Growing your brand can feel like an uphill battle, but the rise of influencer marketing offers a brilliant opportunity to give your efforts an extra boost. Connecting with the right influencer for your brand can be a powerful way to get the message out there and create meaningful connections with your customers.
Luckily, modern technology has made it easier than ever to find, contact, and collaborate with influencers on campaigns that will have a huge impact on your business. But how to find influencers for your brand? Fear not; we’ve compiled a list of the 7 best ways to find influencers to help take your brand to the next level. Read on to learn more!
Who is an Influencer?
Before we dive into how to find the right influencers, let’s first make sure we understand who an influencer is.
An influencer is an individual with a large online following and a high degree of expertise in their domain. They have the power to influence the opinions and actions of others, particularly regarding purchasing decisions (or other desired behaviors).
Influencers typically work within specific niches, such as fashion, beauty, lifestyle, or technology, allowing them to become trusted resources and thought leaders in their field.
They are often compensated for the work they do in the form of money or free products, but they can also be motivated by simply having a platform to share their thoughts and experiences. Regardless of how you choose to collaborate with an influencer, working with them can provide a valuable boost to your brand awareness and customer loyalty.
It’s no surprise that social media marketing through influencers has become increasingly popular in recent years. The market grew to $9.7 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach over 16 billion dollars this year. It’s clear that companies recognize the power of partnering with influential figures, and influencer-related businesses grew by 26% worldwide in 2021.
How to Distinguish an Influencer from a Celebrity?
Now that you know what an influencer is, it’s important to distinguish them from celebrities. While both can have a large following and influence purchase decisions, they differ in key ways:
- Celebrities may have much larger followings, as they are typically famous for multiple reasons (e.g., appearing on television, film, or music). Influencers usually focus on one specific topic area and cultivate a smaller but more engaged audience.
- Influencers are often more accessible to the public, meaning they are more likely to engage with their followers regularly. They also have stronger bonds with their audiences, as they can provide insights into how they live and work that celebrities may not be able to do.
- Celebrity endorsements are typically associated with an established brand or product. Influencers, on the other hand, often partner with smaller companies or start-ups to help raise awareness and trust in their brand.
What are the Benefits of Hiring an Influencer?
Now that we understand the differences between influencers and celebrities let’s take a look at some of the benefits of working with an influencer.
They Shape the Opinions of People and Build Credibility
Influencers can greatly impact people’s opinions of your business or product. Through personal promotion and storytelling, they create an emotional connection between the audience and their brand. This allows them to build trust in their followers by spreading positive messages about your company.
They Gather a Trusted Community
Influencers have the power to connect with and build a large, engaged community. They can use various strategies to attract followers with similar interests in your brand. This makes it easier for you to reach out to potential customers more effectively and efficiently. You can also use their platform to announce new products and special offers, and discounts.
They Drive Purchases Decisions
When customers are exposed to a product or service through an influencer, they are more likely to make a purchase. This is because consumers trust influencers over traditional advertising methods. Influencers can also develop relationships with their followers and ensure that the products they promote align with their audience’s values and interests.
7 Ways How to Find an Influencer to Promote your Brand or Product
1. Influencer Marketing Platforms
An influencer marketing platform is a tool used to find, research, and connect with influencers. These platforms are a great way for brands to discover influencers who match their target audience and the products or services they want to promote.
Influencers usually use these platforms to find brands looking for an influencer partnership. These tools provide detailed filters and search features to make it easier for brands to find the right influencers.
Influencify is one such platform that makes it easy to find the right influencer for your brand. This influencer marketplace offers an extensive database of influencers across multiple industries, as well as sophisticated filtering and search options to help you quickly find the right one for your needs. This influencer marketing tool can be the easiest and most time-efficient way to locate and hire an influencer.
2. Search Among your Current Followers
If you already have a large following, you may already have influencers in your community. Take the time to analyze your followers and look for those who show passion and enthusiasm for your brand and products. These users can be an ideal source of ambassadors for your company.
You can also monitor the conversations and content being shared by your followers to identify potential influencers. This is a great way to reach out to them directly and start building relationships with them. This approach also helps to ensure you are finding genuine influencers who are passionate about your brand and products.
3. Scan your Competitors’
It’s also worth taking a look at the influencers your competitors are working with. This can give you an idea of who to target in order to reach your desired audience. Monitor the content they produce and get a feel for how they engage with their followers. This will help you decide whether or not they could be beneficial to your brand.
