How I Landed My First LinkedIn Brand Partnership (and How You Can Too)

I’ve written plenty about how creators can monetize their social media — from general to platform-specific advice.

But a few months ago, I decided it was time to stop just talking about it and actually put my theories to the test — starting with LinkedIn.

Honestly, I had no clue if sponsored content would even work on LinkedIn — or if brands would care. So, I decided to find out publicly, and my community immediately responded with helpful feedback.

However, I wouldn’t take any meaningful action until January of 2025, with what I called my #LinkedIncome Journey. I shared my goal to make $20,000 in 2025 from LinkedIn brand partnerships, and within two weeks, I got my first official LinkedIn brand partnership. It was a huge win, but more importantly, it showed me exactly what works (and what doesn't).

I learned firsthand from trial and error, insightful conversations with established LinkedIn creators, and in-depth discussions with brand experts and influencer marketing agency pros.

Now, I'm sharing everything I wish someone had told me at the beginning.

In this article, you'll get a transparent, behind-the-scenes look at:

• Exactly how I landed my first LinkedIn brand partnership (even with zero prior sponsored content experience).
• Step-by-step guidance informed by seasoned creators who've successfully monetized LinkedIn.
• Practical insights from the brands and agencies actively looking for creators on LinkedIn right now.

Ready to turn your LinkedIn into a meaningful revenue stream? Let's dive in.

Let me start by saying this: LinkedIn was literally the first platform I ever monetized.

Until this experiment, I’d never made money from sponsored posts or brand partnerships — not on Instagram, TikTok, or anywhere else. So when I decided to try monetizing my LinkedIn content, I didn’t have anything: no media kit, no portfolio of past deals, and definitely no idea what to charge.

But what I did have was existing content and a newfound love of video. I’d already been talking openly about products and tools I genuinely loved without being paid for it. So when I got my first partnership, it felt inevitable. Here’s how it happened:

I shared an organic shoutout about Spiral, a tool I genuinely enjoyed. When they reached out for feedback, I proactively proposed a sponsored post — and secured my first deal.

Instead of simply replying with the feedback and calling it a day, I decided to take a risk. I sent them my honest insights, then added a simple but direct question at the end: "Would you be interested in partnering with me for a sponsored LinkedIn post?" Hitting send on that email felt nerve-wracking, but the response was quick and positive.

We transparently discussed deliverables, timelines, and compensation. It helped me clarify our audience overlap and why the brand would benefit from partnering with me. We quickly landed on a deal that worked for both sides.

Just like that, my first LinkedIn brand partnership was locked in — and it all started with one authentic, unpaid post and a simple email follow-up.

So what’s the lesson here?

You don’t need experience to start — genuine, organic content about products you already use is powerful. Since I got my first partnership, I’ve created a media kit, gotten paid, and secured two more.

Now that you've seen exactly how I landed my first brand deal, let’s break down the process into clear, practical steps that anyone (including you!) can replicate.

Whether you've never monetized your content before (like me!) or you're just new to LinkedIn partnerships specifically, these steps will set you up for success.

It all starts here.

There are two sides to this: Audiences scroll past creators who aren't crystal clear about who they're speaking to — so will brands.

Even without a large follower count, the clearer your positioning, the more likely brands are to quickly identify you as a good match — and vice versa.

“More brands are opening up to the idea of working with smaller creators (10-20k followers) to reach a much more targeted audience,” shared Tara Knight, Head of Operations at Creator Match.

This approach aligns with what I’ve heard from creators who’ve successfully monetized their LinkedIn. Jayde I. Powell, Social Strategist & Content Creator, told me she’s highly selective about brand partnerships precisely because her niche is clear:

“Relevance to my audience is one of the key factors in my decision-making when deciding whether I will partner with a brand or not. I have turned down many offers because I’m protective of the community I’ve built.”

When I started, I didn’t try to speak to everyone. Instead, I focused clearly on creating content about content creation, personal branding, and remote work in video format — an approach that naturally aligned with my career and personal experiences. This clarity makes it easy for me to develop post ideas and recommend tools and products.

Here are some practical actions you can take today:

• Clearly state your niche in your LinkedIn headline and bio. Instead of vague titles and keywords, say something like “Content Strategist helping creators monetize LinkedIn” or “Personal Branding Advisor for remote professionals.” Here’s mine:

• Regularly create content focused on specific topics within your niche (at least once a week).
• Pay attention to audience feedback — double down on content that resonates.

I worried about narrowing things down too much at first, but clarity is exactly what brands (and audiences) love.

As a LinkedIn creator, your LinkedIn profile is no longer a resume — it’s your pitch to potential brand partners.

As Sarah Adam, Head of Partnerships & Influencer Marketing at Wix, shared, "When looking for influencers on LinkedIn, the influencer’s title and profession are really important, as they must align with the target audience and brief. Other metrics like average impressions per post, engagement rates, and post frequency are also very important."

Don't stretch your numbers — brands have tools (like Creator Match's Chrome extension) to quickly verify your stats anyway.

However, that only goes so far — LinkedIn search is not yet marketing-friendly, as AJ Eckstein, founder of Creator Match, highlighted, saying, “LinkedIn just isn’t built for creator marketing. Unlike Instagram or TikTok, there’s no marketplace, no standardized pricing, no real tools to help brands connect with the right creators... Because of this, brands are guessing which creators to work with.”

This means your LinkedIn profile needs to do extra work — it has to clearly showcase your niche, your credibility, and exactly how brands can reach you.

Ifeoluwa Akinyemi, Campaign Assistant at Creatorbuzz, pointed out how frustrating hidden contact details can be for agencies trying to find creators: “Having your email on your profile is such [an] issue. Every single time, I’m like, ‘I found this person,’ but they won't reply to LinkedIn messages fast enough. If I have your email, it’s so easy. You should always have your email there.”

Here are some more tips to quickly optimize your profile:

• Put a professional email address prominently in your LinkedIn contact info or About section. If you don’t want a flood of messages in your inbox, set up a separate account just for this.
• Add clear examples of your best-performing content to the "Featured" section. This is a quick portfolio for potential sponsors.
• Your "About" section should clearly state who your audience is, what topics you cover, and why your content resonates.

Pretend you’re a busy brand manager quickly scanning your profile. Can they immediately see who you serve, why you're credible, and how to contact you? If not, adjust accordingly.

Brands don’t just want exposure — they want authenticity. The best partnerships happen when sponsored content feels as natural as your regular posts.

AJ Eckstein explained this perfectly, saying, “The best brand partnerships on LinkedIn don’t feel like ads — they feel like a typical post from that creator.”

If your content suddenly feels forced or overly promotional, your audience (and brands) will notice. Sarah Adam emphasized the balance of branding and authenticity: "The content should be on brand for the creator, not on brand for the brand."

When talking about brands, I don’t change my content style — and I won’t lie and say that I’ve used a product when I haven’t.

Lindsey Gamble, a newsletter writer and LinkedIn creator, says, “I see paid partnerships as integrations rather than ads. I structure my content similarly to my organic posts. Instead of just promoting a product, I focus on why it matters and how it genuinely fits within my usual content style.

Since I started my brand partnership journey, I have followed this checklist to decide whether to partner with a brand:

• Does the post sound like something I'd naturally share, even without the brand deal?
• Is my storytelling clear, relatable, and genuinely reflective of your personal experience?
• Will my audience genuinely find this valuable, beyond just learning about a product?

This helps me say no more easily (even when it hurts). To keep the balance of sponsored and your regular content, create as if it's not sponsored. Aim for content you’d naturally post anyway, then integrate the sponsored element authentically.

Always prioritize your relationship with your audience over any short-term deal. Authenticity today secures better partnerships tomorrow.

You could wait for brands to come knocking, but you’ll land way more deals if you knock first. In fact, Tara Knight points out something surprising:

"You'd be shocked how few creators actually reach out proactively. Brands are usually thrilled when a creator makes the first move, especially if they're genuinely familiar with the product already."

On the other side, Lloyd George, an experienced LinkedIn creator, shared this insight from his success with this approach: "The quickest way to get a partnership is to find brands you've already mentioned organically and directly reach out. Offer them concrete ways your audience aligns with their goals."

This is exactly how I landed my first two LinkedIn brand partnerships. Hitting send was nerve-wracking, but the payoff was immediate — a clear, enthusiastic "yes.”

Here’s how to proactively pitch (without being pushy):

• Identify brands you genuinely like and already talk about organically.
• Start with simple outreach — email or LinkedIn messages clearly explaining why your audience aligns with their brand, plus ideas for how you can collaborate.
• Keep your pitch casual, conversational, and clearly focused on mutual value.

