When it comes to motivating people to make a purchase, few things are as powerful as a recommendation from a trusted source. This is one reason influencer marketing is so popular.
Businesses of all sizes use social media influencer campaigns to raise brand awareness, increase credibility, and boost sales. Here’s what a social media influencer is, how to find the right one for your brand, and tips for working with them.
What is a social media influencer?
A social media influencer is a person who has a large following (at least 1,000 followers or more) on one or more social media channels and is known for their experience or expertise on a topic. They have established enough credibility and authority in their niche to impact their audience’s behavior, set trends, affect purchasing decisions, and lead conversations.
Social media influencers are similar to traditional celebrities, well-known bloggers, public figures, industry experts, and thought leaders. Many social media influencers partner with brands to monetize their authority and reach audience segments. They might feature a brand’s products or services on their social media accounts, post product reviews or recommendations, or otherwise advocate for a brand over its competitors.
For example, a social media influencer in the beauty space might post makeup tutorials on YouTube, review beauty products on Instagram, and create a TikTok video series of time-saving life hacks for the makeup-obsessed. Brand partnerships could manifest in any of these content streams.
Types of social media influencers
The influencer marketplace categorizes social influencers by their social media follower count. Here’s a breakdown of the types of influencers:
- Nano-influencers: 1,000 to 10,000 followers
- Micro-influencers: 10,001 to 100,000 followers
- Mid-tier influencers: 100,001 to 500,000 followers
- Macro-influencers: 500,001 to 1 million followers
- Mega-influencers: more than 1 million followers
How to find the right influencer for your brand
- Identify your target audience and goals
- Identify your budget
- Conduct influencer research
- Evaluate potential influencers
- Contact chosen influencers
Follow these five steps to find the right influencers to work with:
1. Identify your target audience and goals
Determine the people you’d like to reach, and feel free to get specific, because influencer marketing allows for micro-targeting. For example, if you want to raise awareness with male gamers aged 18 to 30, it’s possible to find an influencer popular in that niche.
Consider whether your social media audience is the same as your business’s target audience, and set goals for your social media campaigns that support your overall marketing objectives. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What metrics will you use to measure the success of this campaign?
- Do you aim to grow your brand’s follower count or drive traffic to your website?
- Are you looking to increase sales of a specific product or increase brand awareness?
Zeroing in on what you want to achieve will help inform the details of your influencer partnerships and what promotional activities you purchase—like product reviews, tags in posts, or long-term brand ambassadorships.
2. Identify your budget
The more social media followers an influencer has, the more a partnership will cost. Your marketing budget will play a role in deciding what tier of influencers you work with. If you’re new in the market or your budget is tight, you might consider gifting your products to hundreds of influencers in hopes of a mention, rather than paying a few select ones. Gifting is a low-cost tactic, but it doesn’t guarantee coverage.
3. Conduct influencer research
Once you’ve set goals and a budget, start researching potential partners. You can do that through:
- Search engines. If you search online for “knitting influencers,” for example, you’ll find articles listing popular influencers in the space. This strategy is likely to produce influencers with larger numbers of social media followers.
- Social platforms. Search for relevant hashtags and mentions of your brand or competitors to see top posts for a particular hashtag, like #cleanbeauty or #interiordesign. Review top posts to find popular creators in your space.
- Influencer marketing platforms. Influencer platforms such as Shopify Collabs can provide information about an influencer’s audience demographics, recommend similar influencers, rate audience quality, and generate lists of influencers for a specific keyword.
4. Evaluate potential influencers
Influencer partnerships implicitly align your brand with all of an influencer’s activities. Before selecting a partner, make sure both their public persona and political activities complement your brand values. For example, if you find that an influencer is aligned with a particular political party, they might be a good partner for your brand if this affiliation is consistent with your brand values.