You can also compare the performance of your competitors’ influencers to understand better what might work for you. Analyzing their campaigns can give you insight into which tactics drive the most engagement and conversions. This way, you can learn from their successes and tailor your own influencer strategy accordingly.
4. Explore through Hashtags
Hashtags are a powerful tool for finding influencers on social media. By searching for relevant hashtags, you can access an extensive list of potential influencers.
For example, if your brand is focused on fitness and wellness, you can search for related hashtags such as #fitnessmotivation or #wellnessjourney. This will give you a list of influencers whose content aligns with your brand’s values and interests.
You can also use these hashtags to see what type of content resonates with your target audience. This can help you understand which influencer might be the best fit for your campaign. You can also use hashtag tracking tools to monitor your competitors’ influencer campaigns and identify potential influencers for your brand.
5. Watch YouTubers, Podcasters, and Content Creators in Your Niche
YouTube, podcasts, and other content creators can be excellent sources of influencers. Start by researching what channels your target audience is watching or listening to. This will help you find the right influencer to promote your products and services.
When you’re evaluating potential influencers, take the time to review their videos or podcasts. This will give you a better insight into the quality of their content and their approach to engaging with their followers.
You can then reach out to them directly and explain how your brand can benefit from working together. You may even be able to negotiate an exclusive deal that won’t be available elsewhere.
6. Check Social Listening Tools
Social listening tools can also be a great way to locate influencers. These tools allow you to monitor conversations across different social media platforms and identify potential influencers in real time.
These automated tools save you time and effort by scanning the web for relevant content and keywords related to your brand. This helps you find social media influencers already talking about your company or products.
You can also use these tools to track the performance of influencer marketing campaigns and analyze how they engage with their followers. This helps you make informed decisions when selecting an influencer for your campaign.
7. Use Google Search
Google search engine is one of the oldest methods of finding influencers but still very useful. This method involves using specific keywords related to your brand or products to identify potential influencers.
For example, if you’re looking for beauty influencers, you can type in “beauty + blogger” or “beauty + influencer” in the Google search bar. This will give you a list of potential influencers already talking about beauty products or trends.
You can also use other terms, such as “beauty + reviews” or “beauty + trendsetter” to find more targeted influencers for your brand. This can help you narrow down your list of potential influencers and ensure they are the right fit for your campaign.
What are the Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Influencer for Your Brand?
Now that you know how to find potential influencers, it’s time to narrow down your list and choose the relevant influencers for your brand.
The influencer market is competitive nowadays; not every influencer is the perfect match for your brand. A few key factors can help you find Instagram influencers or any social media influencer to increase your brand’s messaging. Here are some of the main points to consider when selecting an influencer:
Analyze their Target Audience
When choosing an influencer to work with, it’s important to analyze their target audience. Are they talking to a young demographic? Do they have followers who are interested in your product or services?
Your influencer’s followers should align with your target audience to be successful. For example, if you’re a beauty brand targeting young women, an influencer with followers who are mostly male and older than 30 will not be the best fit.
Figure out if they Represent your Brand’s Values
Every influencer has a unique set of values and opinions that they communicate through their content. It’s essential to ensure that their beliefs align with your brand’s vision and values. Also, it would be best to look for any potential controversies or scandals associated with the influencer.
The goal is to choose an influencer who can effectively communicate your brand’s message and be a positive source of influence for their followers.
Check their Statistics
It’s important to look into an influencer’s statistics before you decide to collaborate with them. Checking the number of followers, engagement rate, and real follower rate can give you insights into their reach and influence. The higher these metrics are, the better it is for your brand, as it shows that more people are paying attention to what they have to say.
When selecting an influencer for your next campaign, always take the time to do a thorough analysis of their profile and decide if they’re the right fit for you. Doing this will ensure you get the most out of your influencer marketing efforts.
Find Out Which Way of Finding Influencers is The Best for Your Business
Finding the right influencers for your brand can be a difficult and time-consuming process. However, with key tips and influencer marketing tools, you can easily identify potential influencers already talking about your brand or products.
Automated tools such as Influencify can help you find the best influencers for your influencer marketing campaign based on their reach. You should also use the Google search engine to identify potential influencers and analyze their target audience, values, and metrics.
By taking into account all of these factors, you can easily find the right influencer to amplify your brand’s messaging. Good luck.
