Companies need to be adaptable and innovative in their marketing efforts. In recent years, partnering with influencers has become one of the eCommerce trends and a preferred marketing strategy in various other sectors. Although there are many successful campaigns and good influencer marketing examples, there are significant challenges as well. One of them is that many companies don’t know how to find influencers. When organizing an influencer campaign, businesses need to research their audience, content style, and reach. Furthermore, it’s important to set proper goals and expectations. For example, both small and large brands might achieve higher ROI if they work with nano and micro-influencers. On the other hand, partnering with mega influencers and celebrities can have better long-term effects as it increases brand awareness and recognition. In this post, we’ll share more about how to find influencers for your brand or product. If you’re interested in this topic, check out our posts on using influencers in business and creating an eCommerce marketing strategy.
Key takeaway: Many brands can benefit from partnering with influencers. In order to find them, you can search on social media platforms or specialized tools that connect business owners and influencers. Using the services of a digital marketing agency is also a valuable option for companies that wish to organize an influencer marketing campaign.
How to Find Influencers
Finding the right influencers to partner with is crucial. Businesses that wish to boost their eCommerce marketing or brand recognition can benefit from influencer marketing only if they properly plan their campaign. Here are a few tips to consider when searching for influencers.
- Search on social media. If you’re wondering how to find influencers, the easiest places to look are social media platforms. Most influencers are active on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and other social media websites. Try searching hashtags in order to find influencers that have posted content in your niche market.
- Search on influencer marketplaces. The importance of partnering with influencers as part of a business’s marketing has led to the creation of influencer marketplaces. These platforms connect companies with influencers in various sectors. Collabstr is one of the biggest influencer marketplaces. Other popular platforms include impact.com, Shopify Collabs, GRIN, and YouTube BrandConnect.
- Use tools and solutions. Partnering with influencers has become a major component of the omnichannel marketing strategy of many businesses. That’s why there are multiple tools and platforms that help businesses automate the search process (check out our post on eCommerce marketing automation). Examples of such solutions include BuzzSumo, HypeAuditor, and Upfluence.
- Work with an agency. Want to know how to find influencers hassle-free? Just work with an agency. There are various digital marketing agencies that partner with influencers in various industries. These companies make the process much easier for advertisers but you should expect to pay extra for their services.
- Check competitors. Companies should always be aware of their competitors’ marketing efforts. By tracking brand mentions of your competitors, you can get ideas about potential influencers to partner with.
Types of Influencers
If you’re wondering how to find influencers, you might benefit from learning more about the different types of influencers. They can be divided into four general categories based on the number of followers.
- Nano (less than ten thousand followers). These are local and niche influencers with a small reach but highly engaged audience.
- Micro (less than a hundred thousand followers). Although they have a moderate reach, these influencers still have a targeted audience.
- Macro (less than a million followers). The large reach of these influencers makes them suitable for bigger brands with higher marketing budgets.
- Mega (more than a million followers). This category primarily includes celebrities or the top influencers in a certain niche. Their services can be very expensive and not suitable for sales campaigns. Instead, they are a good option for global brands who need increased brand awareness.
How to Vet and Filter Influencers
Once you have a list of influencers for your upcoming campaign, make sure to vet them. As influencer marketing has become popular, some influencers might try to cheat businesses. That’s why make sure to check their accounts for unfair practices such as using fake followers and engagement bots. An easy way to guarantee results is to agree on an affiliate commission. That means the influencer gets paid only for the results they bring to your brand.
You might need to filter influencers depending on the type of campaign and the goals set. For example, if you want to present a new product, it might be better to partner with nano and micro-influencers instead of celebrities. Influencers specialize in different types of content. Thus, if your company’s goal is to increase sales of a specific product, you might want to primarily partner with influencers who do product reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions about How to Find Influencers
From advice on how to market a restaurant and the modern trends in restaurant marketing to posts about the role of specialty coffee, you’ll find plenty of resources on our website. Below are the answers to common questions related to finding and partnering with influencers.
What Are the Cons of Influencer Marketing?
Besides the advantages of using influencers in your marketing strategy, there are also disadvantages. The main one is that these celebrities or influencers are later associated with your brand. Thus, if there is some sort of controversy surrounding these celebrities, your brand’s reputation might suffer. Another drawback is the fact that the ROI from influencer marketing is hard to track. That’s especially true for brand awareness campaigns. Another con of partnering with influencers is that the results might be disappointing. Since some influencers use fake followers and boost their engagement inorganically, companies might be frustrated with the results of their influencer marketing campaign.
How to Track Influencers’ Performance?
If you’re researching how to find influencers for your upcoming campaigns, you might also want to know how to track their performance. The best way to do so is through affiliate links or discount codes. These analytics tools show the results of different influencers and give marketers the chance to calculate the return on investment (ROI). An important aspect of properly tracking influencers’ performance is setting the right goals and KPIs. For example, if the company’s goal is to boost its social commerce, it might prefer to partner with a large number of nano or micro-influencers. On the other hand, brand awareness and recognition campaigns are commonly associated with mega influencers and celebrities with international reach.
How to Organize an Influencer Marketing Campaign?
The first step of organizing such a campaign is to define the goals and the target audience. After that, it comes to finding the right influencers to partner with. That includes calculating the necessary budget and preparing content guidelines. Hopefully, this article has given you tips on how to find influencers. Once you have a list of influencers you will partner with, make sure to synchronize their efforts to achieve a successful campaign. During influencer marketing campaigns, a business might experience stockouts or other shortages. Thus, it’s important to prepare for the increased demand.
BlueCart: The All-in-One Platform for Suppliers
Although influencer marketing is not the most optimal strategy for wholesalers, these businesses should nevertheless invest in advertising and marketing. BlueCart’s wholesale ordering software allows distributors to increase their B2B sales and automate various business processes. From easy creation of eCommerce catalogs to seamless price management, our platform can help suppliers in various ways. Restaurants, catering businesses, or other companies can use BlueCart to compare different wholesalers and find reliable suppliers. Whether you’re a nationwide broadline distributor or a local specialized supplier, schedule a demo and see how BlueCart can help your business.