Evaluate their content and its performance as well. Do they create high-quality content and have an engagement rate that meets or exceeds benchmarks for their follower size? This will help you determine the value of their audience. To find an influencer’s engagement rate, you can look it up on an influencer platform, crunch the numbers yourself, or ask the influencer to provide their metrics. They may also have this information available in their influencer media kit.
5. Contact chosen influencers
Approach influencers with a pitch via email, a direct message, or a message through an influencer platform. Specify how your two brands align and what you appreciate about the influencer’s personal brand. Include the potential benefits of working with your brand, such as compensation, free products, or a commission on sales.
Top platforms for finding influencers
Start with platforms that connect brands with influencers who align with your vision and values. These platforms streamline the search, offering a suite of tools that not only help you discover influencers but also manage and measure campaigns effectively.
Influencer marketing platforms make it easier for you to find the right influencers and engage them meaningfully:
Shopify Collabs
Shopify Collabs is an all-in-one tool for finding creators and building connections with influencers on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Twitch. With Shopify Collabs, you can create your own custom application page, invite specific creators, or search millions of profiles to find the right creator for your brand. You can also save time running your creator program by offering instant commission incentives to all creators in the Collabs network, and automating affiliate commission payouts.
Pricing: Included with the Shopify platform, and there’s a commission processing fee.
Modash
Modash is an influencer marketing platform that lets you filter influencers by follower count, engagement rate, location, interests, and more. Modash also helps you find micro-influencers who can make a more personal, authentic connection with your target audience. Plus, its advanced filters and AI-driven insights such as flagging fake followers and bots ensure you connect with the right voices, not just the loudest ones.
Pricing: Plans start at $120/month.
Upfluence
Upfluence is an influencer-finding platform that lets you filter influencers by more than 20 criteria, such as number of followers, location, and activity. It’s used by brands like Amazon, Verizon, Universal, and Zappos. Upfluence also helps you identify influential customers and fans. Whenever someone shops on your site, it analyzes their social data and adds them as affiliates you can review and work with.
Upfluence also offers a built-in relationship management dashboard so you can track your conversations and contracts.
Pricing: There’s a free Chrome extension and custom plans available. Request a demo for more information.
#Paid
#Paid focuses on matching brands with influencers based on creative compatibility, not just metrics. For example, #Paid might pair your sustainable fashion brand with an influencer known for their eco-conscious lifestyle. #Paid offers automated workflows that handle contracts and legal negotiations, performance reporting that compares your campaigns to industry benchmarks, and 1:1 support from a #Paid team member.
Pricing: Book a demo to get custom pricing plans.
Influencer marketing campaign ideas
- Product launch collaborations
- Sponsored content and reviews
- Giveaways and contests
- Brand ambassador programs
- Influencer takeovers
- Behind-the-scenes content creation
Here are six ideas to help you get started with influencer marketing campaigns:
Product launch collaborations
Imagine you’re launching a new product. Instead of just blasting out details on your channels, you bring in influencers who align perfectly with your brand ethos.
For example, say you’re introducing a new line of organic skin care products. You could partner with a beauty influencer known for their commitment to natural, cruelty-free products. They could create a series of Instagram Stories showing their morning routine, featuring your new face serum. This doesn’t just introduce the product—it shows how it fits seamlessly into a routine that their followers already trust.
Pro Tip: Involve influencers early, even in the product development phase. Their input can help you create a product that feels more authentic. Also, when the influencer posts about the development, it takes their audience along for the ride and creates a sense of excitement when the product finally drops.
“You want to tap into the zeitgeist. Find relevant influencers, a mix of bigger and smaller as your budget affords, and give them creative freedom,” says Francis Zierer, lead editor at Creator Spotlight.
The goal here is to turn your product launch into an event—something their followers are eager to be a part of.
Sponsored content and reviews
Sponsored content works best when it feels like an extension of the influencer’s everyday life. Forget stiff, scripted reviews—focus on content that blends effortlessly with their usual posts.
