Keeping it Real: How to Make Your #ADs Authentic

Let’s keep it real: you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your voice—or your audience’s trust—for a brand deal.

In fact, the most successful sponsored posts don’t feel like ads at all. They feel like you.

Authenticity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the secret to long-term growth, better partnerships, and a deeper connection with your audience. When your content stays true to your tone, your style, and your people, everyone wins: you, the brand, and the audience you're speaking to.

Here’s how to keep your #ADs authentic while still hitting the brief (and the bank).

1. Choose Brand Partnerships That Make Sense for You

Before saying “yes” to a collab, ask yourself:

• Does this product fit naturally into my lifestyle or content?

• Will my audience find this useful, interesting, or entertaining?

• Is this something I’d genuinely recommend—even off-camera?

The best brand deals feel aligned with who you are and what you already post. That doesn’t mean every collab has to be on-brand perfection—but it should never feel like a reach. Your followers know you. If something feels off, they’ll feel it too.

👉 Pro tip: Stepping slightly outside your niche can still work—if you find a real connection between the product and your passions.

2. Blend Paid and Organic Content

Say it with us: consistency > campaigns.

If your audience only hears from you when there’s a #spon involved, it starts to feel transactional. That doesn’t mean you can’t do frequent paid work—it just means your feed should reflect you first, not just the brands paying you.

Try this:

• Keep up your usual rhythm of organic posts

• Use your sponsored content to expand on themes you’re already known for

• Treat your partnerships as part of your brand—not a break from it

And remember, quality beats quantity every time. One great, on-brand partnership can outperform five generic ones.

3. Make the Brand Fit Your Voice (Not the Other Way Around)

Your tone. Your aesthetic. Your audience.

When you bring all three into a sponsored post, it doesn’t feel like an ad—it feels like you being you, with a product in the mix.

How to do it:

• Plug the product into formats that already perform well for you (like GRWMs, “day in the life,” or your signature series)

• Use your natural voice—not brand speak

• Build content around a story, a moment, or a feeling, not a pitch

Need inspiration?

Looking for examples of creators who nailed the balance between brand goals and staying true to their own vibe? Here are a couple standouts from our community:

May x OLIPOP
May is known for joyful, high-energy dance content—and she didn’t change a thing when she partnered with OLIPOP. Instead of stepping outside her style, she wove the product into her usual flow. Think: colorful sets, playful transitions, and a can of OLIPOP making a cameo mid-move. It didn’t just perform—it felt like it belonged. Her audience loved it, the brand got standout engagement, and the content stayed 100% May.

Hunter + Hannah x Heineken
This duo has built a following around lighthearted, well-produced lifestyle storytelling—and their Heineken collab didn’t skip a beat. Rather than doing a straight product plug, they created a narrative-driven post that felt like a continuation of their usual content: playful, real, and beautifully shot. Heineken fit into the moment—not the other way around. That kind of seamless integration is what keeps audiences engaged and brands coming back.

4. Share, Don’t Sell

The most authentic creators don’t sell the product. They share why it matters to them.

The best branded content feels like:

• A recommendation to a friend

• A peek into your routine

• A behind-the-scenes look at what you're using or loving

Want proof?

• Mika used the “Girl Math” trend to make a Huggies collab feel personal, relatable, and hilarious

• Ashton Hall turned his “morning routine” viral moment into organic-feeling UGC for Saratoga Spring Water—without missing a beat

If you lead with storytelling, not selling, your #AD becomes something people want to watch—not skip.

Authenticity Pays Off

When your content feels real, people pay attention. When it connects, they engage. And when it converts, brands notice.

Authentic sponsored content leads to:

• Higher engagement

• Stronger long-term partnerships

• More creative freedom

• And a reputation that gets you rebooked

Want More Collabs That Actually Fit?

Our Creator Suite was built for creators like you—people who want partnerships that feel aligned, not forced. We connect you with brands who want to work with real people, not cookie-cutter influencers.

If you're ready to collaborate on content that performs and stays true to who you are: