It’s a misconception that PR people only care about follower count. Yes, reach is important but connecting with their target audience is the priority, and that means working with the right ‘messenger’. Real decision-making influence comes from trust, no matter the size.
A viral post might generate millions of views, but how well do those viewers listen to you? How much do they trust you? Do they return to your content for more information?. You can’t bet on virality, or how the platforms will position your work. That’s why PR pros prefer a partner with staying power: someone consistent who has created a strong foundation no matter what platforms they’re on.
Here are a few things PR professionals notice long before they ever send a pitch.
Build a Brand That Can Grow With You
When choosing your creator name, social handles, website and overall identity, think beyond today’s platform.
Will your name still make sense five years from now? Does it sound professional enough for a tourism board, luxury hotel, or global brand to proudly feature?
Trends come and go. A recognizable personal brand lasts much longer. Many times people choose names that are just ‘not safe for the uptight corporate world.’ And that just won’t fly with the higher-up decision makers.
Some names are playful and memorable, while still feeling professional enough to grow with you. Others can unintentionally limit the opportunities that come your way.
For example, names like The Points Guy, Nomadic Matt, The Blonde Abroad, Expert Vagabond, or The Everywhereist are distinctive, easy to remember, and have grown into respected brands. They have personality without feeling tied to a fleeting internet trend.
On the other hand, handles built around inside jokes, slang, profanity, or phrases like @drunkbackpacker, @hotmessnomad, @winegirl69 or @chaosandcocktails may attract an audience, but they can make it harder for PR professionals to confidently recommend you to luxury brands, destinations or executive teams. Likewise, names built around a specific platform or trend, such as TikTokTravelGirl or ReelsWithRyan, can quickly feel dated or not as relevant as platforms change.
The goal isn’t to sound overly corporate. It’s to choose a name that’s memorable, personal and flexible enough to grow with your career.
Be Consistent
Everyone is searching for the viral moment, but lasting careers are built through consistency.
Algorithms change constantly. Platforms rise and fall. The one thing completely within your control is continuing to show up with thoughtful, reliable content that serves your audience.
Trust signals show up in your comment section, reshares, saves and thoughtful questions that you continuously take the time to answer. There are always highs and lows on content, however, the engagement is visible across posts. While reviewing a creator, I spend more time evaluating the comment section. Likes are passive. Genuine conversations seeking your advice, and sharing their own experience shows people trust your recommendations.
If something isn’t visible like emails from your audience, DM’s or shares a brand might not see, screen grab those, and track it in your media kit. Stories on Instagram that disappear and stats only visible to the creator make it harder for brands to see that value. Make sure to share that and link to your case studies in your bio or share when discussing a collaboration. It can help shape the best way to partner based on the way people engage.
As a great example, we hired a NCC Alumni to talk about a rental car client. She did a mix of inspiration for traveling to Costa Rica and service style content that was practical advice for solo travelers and explaining the nuance of renting in the country since that is a large growing market for the client and destination. She received real questions, engagement and bookings as a result. A brand could never produce that kind of content on its own and gain that kind of response or trust.
Why PR Needs Creators
One of the first things I evaluate is whether a creator’s audience aligns with my client’s goals.
While PR and marketing work closely together, they’re often measured differently. Marketing may be focused on sales, affiliate revenue or conversions. PR is typically looking at awareness, credibility, positive brand sentiment, qualified traffic and helping shape the conversation around a brand through trusted third-party voices.
Creators have become an essential part of that strategy and extension of the PR AND marketing department, just in slightly different ways.
Most brands don’t have an in-house TikTok personality or Instagram storyteller, and honestly, they shouldn’t. Their job is to protect the brand, communicate accurately and maintain a consistent voice, not become online entertainers.
The best creators take a brand’s key messages and translate them into content that feels natural for the platform. They know how to tell a story, educate their audience, answer real questions and create something people actually want to watch, save and share.
Creators also help brands produce approachable, shareable content without the time, cost, and layers of approval that often come with producing everything in-house. The amount of internal brand bureaucracy and legal red tape that comes with brand created content will make your head spin sometimes. By the time it’s gone through all that, the content is drier than white toast or like watching paint dry, while having cost a fortune.
A recommendation from a trusted creator will almost always feel more relatable than a polished corporate post because it comes from someone whose audience has already chosen to listen.
