How to Find Influencers for Your Brand: A Practical Guide
With an estimated 200 million social media creators worldwide¹, influencer marketing is more accessible than ever. But with so many options, finding the right influencer can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
In this article, we’ll break down effective ways to discover influencers across social media platforms, covering both free and paid options. Let’s dive into the search methods that will help you filter through the noise and find influencers who align with your brand.
1. How to Find Influencers Directly on Social Media Platforms
Manual Search
The simplest and most accessible way to find influencers is to search directly on social media platforms. Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest each offer ways to explore content, but each has its own quirks for discovering potential creators.
On Instagram: Start by browsing influencers you already know and like. Use the “Suggested for You” feature on their profile page to view similar accounts, or go to the Explore page and search for relevant hashtags or topics. If there’s a brand out there with a similar target audience to yours, have a look at their tagged content—they may have worked with influencers who align with your brand ethos.
On TikTok: Use the search feature and trending hashtags to find influencers on TikTok within specific niches. Type in topics relevant to your campaign, then scroll through the creators who pop up to see if their content style and engagement match your needs.
On LinkedIn: LinkedIn is valuable for finding B2B influencers and micro-influencers in specific sectors. Use LinkedIn’s search function to find influencers based on job titles or industry keywords relevant to your audience. For a monthly fee, you can subscribe to LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator to make searching easier and more productive.
Other Platforms: Similar manual search methods can be used on platforms like YouTube and Pinterest, but keep in mind that each platform requires its own search strategy and takes time to find quality results.
Drawbacks: While this method is free, it can be incredibly time-consuming and often yields a lot of irrelevant creators. It’s also only a surface-level look—you won’t get access to audience demographics, or other insights that can help confirm if a creator is truly a good fit.
Pro Tip!
When searching for influencers on Instagram, start with niche hashtags (under 100,000 posts). These often lead to more specific, relevant content, reducing the number of irrelevant profiles you’ll encounter. For instance, a sustainable fashion brand may use #sustainablefashionuk, which has fewer posts than #sustainablefashion.
Using Built-in Creator Tools on Instagram and TikTok
Some platforms offer their own creator tools that streamline the search process. The TikTok Creator Marketplace and Instagram Creator Marketplace allow brands to filter influencers by niche, follower count, audience demographics, and engagement rate.
Limitations: Not all creators are part of these marketplaces; participation is voluntary, and creators must meet certain eligibility criteria to be included. Additionally, in some markets, brands need to meet eligibility requirements to access the TikTok Creator Marketplace and currently have to request access to Instagram's Creator Marketplace. While these tools are convenient, communication is typically limited to the platform itself and this siloed approach makes it difficult to work with creators across platforms, limiting long-term collaboration potential.
2. Influencer Marketing Platforms for Targeted Searches
If you’re ready to invest in influencer marketing, dedicated influencer marketing platforms can simplify the search process. Influencer marketing platforms like CreatorIQ, Upfluence, and Influencity provide extensive databases of influencers, complete with filters, demographic insights, and other useful tools. Influencer Marketing Hub is a good place to find different influencer marketing platforms.
How they work:
Opted-in vs. Scraped Databases: Some platforms work with opted-in influencer databases of creators who have signed up to be featured, while others use social media scraping to compile a broader list. Opted-in databases often include more accurate influencer stats and details, but scraped databases offer a larger selection.
Filtering Features: Most platforms allow you to filter creators by content category, location, engagement rate, and audience demographics. This influencer tagging, often powered by AI, helps narrow down the list to relevant influencers.
Drawbacks: Platforms make the discovery process more efficient, but they can be expensive, with most platforms charging around £200 to £1,000 per month. Even with filters, you’ll still need to review and vet profiles, gather contact details (if not provided), and reach out individually to each creator. In addition, not all platforms include fake follower/ audience authenticity data.
3. Collaborating with Talent Managers to Find Influencers
Another route for finding influencers is to connect with talent managers or agencies representing influencers. Many mid-to-large influencers work with talent managers who help them secure partnerships, negotiate rates, and align with brands.
How It Works: Reach out to talent managers who work with influencers in your industry and explain what you’re looking for. They can recommend creators from their roster who match your criteria, and provide you with their relevant stats and demographics, saving you time on the search.
Limitations: While talent managers offer a direct line to influencers, the pool is limited to the agency’s roster. You might not find the exact niche you’re looking for, and managers often represent more prominent influencers, which can impact budget requirements.
Did you know?
You can create and save lists of influencers you’re interested in by using the “Saved” feature on Instagram. It’s a helpful way to keep track of potential partners without losing them in your feed.
4. Connecting with Influencer Networks on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Reddit
Independent influencer networks are another option if you’re looking for more flexibility and potentially lower costs. Networks, unlike platforms, don’t necessarily provide analytics or campaign management tools but focus on connecting brands with influencer communities.
How It Works: Facebook, LinkedIn, and Reddit host many influencer communities where brands can post campaign briefs. Examples include Facebook groups for influencers like “UK Influencer Opportunities” or niche LinkedIn groups for influencer marketing. Brands post their brief, and interested influencers can respond directly.
Pros and Cons: Networks are accessible and usually free, but quality assurance is limited. Since many groups don’t vet influencers for quality or engagement, you may encounter a range of experience levels.
The Social Fuse: Your Network for Vetted Influencers
The Social Fuse offers a unique alternative to influencer platforms and unvetted networks. As a network focused on quality, we ensure every creator is thoroughly vetted for content quality, audience authenticity, and brand safety. Brands can log in, post a brief, and let our network of pre-vetted influencers come to them.
Unlike traditional platforms, The Social Fuse enables influencers to apply directly to campaigns, saving you time on outreach and fostering more genuine, passion-driven partnerships. With automatic access to each influencer’s social media handles and audience demographics, you can make informed choices quickly and confidently.
Check out how it works here
Comparing Influencer Search Methods: Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick comparison of the main influencer search methods, with their pros and cons:
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Manual Search on Social Platforms | Free, accessible, allows easy exploration of individual profiles | Time-consuming, limited insights, surface-level information |
| Using Built-in Creator Tools | Platform-specific filters, accessible data on niche, engagement, and follower size | Limited to one platform, eligibility requirements, restricted communication within platform |
| Influencer Marketing Platforms | Extensive databases, advanced filtering, detailed analytics | Costly, requires manual outreach, high volume can still be overwhelming and time-consuming |
| Talent Managers | Direct connection to influencers, negotiation support | Limited to the agency’s roster, may lack niche options, higher costs for larger influencers |
| Influencer Networks | Free or low-cost, flexible options, good for brand exposure. The Social Fuse adds value with vetted creators and relevant matches | Quality assurance varies in general networks; often lacks demographic insights in typical options |
Conclusion: Choose the Right Method for Your Needs
With various ways to find influencers, it’s important to choose an approach that aligns with your goals, budget, and time.
On a tight budget? Manual searches on social platforms or using influencer networks like Facebook groups offer a cost-effective starting point.
Need data-backed insights and campaign management features? Influencer marketing platforms provide comprehensive databases and tools but come at a higher cost.
Looking for a curated network of vetted influencers? The Social Fuse offers a quality-focused alternative, allowing you to post your campaign brief and connect directly with brand-aligned creators for authentic partnerships.
Whichever method you choose, selecting the right influencers can make all the difference in creating impactful, successful campaigns.
Ready to get started? Log into The Social Fuse today and see how our network can help make your next influencer campaign a success.