A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend ALT Summit  for the first time – the conference has forever been on my blogger bucket list and I had to practically pinch myself when the opportunity came up for me to attend for work. It was a jam-packed, overwhelming in the best way possible, three days and after speaking at the conference about brand collaborations, I figured I’d share a few insights here as well.

Being able to see the blogging world both as a content creator and a marketer has been really eye-opening for me and changed my perspective on the industry. It’s been both inspiring and humbling to see first-hand just how high the bar has been set for influencer marketing and just how successful programs can be when you’re able to pair the right brand with the right influencer. Quality truly remains the #1 priority for any and all programs and while the blogging space has become very crowded, it’s what makes you stand out.

Some tips for working with brands (including some inside scoop on what brands really want):

Authenticity Drives Engagement: Listen, the fact that people are making money off of blogging is no longer a secret and with that reality, it also becomes very obvious when a blogger is only in it for the money. Content that weaves the brand/product into a real story or personal experience works because it feels real and will drive higher engagement with your readers. Make authenticity a priority. If a partnership doesn’t feel 100% right, pass on it – it will come through in your content and damage your credibility with your readers.

Instagram is King: Remember the days of blog comments? Before social media popped up all over the place it was common practice to leave a comment on blog posts because interaction opportunities were limited. But now? You can interact all over the place! Instagram is driving the bulk of engagements because it’s mobile, it’s visual and it’s easy (especially compared to captcha’s and other complicated blog comment forms!). Use Instagram to not only promote blog content but as a platform to offer glimpses into your everyday and drive a connection with readers.

First Impressions Matter: Sometimes you have less than 30 seconds to either win a brand over and get chosen for an opportunity, or scare ’em away… Make it count! Consistency is important across both your blog and social channels, you should post regularly and have a clear point of view with a content strategy that defines the topics and verticals you’ll be covering. A clean and easy to navigate site design are critical – make it simple for someone to find your about page, search your site for particular topics and get in touch (ditch the contact forms, please!).

Stand Out of the Crowd: There are a ton of blogs out there! Really focus on building a community before you even think about partnering with brands – interact and connect with your readers to build loyalty and community around your site and platforms. Keep it real and be yourself – don’t be afraid to show some personality! Use your data and analytics to focus on your awesome and lean into what’s working best for you, instead of trying to keep up with everyone else. Don’t be afraid to pull in help and outsource areas where you’re not quite the expert you’d like to be (like site design, photography or development!)

Collectively is also keeping the conversation going from ALT today and hosting #ALTChat on Twitter at 9 AM PT/12 PM ET and we’d love to hear from you! Join us and feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email with any other questions you might have – I’m always happy to help!

P.S. Elle Luna was the closing keynote and she absolutely killed it! I had actually stumbled upon her original article on Medium about should vs. must and immediately pre-ordered her book as soon as she announced it. It’s been on my desk for whenever I need an inspiration pick-me-up and I cannot recommend giving her keynote a listen enough!