Cohley

Here are a few tips & tricks to make your brief application stand out.

1. Draft a personal application message

Don’t copy and paste your application message across every brief on Cohley. Crafting a unique message for each brand takes time, but your message is far more likely to be read if the brand can tell it was written for them specifically.

Here’s an example of a great application message from a creator who was accepted:

The product in the brief was Magnesium and this creator showed that the product would fit seamlessly into his content. He also mentioned that he’s an athlete, which to a supplement brand makes him stand out.

Versus a message a brand will scroll past — too long, clearly written by AI, and not tied to the brand:

“A little effort goes a long way in the message but if it’s too long I also tend to skim it because we just don’t have time when going through 150-200 other applicants.” — Cohley Brand

Short, specific, and human wins.

2. Upload sample content that matches what the brand needs

Sample content is one of the strongest signals brands look at when reviewing your application. If the brand has included direction in the brief about the kind of sample they’re looking for — testimonial-style, voiceover, lifestyle, speaking to camera — read it first and choose a sample that matches. If they haven’t, pick something that closely fits the brief’s vibe and content type.

A few things to know about sample content:

• You can upload a file (photo or video — MOV is supported for video), OR
• Paste a URL from your authorized Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok account — Cohley validates that the link comes from an account you’ve connected
• Your sample content is the first thing brands evaluate after your message
• It also feeds into your Highlights preview on your Creator Card, so brands browsing creators across briefs may see it too — see Brands see my “highlights” — what is that?

A targeted, relevant sample is far stronger than a generic best-of.

3. Spend time on your portfolio

Every brand reviews your Creator Portfolio after reading your message. You can upload up to 9 assets, so fill it up with examples. Brands want to see a mix of voiceover content, lifestyle content, TikTok trends, and speaking directly to the camera. If the brief is for photo content, include photo examples too.

The more diverse and current your portfolio, the better — Cohley automatically surfaces your best-matching portfolio piece per brief, so variety means your strongest relevant work shows up. See My Portfolio.