Take the initiative today. Pick one brand you’ve mentioned organically, and reach out with a simple DM. You might just land your first (or next!) partnership faster than you think.

Negotiation can feel awkward — especially when you're new to brand partnerships and worried about losing an opportunity. But here’s a reassuring truth: Most brands actually expect you to negotiate.

Jayde Powell has a simple, effective approach. "I always operate under the assumption that I can get more than the original offer. 80% of the time, when I ask if there’s room for a bigger budget, there is.”

She also shared what she does if a brand’s budget is genuinely tight: "If brands can’t increase their rate, I may ask for a six-month or year-long subscription to their service, or a discount on their product, depending on how expensive it is."

Personally, when I negotiated my first brand deal, I had one goal in mind: to fill up my portfolio. Although I would have appreciated the big bucks on my first-ever partnership, I was more focused on the benefits that flexibility with pricing would get me, like longer-term partnerships down the line, plus what was effectively a paid announcement that I was serious about partnerships.

Here are some practical negotiation tips for your first LinkedIn brand partnership:

• Even if the initial offer is good, politely ask if there’s flexibility. It’s often built into the initial proposal.
• If the brand's budget is limited, propose alternatives such as longer subscriptions, product samples, affiliate commissions, or other creative perks.
• Know your absolute bottom line before you negotiate. It helps you approach negotiations more confidently.
• Play around with pricing for different formats. If your rate for a video feels too high for the brand, offer a text post or carousel instead (which might take less effort and still deliver great results).

Now that I’m three partnerships in, I’ve refined my approach to negotiation and have been able to ask for more based on past success. I’ve also shifted my focus to brands I can see myself collaborating with long-term. Brendan Gahan, founder of Creator Authority, shared why long-term thinking benefits both creators and brands:

“Long-term is best for all parties involved: creators preserve their credibility, brands secure better rates and benefit from economies of scale, and the process becomes more efficient.”

When negotiating, mentioning your openness to a longer-term relationship can be an attractive incentive to brands. It can help you secure better terms, increased credibility, and ongoing income stability.

Your first partnership is exciting, but brands really notice the small things — like quick responses, hitting deadlines, and being easy to work with.

Sarah Adam explained how crucial this professionalism is for repeat partnerships. "Beyond content quality, professionalism is key. If influencers miss deadlines, don’t adhere to briefs, or are unresponsive, it affects our likelihood of partnering again in the future."

AJ Eckstein reinforced this idea from the agency perspective: "Professionalism is critical. We’re always more inclined to return to creators who communicate clearly, meet their deadlines, and genuinely seem invested in the success of the campaign."

When I secured my first LinkedIn brand partnership, I made a deliberate effort to impress the brand not just through great content but also by being easy and professional to work with. I responded quickly to emails, clearly clarified expectations upfront, delivered exactly what I promised (plus a little extra), and proactively shared the results.

Here's exactly how you can make sure your professionalism shines through on your first brand deal:

• Confirm deliverables, timelines, approvals, and payment terms clearly before starting any content.
• Respond to all communications (emails or LinkedIn messages) within 24-48 hours — even if it's just to acknowledge receipt and let them know when you’ll reply fully.
• Follow the agreed-upon brief closely, but don’t be afraid to politely suggest ideas based on your knowledge of your audience. Brands usually appreciate thoughtful input.
• Always deliver on time (or even slightly early). If there’s an issue, communicate proactively — never leave a brand guessing.
• After posting, immediately track and share engagement metrics, key insights, and audience feedback. Brands appreciate creators who clearly demonstrate the value of their content.

Treat each partnership like it's the start of a long-term relationship — because often, it is. Great execution builds trust, and trust turns one-off projects into ongoing opportunities.

Every successful brand partnership you secure is an opportunity to attract the next one. How? By clearly showcasing the impact of your content and proactively highlighting your successes to other potential brands.

Gigi Robinson, a Creator Economy Expert & Speaker, emphasized the power of clearly documenting your wins: "Always have a clear record of your past collaborations—brands want tangible evidence that you can deliver. Showing clear results makes your future pitches far more compelling."

Lloyd George agrees, pointing out that leveraging initial wins is a powerful way to build momentum. "Create early examples — even if initially smaller — to prove your value clearly. Those examples become your foundation for negotiating bigger deals down the road."

