos, Q&A sessions, or discussions on relevant industry topics. The format creates a direct, personal connection between brand, creator, and audience. Done well, live events often achieve strong visibility and can quickly go viral.
Unboxing videos & tutorials
Unboxing videos have become hugely popular formats on YouTube and Instagram. They show the creator unpacking a product and giving first impressions—or demonstrating how to use it. Tutorials go further, explaining features and benefits in detail. Both formats are highly engaging and effective for driving interest and sales, especially for technical or innovative products.
Unboxing is a simple, effective way to collaborate with a creator (Photo: Ignatiev)
In short
Working with influencers is a powerful marketing strategy for brands seeking awareness and new audiences. Whether you choose traditional formats or creative approaches, each type of collaboration offers specific benefits to match your objectives. At Jump Influence, we help you find creators who align with your values so you can, for example, boost your brand with successful YouTube influencer campaigns. By experimenting with different collaboration formats, you can maximise results and build long-term relationships with creators who share your vision.
FAQ – 10 ways to collaborate with influencers
Q1 – Why is sponsored content effective in influencer collaborations?
Sponsored content lets you promote your product or service directly to a qualified audience that already trusts the creator. It’s a natural way to showcase your brand through social posts, videos, or blog articles—grounded in the creator’s authentic experience, which boosts credibility.
Q2 – What’s the difference between product placement and an ambassador programme?
Product placement integrates an item subtly into the creator’s content without an explicit promo message—through posts, Stories, or videos in everyday contexts. An ambassador programme is a long-term collaboration: the creator becomes a regular representative of your brand and talks about your products on an ongoing basis.
Q3 – What are the benefits of running giveaways with creators?
Giveaways are great for driving engagement and reach. They encourage followers to complete simple actions—follow your account, share a post, tag friends—while offering fun, motivating rewards (free products or exclusive experiences). The result: buzz around your brand and potential growth in followers and customers.
