How We Work: Who Selects Influencers for Projects?

If you've worked on a project with Obviously before, you know that there are a couple steps to being selected for a project. First, Obviously will reach out with an invitation and you can opt in to applying for a project. However, not everyone to is invited to apply will ultimately be selected for a project.  This can be confusing, especially for influencers who are new to the platform. I am sometimes asked "Why did you invite me to a project if you were just going to reject me?"  I promise, that is not the way it works around here.  So, in the interest of full transparency, I want to clarify how our application process works and how these decisions are ultimately made.

As explained in this post, not every influencer is qualified for every project.  Obviously believes in carefully targeting projects to coincide with an influencer's particular niche and their audience's interests.  Additionally, brands are often interested in dividing up their projects by region, aesthetic, or any number of factors.  So even if you are a great match for the brand in terms of your interests and your followers, you still might not be perfect for every project with them.  This is also true for influencers who have worked with a brand in the past, either with us or outside our platform.  You may have been great for a previous project, but not necessarily for this one- and that's okay! There are almost always multiple opportunities to get involved with a particular brand. If we send you an email invitation, it means that you fit all the requirements not only for the brand but also for this project. From here, we want to know if you'd be interested in the collaboration.

This is your opportunity to evaluate the ask and the reward and decide if the project is a good fit for you.  We're always open about the requirements up front, because we understand that everyone is in a different place and has different needs.  If you're interested, you are placed on a list for consideration by the brand. It's our job to present the brand with strong, qualified candidates that are excited to work on the project.  Just as you have the option of whether or not to participate in a collaboration, the brand has options about which influencers they want to collaborate with this time around. Ultimately, the brand has the final say about who they want to include on a particular project.

The good news is that we work with the same brands over and over, so not being selected for a particular project in no may means who will never work with that brand. They might simply have thought you would be a better fit for a later project.  You can find more information about what happens if you're not selected for a project here.

So, in summary, the brand decides who is selected for a particular project, but we are here to advocate for both you and them, in the hopes of creating the ideal partnership for both of you.  An invitation from us means you are qualified, but you still have to be selected before you are placed on a project.  

If you see or hear about a project on our platform that you think you might be qualified for but haven't been invited to, it is most likely because there are specific requirements in terms of region or niche that we are looking for.  However, there's no harm in reaching about and inquiring about the requirements for a specific project.  (Side note: its truly not all about the number of followers you have. Don't get scammed into buying followers!)

I hope that clears up some questions. As always, feel free to reach out! We're here to help.

Emilys@obvious.ly