Let’s talk about the work behind the paid posts…

Many things in life are simple, but far from easy. Securing consistent highly paid campaigns as a creator is one of those things. There is an art and science behind this, as each person has their own unique voice and style as a creator. As such, we advise to leverage the science of strength in numbers and the art of your own unique voice. As a result, you’ll find it best way to make it in this industry.

Applications take time, and there are so many amazing creators applying, that there’s a chance you’ll only be picked for a fraction of those you apply for. Furthermore, high quality campaigns and payments require high quality applications. It makes sense, as the brand wants to know the creator cares enough about being part of their campaign to take a couple minutes and write up a solid detailed proposal. 

Isn’t it time consuming?

Yes! While only a couple minutes each, a couple minutes per application often puts you on collab apps all day! It’s also discouraging to put in all of this creative effort to write up beautiful detailed proposals, knowing that you may only get a few out of dozens you apply to. As such, be sure to focus on only applying to those that are great fits for your niche.

Brands and agencies that offer the best compensation for your creative work require a lot more effort on your part. This is how they ensure they select the best talent, so put your best foot forward to work with the best! There are advantages and disadvantages of being on platforms. However, a combo of platform work and direct brand partnerships with agencies is the best way to get paid as a content creator. Platforms take out the concern of brands ghosting creators because more use an escrow style system for payment.

Here are our top 30 recommendations for platforms to get campaigns on as an influencer, product photographer, content creator or blogger:

1. Acorn Influence

Comprehensive campaign briefs and requirements are shared upfront with pay rates per account size. The minimum account size seems to be 10k for any campaign, but you may be able to sign up earlier than your 10k mark and see what’s up there. Applications open to qualified accounts require concept submission and a bit of writing/unique campaign-related pitching for each application.

2. Activate Social

Comprehensive campaign briefs and requirements are usually shared up front, some allow pay rate entry, and others have specified pay rates per campaign. Applications open to qualified accounts require concept submission and a bit of unique campaign-related pitches for each application.

3. Apexdrop 

Great for beginners, easy to work with, clear expectations, and easy requirements. This allows the campaigns to feel natural on your feed. Mainly high-value gift campaigns and creative briefs shared upfront. Easy apply, no creative pitch required, just click-through/checkout style campaigns. You can join as an influencer or photographer (if you focus on photography and your account is smaller). Occasional paid collabs pop up, and payment is in the form of gift cards. Notably, they are only an app now, no desktop site is available anymore.

4. Aspire IQ 

Easy to apply, no creative pitches, just click through style campaigns. Combo of paid, commission, and product only. Must have high engagement, but the minimum account size is lower. Once you’re in, you can only put in 5 campaign apps per month until you get high brand reviews. It gives a “suggested” rate for your account to ask for per deliverable, which changes based on your account metrics. Refresh your account connections often to keep this rate up!

5. BzzAgent 

Great for beginners, free product for text reviews but you must be on time. Easy to apply, no creative pitches, just click to apply style campaigns & text reviews. No social posts but they are always happy if you can do one!

6. Clever

Comprehensive campaign briefs and requirements are shared up front, along with a specified pay rate per campaign. Applications open to qualified accounts require concept submission on a form and a bit of writing/unique campaign-related pitching for each application.

7. Cohley 

Comprehensive campaign briefs and requirements are shared up front, with a specified pay rate per campaign. Applications open to qualified accounts require concept submission on a form and a bit of writing/unique campaign-related pitching for each application. It is better for larger followings, as they now charge $15 to apply to be on their platform – so make sure your account meets requirements first!

8. Collabstr

A unique style is where you create shoppable services that brands “order” from you, and you can accept or decline within a specified time frame. They take a percentage of the creator’s pay so set your rate to accommodate the difference. They also have campaigns posted that you can apply for. Great for your user-generated content gigs!

9. Fiverr  

Robust gig marketplace where you create services that brands “order” from you. They take a percentage of the creator’s pay, but you can set your rate to accommodate the difference. They also have campaigns posted that you can apply for, though this is a platform offering all sorts of gigs, you’d need to search content creation, UGC, social media product promotion, influencer, etc. Great for providing your user-generated content gigs!

10. Hashtag Paid  

This platform offers a lot of user-generated content and social collaborations. Plus, last we checked, there’s no minimum account size to join! You set your rates and apply for campaigns.  Pitches are necessary here, your unique idea and custom pay rates must be entered for every campaign. Be aware that with user-generated content, brands can potentially take the content you create and use it however they want. This includes copy that may not align with your voice set as an ad, so make sure you’re ok with that. 

11. Influence.co  

This platform is always full of campaigns, but often they are commission/affiliate or free product campaigns or lower pay. Depending on your goals, it could be great for getting started! Also, always remember that things change all the time, it could get to a point where you find high-paid ones! We don’t think there is a minimum following to join unless it recently changed! Marketplace style platform, brands can message you or invite you to apply, and you can also seek out campaigns.

12. Influencer.com

We’ve heard this is a great platform to be on. The currently required following for the platform is a minimum of 10k to be accepted.

13. Intellifluence 

This platform is always full of campaigns but are often commission/affiliate, free product campaigns, or lower pay. Depending on your goals, it could be a great option for getting started. Also, remember that things change constantly and could get to a point where you find high-paid ones. We don’t think the platform has a required number of minimum followers. This is also a marketplace-style platform, so brands can message you or invite you to apply, and you can also seek out campaigns.

