LEARN: Amplify Your Message Through Influencer Marketing
Senior Communications Manager Angela Poon and Digital Marketing Manager Sijia Cheng share five tips for pursuing in-kind partnerships with content creators
As arts marketers, it’s common to be tasked with achieving big goals with limited resources. One way of reaching wider audiences with minimal financial investment is by partnering with local influencers to create meaningful content about your show or event. Not only does this approach offer your organization greater access to potential audiences, it also enforces deeper awareness of your brand from a trusted source. Here are a few things to keep in mind when pursuing in-kind partnerships with content creators.
Advocacy Over Advertising: Rather than casting a wide net, research and identify influencers to reach out selectively with sincerity, inviting them as partners in storytelling. For some of the best influencer partnerships we’ve encountered, the creators already love the arts and are eager to support cultural events that reflect their personal values, interests, and community.
Focus on Micro-Influencers for Better Engagement: Micro-influencers – those with fewer than 10k followers – often deliver higher-quality content and drive deeper engagement than their macro counterparts. For arts non-profit organizations rooted in local communities, micro-influencers are especially impactful as they speak directly to their devoted audiences and niche interest groups, which, in the arts, often carries farther than just audience reach.
Design Tailored, Show-Specific Campaigns: Our strongest campaigns are often built around the specific character and audience of each production. For Theatre Under the Stars’ 2025 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, we learned that director Peter Jorgensen co-owns Origins Chocolate Bar with his partner Katey Wright. From there, we designed a VIP chocolate-tasting event for family influencers, giving them a direct, show-related experience to share with their audiences, allowing their content to stand out.
Experience in Exchange for Payment: For content creators who are willing to share about your event in exchange for free tickets and/or admission, it’s your job to ensure they receive a VIP experience through steps such as on-site greeting, complimentary food and beverage, swag bags, extra tickets for friends and/or contesting, and thoughtfully curated visuals to ensure they feel well supported and cared for. They are providing an important service, and their contribution should be recognized at every step of the process.
Set Clear Expectations: At the same time, because there are no contractual agreements exchanged through these friendly, in-kind partnerships, it’s also important you confirm details with your organization’s best interests in mind. Define expectations for deliverables (e.g. in-feed contest, Instagram Stories, etc.) and an agreed upon deadline, to ensure mutual benefits for all parties.
Categories: MPMG