How to Find the Right Influencer for Your Brand

According to Influencer Marketing Hub, the influencer marketing industry should reach $16.4B in 2022. Influencer marketing is a powerful tool that brands can use to reach and connect with a specific audience. Influencers can meet the audience where they already are, which is a key factor in making them effective. Think of influencer marketing as an extended version of word-of-mouth – both have a certain level of authenticity that resonates with your target audience.  

One of the first steps to starting an influencer marketing campaign is to select the appropriate influencer to work with your brand. You may already have someone in mind, or you may have no idea where to start. Either way, Team True is here to help you learn more about the different aspects of choosing an influencer.  

What Category Should Your Influencer Be In

Long gone are the days when only celebrities could be influencers. While follower count can matter in some instances, it shouldn't be the determining factor in choosing who represents your brand. When choosing an influencer to work with, consider the four R's:  

• Reach – The number of followers or subscribers they have  
• Resonance – Their level of social engagement  
• Relevance – The number of on-topic posts  
• Reference – The authority they have with their followers  

These factors play a role in your campaign's type of impact. Start by ranking these in order of importance – this process can help you narrow down the pool of influencers. For example, if your goal is to get your product or service more awareness, you may want to work with an influencer who has more reach. However, if your goal is to increase the number of conversions, you may have better luck with an influencer who has more authority with their followers.  

Choosing an Influencer Based on Followers

When choosing an influencer based on the number of followers they have, it can be helpful to understand how they are ranked, and which ones are best suited to your specific goals.  

Nano-influencers: 1,000 – 10,000 followers  

Because influencers in this tier have a smaller following, they are generally more approachable. In addition, with the increase of influencer saturation, it can be easier to recruit smaller influencers to work with. More often than not, influencers in this category interact with their followers and know most of them personally.  

Micro-influencers: 10,000 – 50,000 followers

In 2018, AdWeek analysts recognized the micro-influencer as the gatekeepers of social media, claiming them to be the most important segment for influencer marketing. Content creators in this tier can tap into clearly defined niches and micro-communities, creating the opportunity for tailored campaigns that can yield favorable results for your brand.  

Mid-tier influencers: 50,000 – 500,000 followers

These influencers are large enough to make a full-time living off their social media presence. Sitting right in the middle tier of influencers, they have more reach than nano- or micro-influencers but are still more easily accessible than the larger macro- and mega-influencers.  

Macro-influencers: 500,000 – 1,000,000 followers  

Macro-influencers typically allow for the best cost per thousand impressions, increasing the impact of their ROI compared to other influencer tiers. Most times, those who fall in this category are actors, models, athletes, and musicians.  

Mega-influencers: 1,000,000+ followers

These are your common household celebrities with a powerful position and large-scale reach. They can be seen as the trendsetters who drive the demand for products and services. Large brands with even larger budgets typically use those in this tier.  

Now that you have a baseline understanding of the different influencer tiers, you can begin to determine which would be best for your campaign.

Ask the Right Questions

Just like you would with a potential job candidate, you want to ask your potential influencers questions that will help determine if they're the right fit. Here are some things to consider asking:  

1. Who is your target audience? How do you create content that resonates with them?  

2. What type of content do you typically create?  

3. Can you provide your profile metrics?  

4. Have you heard about our brand or product before? If so, what is your current opinion about it?  

5. Have you partnered with a brand similar to ours before?  

6. Do you have experience with posting sponsored content?  

7. How do you feel about brainstorming and collaborating for concepts and ideas?  

8. What is your typical price for sponsored content?  

9. Are you willing to provide us with the right to use your content outside of this social platform?  

It's important to ask these questions, and more, to best understand the type of relationship you can expect with the influencer. When vetting an influencer, use this time to relay your expectations before signing a formalized contract.  

Look Out for Red Flags 

Controversy is something to steer clear of during influencer marketing campaigns. It's crucial to do your due diligence and look into potential red flags. Consider the credibility and reputation of any influencers that have made your shortlist. Think of their values, do they align with your brands? Some other common red flags to look out for are:  

• They're uncertain about who their target audience is  
• They're followers contain a lot of bot accounts  
• They're unwilling to share or don't understand social metrics  
• They claim to love your brand but have difficulty discussing your products  
• They don't show any excitement or enthusiasm about your brand or the sponsorship  
• They've done similar sponsorships before with competitors  
• Their feed is saturated with sponsored content  
• They don't ask you questions  
• They're not responsive and don't communicate efficiently  
• They refuse to sign a formal contract  

Influencers, and their reputations, can quickly become associated with your brand. So if something feels off, trust your gut and pivot your plan while exploring other options.  

Ready to get started with influencer marketing? See how True helped a client in the building products industry better reach their dealers and contractor audience.