When I landed my first LinkedIn brand partnership, I didn't keep quiet about it. Instead, I proactively shared the results of that partnership publicly on LinkedIn – getting me even more content and views on the original post. This immediately put me on the radar of other brands and agencies who quickly saw the potential in working together.

Here’s exactly how you can practically use your successes:

• Summarize your sponsored content results clearly (impressions, engagement rates, and audience feedback). Even a simple PDF or slide can become a valuable asset in future pitches.
• Share brief posts publicly on LinkedIn, celebrating successful partnerships and clearly showing your results (always get the brand’s permission first). This signals to other brands that you're open and effective at sponsored content.
• Include recent sponsored post examples and performance metrics. A current, clear, and detailed media kit makes your future pitches irresistible.
• Every new outreach should reference recent partnership successes and metrics — brands love seeing proven results.

Never assume brands will automatically see your value. Proactively showcasing your partnership results makes securing your next brand deal much easier.

Securing brand partnerships on LinkedIn gets easier over time — but only if you know how to avoid the common pitfalls that trip up even experienced creators.

Here are the biggest mistakes creators make, directly from the experts who've seen them firsthand (and practical tips to avoid them):

1. Ignoring clear red flags about brand alignment: Jayde Powell learned this early: “Early on, I made the mistake of partnering with brands that weren't aligned with my audience. Those posts rarely performed well, and worse, risked eroding my audience’s trust.” Always ask yourself if your audience genuinely aligns with the brand’s values before saying yes.

2. Poor communication (slow responses, unclear expectations): Sarah Adam from Wix explained: “Lack of clear communication, slow responses, or missing deadlines significantly impacts whether we work with a creator again. Professionalism matters just as much as the quality of content.” Always respond quickly, clearly define expectations upfront, and proactively communicate.

3. Focusing only on follower counts or chasing virality: Brendan Gahan shared: “Follower counts are becoming less relevant. Brands today care more about engagement quality, relevance, and niche credibility.” Prioritize content quality and engagement — numbers alone won't impress brands.

4. Undervaluing yourself (or failing to negotiate): Lindsey Gamble warned: “I once proposed more content than I was compensated for just to secure the partnership. It closed the deal, but I unintentionally set a low precedent. Be careful about offering too much early on—you don’t want to undervalue your work long-term.”

5. Not clearly documenting or showcasing your success: Gigi Robinson emphasized: “Brands want tangible evidence you deliver results. Without clearly documented case studies or media kits, you’re making future negotiations much harder.” Summarize your sponsored post results and keep an updated, easy-to-share media kit.

Brand partnerships on LinkedIn are evolving at lightning speed. From my experience and conversations with creators, brand leaders, and influencer marketing pros, here are three clear trends shaping successful brand partnerships in 2025 (and beyond).

1. Brands are seriously investing in LinkedIn creators: The momentum is only increasing, and AJ Eckstein has seen this shift clearly: “We’re seeing budgets increase significantly for LinkedIn influencer marketing. Brands are realizing the quality of engagement and the audience's buying power here.”

2. Video is becoming a must-have format on LinkedIn: Brands are increasingly prioritizing creators who produce compelling video content. Lindsey Gamble shared, “…video content has been a strong negotiation lever…As LinkedIn has pushed video more, I’ve increased my video efforts, both to align with the algorithm and to offer sponsored video content for those brands that want that type of content for their partnerships.”

3. Long-term partnerships matter more than ever: Brands aren't just looking for one-off promotions anymore—they want sustained, authentic relationships with creators. Sarah Adam at Wix summed up this shift clearly: “We’re prioritizing long-term relationships because it creates more authentic connections with the audience, builds trust, and leads to significantly better results.”

As for me, I’m firmly seated on the train as I send in my third video for a LinkedIn brand partnership today and three more pitches this week. Things are picking up for me, and I’ll continue to collect knowledge and gain experience to share with you.

If you’re looking to monetize your LinkedIn, here’s a challenge for you: take one step today.

I started this journey publicly — and transparently — to see what was possible. Now it's your turn. Here's your challenge:

• Today: Clarify your niche and update your profile to make your focus crystal clear.
• This week: Reach out proactively to at least one brand you've already talked about organically.
• Next month: Share your progress publicly on LinkedIn — and tag me. I'd love to celebrate your wins or offer any help I can.

The question isn't whether creators can monetize LinkedIn anymore — it's simply whether you'll take the first step.