So as I’ve made my way in the blogging scene in LA, I’ve learned a few things over the years. I’ve been very lucky to be invited to some amazing parties, like this one that I recently attended with Pixi Beauty! I have also gotten the chance to attend New York Fashion Week five times now – click here for a super detailed guide on how exactly to get invited to shows and fashion week parties as a blogger! Lots of people have questions on the topic and want to know how to get started in this industry and how to get invited to blogger events as an influencer/create relationships with PR companies, so I thought I would address it in today’s post!

The first thing you should keep in mind is that everything takes time and hard work. You need to establish yourself before you start getting noticed, as in any industry. If you’re already at the point where you have built up a good size social media following, congrats to you because that right there is half of the battle! If you feel confident that you have good engagement and a great content portfolio on Instagram and your blog, and you want to figure out how to get invited to blogger events, you should:

1. Introduce yourself to PR companies

In order to get invited to blogger events, you have to work on building relationships with brands and agencies in your area. The best way to get started doing this is by researching PR companies that are local to you and then sending them an email to introduce yourself. Tell them a little bit about yourself and your brand, and emphasize what you can do for them – it’s good to point out the size of your Instagram following, your average engagement rate, and any other stats you feel would be relevant in convincing them that there is value in working with you. Remember that they’re people too, so even though talking to PR girls can be intimidating when you’re first starting out, keep in mind that they’re just regular girls who probably have the exact same interests as you.

2. Post consistently

Brands and PR agencies that are hosting influencer events are looking for bloggers and content creators who are super consistent and actively uploading new stuff, whether that be to Instagram, to their blog, or ideally both. Being consistent helps to establish you as an expert in your niche who is on top of their game. So make sure you’re posting at the very least once every 2-3 days, and remember that doing so can also help land you on the explore page on Instagram where brands can easily discover your profile!

3. Network and ask friends

If you know at least a few other bloggers, chances are you already have a couple of friends that are connected to the PR agencies and brands in your area, so just start asking around – you never know what will happen. A lot of times the best way to meet contacts is through friends because it really helps to already have someone to introduce you rather than having to break the ice all by yourself! And, if they’re really your friends, they’ll be willing to share their connections and want to help you out and see you do well.

4. Follow brands and agencies on Instagram

Most PR agencies have their own Instagram accounts. Make sure to find them, follow them, and engage with the content that they post. When you start doing that, they’ll most likely check out your profile sooner or later and could potentially add you to their outreach list, which is a great way to get invited to their future events! You can even DM them yourself if you feel like it would be natural and flow well, like if they posted a story you loved that you want to reply to!

5. Use hashtags and geotags

This definitely helps with getting your profile discovered. You should always geotag your posts because PR agencies and brands are always looking through the top content in every city as a way of finding bloggers and influencers to work with, and if you can get discovered this way then things just start to snowball! The same thing goes for hashtags – people will sift through relevant hashtags on Instagram to look for the best content creators in the fashion and beauty niches and then reach out to them!

6. List your contact information in your profile

Most of the time when brands are sifting through blogger profiles, they’re working on a computer and NOT their phone. This is why it’s important to have your email address physically listed in your Instagram bio and not just connected to the “email” button on Instagram! This can help get you a lot more opportunities because you’re essentially just making things easier for PR girls and brands.

7. Sign up for PR newsletters

Sometimes PR agencies will mention upcoming events to their email list and all you have to do is RSVP. Being on email lists is also a great way to keep up with what PR agencies in your area are doing as well as what kinds of bloggers they tend to work with and select for campaigns.

8. Be A Nice Person!

Once you start getting invited to a few events, the best way to get invited back to more is to be a genuinely nice person. Take pictures and videos at the event and share them to your Instagram stories (this is a big reason why you’re there – to generate exposure for the collection/brand/product), and thank the hosts when you leave. This will help you stick out in the minds of others as someone who is gracious and worth inviting to their next event, and will usually ensure that they’ll keep you in mind for future opportunities.

Is there anything that I missed above on how to get invited to blogger events as an  influencer? Let me know in the comments below, or tell me about an amazing blogger event you’ve attended! 🙂 Thank you for reading! If you’re interested, make sure to check out my Instagram, and I would love for you to pin this post on Pinterest if you liked it!

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