14. IZEA

This platform is a good combo of beginner-friendly and seasoned pro high-paid offerings. Depends on your goals, but it can be great for getting started, We don’t think there is a minimum following to join unless it recently changed. Marketplace style platform, brands can message you or invite you to apply, and you can also seek out campaigns. Pitches/concept submission is required. Don’t forget to compare their rates with our favorite pricing calculator!

15. Linqia

This is a platform to sign up and sync your creator accounts so brands can find you. The platform associates will directly invite you to their campaigns by first an interest form, then a full campaign invite with details to accept or decline. Pay tends to be very good for smaller/medium accounts. The platform seems to be used as a facilitator/CRM but does not have active visible campaigns to apply for, so set it up and wait for email invites. They do tend to be quick turnarounds!

16. Massive Sway 

Comprehensive campaign briefs and requirements are usually shared up front, some allow pay rate entry, and others have specified pay rates per campaign. Applications open to qualified accounts require concept submission and a bit of writing/unique campaign-related pitching for each application.

17. Mavrck  

Easy to sign up / sync your creator accounts here. Brands then find you and directly invite you to their campaigns via the platform as a facilitator/CRM. It does not have active visible campaigns to apply for. Just set it up and wait for email invites, then apply through them. 

18. Obvious.ly 

This is a platform that tends to have good pay and regular campaigns. As a result, if you see one you want to be part of here, jump on it STAT. I think there are a lot of users on here as they sometimes have an application limit. As such, it blocks new applications when they’ve reached the max for a specific campaign. Must have a larger account to join. They have a lot of social post campaigns but sometimes have user-generated content and long-term campaigns.

19. Popular Pays  

This platform is the best mix of beginner-friendly and seasoned pro high paid campaigns. They have UGC & social post options, and many allow you to set your rate when you apply. The gems on here go fast, so check often and apply ASAP! Great for newbies and professionals. Marketplace style platform, brands message you or invite you to apply, you can also seek out campaigns. Pitch/concept submission must be done with each. Lots of travel/hotel collabs post on here!

20. Soapbox Influence  

Must submit a pitch or concept with each application. They pay generally fair rates for mid sized accounts 10k-50k. In the event that they select you, committed campaign managers email you and are quite helpful to keep you on track. When you apply, the precise concept might not always be visible right away. However, if they choose you they share it before you sign the contract. Despite the need for draft approval, in our experience, they are extremely reasonable. We are not sure if they require a certain number of followers.

21. Social Fabric

Each campaign has a specific pay rate per deliverable, and comprehensive campaign briefs up front. Applications are only available to qualified accounts – they don’t come to you if your account is not one of them. Each application requires a proposal and creative campaign-related pitches.

22. Social Native

Comprehensive campaign briefs and requirements shared up front, each campaign has a specified pay rate per deliverable. They are typically pretty low pay based on feedback we have from peers. Applications open to qualified accounts, they aren’t emailed to you if your account doesn’t qualify. Also, applications require no concept submission, just click through to apply.

23. Socialix  

This platform is always full of campaigns, often commission/affiliate or free product campaigns. Based on that, we think it is be great for beginners! There is a minimum size (must have 5,000 on one social platform) to join. Marketplace style platform, brands message you or invite you to apply. You can also seek out campaigns.

24. Spare.io  

A new one for us! This is a platform to sign up and sync your creator accounts so brands can find you and directly invite you to their campaigns via the platform as a facilitator/CRM. It does not have active, visible campaigns to apply for so set it up and wait for email invites. 

25. Statusphere 

This is one to join if you like free products that require posts. There are general requirements to join the “StatusPhere” on the site. They don’t share enough detail to determine if you qualify, so just apply if you want free products for posts. Check it out if you’re a product reviewer or want to get some practice creating without payment. You receive a gifted product in a “Statusbox” and commit to posts in a short time frame. 

26. Quotient  

Comprehensive campaign briefs and requirements are shared up front, each campaign has a specified pay rate per deliverable. Applications open to qualified accounts, they aren’t shown to you if your budget doesn’t qualify. Applications require concept submission and a bit of writing/unique campaign-related pitching for each application.

27. Tomoson 

This platform is always full of campaigns, but can be commission/affiliate/free product campaigns or lower pay. Depends on your goals but it can be great for starting out! Also always keep in mind that things change all the time, it could get to a point where you find high paid ones! We don’t think there is a minimum following to join unless it recently changed! Marketplace style platform, brands can message you or invite you to apply, you can also seek out campaigns.

28. Upfluence  

This is a platform to sign up, sync your creator accounts and subsequently wait for email invites. You sign up so brands later find you to directly invite you to their campaigns, the platform is just a facilitator/CRM. It does not have active, visible campaigns to apply for so set it up and wait. 

29. Upwork

Online gig marketplace with services that users “order” from each other and post. As a result, the platform does take a percentage of the creator’s pay. This isn’t typical of other dedicated creator platforms, but just set your rate to accommodate the difference. They have campaigns posted that you can apply for, though this is a platform offering all sorts of gigs. You need to search content creation, user-generated content, social media product promotion, influencer, etc and find them. Upwork is a great option for your user-generated content gigs!

30. WeSponsored 

This platform is typically full of campaigns, and they’re super easy to apply for, just click-through the selections. Some are commission/affiliate or free product campaigns or have lower pay. This is great when you’re new! If it looks dismal on here, remember platforms change often, so check regularly to find high-paid ones! There is no minimum account size to join WeSponsored. It’s a marketplace style platform, just pick what you apply for and ignore the rest.

Did we miss any legit campaign websites you use and love? Comment below and let the community know where else to look for work! If you have a burning question for the creator community? Ask it here!