Has anyone ever replied to Instagram messages from ‘brand scouts’?

[VinceNoirsShinyBoots]

I get messages and comments all the time from ‘scouts’ for various brands. It’s always something like ‘message (insert name of company) and say I sent you, we want to work with you’.

Has anyone actually replied to these messages or contacted the companies? Did you actually get anything worth having? I’ve always just assumed I’d be given a shit discount code and I’d feel obliged to buy something I didn’t actually want.

I've had a few like that and I block them all.

I block them

I replied with a link to their Trustpilot score.

I didn't get a reply.

My sister did for a bit a few years ago because she had 100k-ish Insta followers - she usually got sent cheap shite clothes that they'd ask for a few photos of, but occasionally she got nice stuff. It was pre #ad and #sponsored though - she wasn't intentionally trying to be an 'influencer', she was just chuffed by the free stuff.

She got bored of Insta and deleted her account eventually, but if you can be bothered to do what they ask (usually X feed posts, X story posts) and tag it as an ad, and you like what they sell, it might be worth following up? I'd say usually it's not, though.

No, because 1. They’ve clearly not looked at my profile if they think I’ll take anything not sustainably and ethically made. 2. I always think why isn’t the brand reaching out itself via email.

If you have 100k plus followers then you can send some decent stuff for free, and just advertise the items to your followers. However there are loads of companies now who will message anyone, regardless of followers, because they just want to give you 10% off and have you buy their items!

Unless you're an "influencer" with a 100k following, it means nothing and I doubt these brands are even real anyway. And real brands wouldn't contact you through insta, unless of course you're a genuine small business which makes sense!

I'm not an influencer but I do a bit of beauty content creating on Instagram.

Ignore those messages, they're a waste of time. If a brand really wants to work with you they will contact you directly.

Also beware of brands offering you a discount on their products in exchange for review etc. They aren't doing you any favours. They're just trying to make a sale.

Legitimate brands will contact you/you contact them and offer to send products in the hope you will promote/review but with no obligation as it's on a gifted basis or offer payment to ensure their product is promoted. This would all have to declared though.

Sorry I know that was all a bit long winded.

Ignored and blocked

I get loads of those, from jewellery to cat bandanas (I don’t have a cat!) and I only have a few thousand followers so presumably it’s a bit of a marketing game, just a way of upping sales by making people feel like they’re an influencer for the sake of 10% off or whatever 🤷🏼‍♀️

Yes, they’re so annoying!

I’ve followed up with it a few times because the first time I got a bot (but a very convincing one) so I was trying to work out if they were all bots. I think the reason you have to message them instead of them messaging you is to trigger the whole bot conversation situation.

Basically you get a code that gives you a small amount off. Or a shitty free item that you definitely don’t want.

Any companies worth working with will contact you directly.

Dh occasionally gets messages from 'influencers' who want freebies. The business is successful enough that he can barely keep up with demand and already has high profile people who are clients and actually pay full price for what he makes and pop it all over tv and instagram. So he just laughs at these CF.