Picture this: A popular mom blogger already shares her day with her followers—school drop-offs, meal preps, and all the chaos in between. She casually mentions how she’s been using your brand’s meal prep service to save time and keep her family eating healthy. It’s real, relatable, and a natural fit for her content.
Why it works:
- It’s authentic. Followers trust the influencer, so if the product fits into their life naturally, it’s more likely to resonate.
- It’s relatable. When someone uses a product in a real-world context, followers can see themselves doing the same.
Giveaways and contests
Regularly hosting giveaways creates a literal “pot at the end of the rainbow” for your audience—they’re eager to participate for a prize, and you generate widespread interest for the cost of a few products.
“This is a situation where you might want to veer toward larger-audience influencers,” Francis says. “But don’t get distracted by big numbers—still aim for relevance between your brand/product, the influencer, and their audience. Tons of entries in a giveaway where nobody will stick around to stay interested in your product doesn’t do much for you.”
Make participation easy, with clear instructions and minimal steps. But make sure that the entry requirements align with your brand’s goals, such as encouraging user-generated content (UGC) or growing your email list.
Say you’re a fitness brand launching a new line of activewear. Team up with a fitness influencer to host a giveaway where followers share a photo of their favorite workout spot with a specific hashtag. The best photos win a full set of your new collection. Not only does this generate buzz, but it also floods social media with UGC featuring your brand.
Brand ambassador programs
Brand ambassador programs are where you give an influencer or model exclusive access to your products and a VIP title in exchange for access to their audience and long-term loyalty. These programs can be tricky to carve out, but when done right, brand ambassador programs can make you a household name.
For example, Lululemon, the athletic apparel brand, created the Sweat Collective program to partner with fitness instructors, personal trainers, athletes, and other influential figures in the health and wellness space. Members of the Sweat Collective receive exclusive access to Lululemon products at a discount—often before they hit the shelves. In return, they wear and promote the brand within their communities.
The Sweat Collective has helped Lululemon cement its position as an athleisure market leader, driving sales and a deeply loyal customer base that feels connected to the brand’s values and community.
Influencer takeovers
Letting an influencer take over your social media channels for a day can breathe new life into your content and attract a new audience.
For example, imagine you run a travel brand. You invite a travel influencer to take over your Instagram for a weekend, sharing their journey through a new city. They post real-time updates, tips, and stunning visuals that give your audience a mini-vacation. It’s immersive and taps into the influencer’s expertise while showcasing your brand’s adventurous side.
What you get:
- Higher engagement. Interactive takeovers invite followers to engage with your content in new ways.
- New followers. The influencer’s audience discovers your brand, expanding your reach.
“Creativity is key here,” Francis says. “Perhaps more than these other categories, you really want somebody who can entertain. Comedy-driven content is especially effective.”
Behind-the-scenes content creation
Behind-the-scenes content is like an exclusive backstage pass—it gives your audience a glimpse into the heart of your brand.
Say you’re in charge of marketing at a craft brewery. You partner with a foodie influencer to document the brewing process, from grain to glass. They film a day at your brewery, talking to your brewmasters, sampling hops, and sharing fun facts about the brewing process. Their followers get an insider’s look at what makes your beer special, and you get to showcase the craftsmanship behind your product.
Why it works:
- It builds transparency. People love seeing the process behind their favorite products.
- It creates a connection. Behind-the-scenes content humanizes your brand, making it more relatable and engaging.
Best practices for working with social media influencers
- Put expectations in writing
- Consider cost on a per-engagement basis
- Start small
- Diversify your strategy
- Monitor your influencer partners
Following these best practices can help you launch a successful influencer marketing campaign for your small business:
Put expectations in writing
No matter how good your rapport is, put all terms of the partnership in writing. This ensures both parties are clear about expectations upfront.
Specify what you’d like the influencer to do, such as review a product, create a certain number of Instagram posts, record a video, or host a livestream. Include social media campaign specifics, such as the number of posts you’d like them to publish and on which platforms. Choose a timeline for them to submit deliverables for your review, and provide multiple ways for the influencer to contact you, such as by phone, email, or direct message on a social media platform.