Partnerships are Business
The creators who are easiest to hire are often the easiest to work with. Everyone wants to work with people they like. They also want to work with people that solve a problem for the company, and communicate efficiently
That means:
- Respond professionally and promptly. Call people back and reply to emails that interest you as if you’d reply to a business or respected elder – even if you are friendly with the person who sent the correspondence. Make sure to address any questions to limit back and forth communication, while offering clarity on how to work with you. Immediately share your media kit and ‘how to work with you’ page if you have it.
- Clearly outline your value, deliverables and timelines.
- Meet deadlines.
- Communicate if something changes.
- Deliver exactly what was agreed upon or exceed expectations. There is always room for negotiation or explaining why the deliverables should be adjusted based on what you know about the platform or the goals they shared. But do that prior to a signed agreement.
Reliability is remembered. Always do what you say you’re going to do.
Make It Easy to Say Yes
A professional media kit can be a really great first impression.
Include your audience demographics and personas, examples of previous partnerships, engagement metrics, testimonials if available, and links to standout work.
When pitching brands or replying to opportunities, personalize your outreach. Show you’ve researched the company and explain why your audience is a strong fit instead of sending a generic template.
Sometimes suggesting a quick introductory call is the fastest way to build a genuine relationship. Brand people will share more by phone, you can hear their tone, and you’ll be able to ask questions to get to the core of their goals. Many times, PR people aren’t given the paid media budget the marketing department has, so we have to justify and make the case with your help. It can be an education process depending on how big or small the brand you’re trying to work with. Not all come with their own departments or one internal sales, marketing, communications blended role.
Build Credibility Beyond Social Media
The strongest creators don’t rely solely on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube.
They contribute to respected publications, appear on podcasts, speak at conferences, contribute to panels and become quoted experts in the media. That takes a lot of time, hard earned relationships and work. It will pay dividends if you dedicate a few hours a week to it. Always be present on your industry platforms, media databases, and business networking platforms, especially LinkedIn.
Make sure to have a website which will serve as your ‘storefront’. It’s a place to house your media kit, ‘how to work with you,’ your mission statement, citing sources and repurpose content. When brands share a creator profile internally and c-suite to evaluate, they’d prefer to send a website that shows a great overview, and not to a platform that requires them to open an app they don’t have or desktop friendly as that’s where most are conducting their business audits, not by mobile. So do your best to work within that corporate framework.
Follow and engage the brands and decision makers across platforms, so your name will come into their feed and they’ll take notice.
Every appearance reinforces your authority and gives PR professionals more confidence introducing you to clients as well as remaining top of mind when a perfect project comes up.
Invest in Relationships
Social media is important, but relationships are still built in person.
Attend conferences, networking events, trade shows, creator summits, and industry gatherings whenever possible. Attending a lot of events can be expensive so ask for a media pass, and look to which will provide the best networking ROI.
Many of the best partnerships begin with a conversation over coffee rather than a direct message.
Likewise, collaborate with other creators whose work you genuinely admire and have a good reputation. The strongest communities tend to elevate one another rather than compete. Reciprocate that kindness and support. Again, always do what you say you will do. Nothing worse than someone who is all talk.
Protect Your Reputation
Your online presence is part of your professional reputation.
Brands aren’t just reviewing your recent posts. They’re evaluating whether you’re someone they’d feel comfortable representing their business or put their CEO in a campaign with you.
Think carefully before posting something that could undermine the trust you’ve worked so hard to earn. A quick unprofessional rant can really ruin what you’ve built. Also people using their following to shame brands into doing what they want will be met with silence, and chatter among all PR people. You’re the hot potato no one wants to touch or put their business on the line to engage. You won’t see it, but you will have quietly cancelled yourself from brand deals behind closed doors. PR people don’t air dirty laundry out online, ever.
At the end of the day, PR professionals aren’t simply hiring creators to generate impressions. They’re looking for partners who represent their clients well, communicate professionally, and have earned the confidence of their audience.
Algorithms will continue to evolve, and new platforms will emerge. But trust, consistency, professionalism and genuine relationships never go out of style.
Those are the qualities that futureproof a creator’s career that PR people want to hire and work with again and again.
With over 17 years of experience in travel PR and as founder of Trip Whisperer, Jessica Parker (she/her) works across the full spectrum of the industry from airlines and hotel brands to tour operators and tourism boards. Her expertise spans influencer relations, brand partnerships, and innovative campaigns that bring destinations and experiences to life. A decade ago, she launched Trip Whisperer, blending a passion for storytelling with strategic advisory services.