It’s also wise to set parameters for dissolving the relationship. For example, you may add a clause that you are at liberty to end the contract early if you discover the influencer has purchased fake followers.
Consider cost on a per-engagement basis
Micro- or nano-influencers can have higher engagement rates—the percentage of their followers interacting with their posts. When figuring out how to spend your influencer budget, consider costs on a per-engagement basis.
For example, a mid-tier influencer with 200,000 followers and an average engagement rate of 1% will see an average of 2,000 engagements per post. An influencer with 15,000 followers and an average engagement rate of 8% will see an average of 1,200 engagements per post. If the mid-tier influencer is three times as expensive, you may choose to work with the micro-influencer because you’ll pay less per engagement.
Start small
If you’re new to influencer marketing, start with a small campaign. This might look like paying three to five micro-influencers to publish three sponsored posts each. This allows you to test the return on investment (ROI) of influencer marketing for your brand. If the small campaign performs well, you can scale up. If not, you can adjust your strategy and try again, or focus on other digital marketing efforts.
Diversify your strategy
Since you won’t know which influencer marketing tactics will pay off, try multiple strategies and hire multiple influencers to increase your chances of success. If your budget is small, hire a few nano- or micro-influencers.
If it’s larger, go for micro-influencers, a mid-tier influencer, and a macro-influencer. This strategy lets you hire influencers popular with different audiences. That way you can test the effectiveness of influencer marketing activities with various audience segments and increase your total reach.
Monitor your influencer partners
Your influencer will represent your brand, so set a search engine alert for their names. If your partner ends up in the news for breaking the law or becomes embroiled in an internet controversy, an alert will make sure you’re among the first people to find out. Then, you can proactively communicate with your audience about the issue and terminate your influencer relationship, if allowed by the terms of your partnership.
How to find influencers FAQ
Why is finding the right influencer so important?
Finding the right influencer is like finding the perfect partner—they need to align with your brand’s values and speak to your audience in an authentic way. The right match can amplify your message and build trust with your audience, while the wrong one can come off as forced or disingenuous.
How do I reach influencers?
Reaching out to influencers is all about personalization and clarity. Start with a thoughtful message that shows you’ve done your homework; mention why you admire their work and how a collaboration could benefit both of you.
Is there an app to find influencers?
Yes, several apps and platforms, like Upfluence and Modash, are designed to help you discover influencers who align with your brand. These tools offer advanced search filters and data-driven insights to make your search more effective.
How do I find local social media influencers?
To find local influencers, use location-specific hashtags on platforms like Instagram or search within influencer marketing tools that offer geo-targeting filters. You can also attend local events and engage with community-driven online spaces to identify influencers active in your area.
How much do influencers charge?
Influencer rates vary widely based on their reach, engagement, and niche. Micro-influencers might charge a few hundred dollars per post, while top-tier influencers can command thousands—it’s all about the value they bring to your campaign.
What type of content do social media influencers typically create?
Social media influencers create content for social media sites. This can be anything from a one-sentence tweet to a four-hour Instagram livestream, depending on the influencer’s platform and niche.
How can you measure the success of your influencer marketing campaigns?
Brands use metrics like reach, impressions, engagements, clicks, and conversions to measure the performance of influencer campaigns and calculate return on investment (ROI). These measures also allow brands to compare results between influencers and with other digital marketing activities.
Should you focus on influencers with a large following or a more niche audience?
Influencers with large audiences tend to charge higher prices, and in some cases, can more effectively raise your brand profile than influencers with smaller audiences. If you aim to raise awareness within a particular audience segment, you may be better off focusing on influencer niche and engagement rates.
How do influencers get paid?
Influencers earn money through brand partnerships such as paid sponsorships or affiliate marketing arrangements, or by selling products through their online stores. They can also earn non-cash income through free products, services, or experiences.
