Written by Ali Grant, founder, Be Social
Influencer marketing has grown to be a key awareness tactic for many brands. From paid programs to organic gifting, collaborating with influencers has become a go-to for customer acquisition, user-generated content, and credibility. The most difficult part of developing a successful influencer campaign is sourcing the right influencers for your brand. We’ve rounded up the top five platforms to cast and source influencers for your next campaign.
@rrayyme x @beam | Courtesy Be Social
1. Software: There are plenty of software programs in the influencer marketing space. Our agency has tried nearly every single one, and it keeps taking us back to CreatorIQ. This platform, which comes with a hefty price tag, is extremely robust. From discovery of influencers and campaign management, this platform quite literally does it all. It even allows for stats and review of demographics. It’s the best bet for frequent campaigns or agency use. Other strong contenders are GRIN and Tribe Dynamics.
2. TikTok Creator Marketplace: If only we had this solution for Instagram! TikTok has created its own marketplace for TikTok creator discovery. Sign up as a business and get approved, and you have the ability to find and scout creators based on topics, location, size and more.
@thegarrettswann x @salesforce | Courtesy Be Social
3. Monitor relevant hashtags: Do it the manual way and monitor relevant hashtags natively within each app. If you’re looking for a natural skincare influencer try searching hashtags such as #cleanbeauty to see the various creators talking about topics relevant to your campaign.
4. Suggested for you: If you find a certain influencer to be on-brand for your campaign, click the plus icon near their contact information to find similar creators “suggested for you.” Odds are you will find creators who are similar in following, aesthetic, and content pillars. Another quick tip is to look at who some of your key customers are following...see if there are any crossover creators in their following list. Clearly your key demographic is already tuning into their content.
@jacvanek x @mcdonalds | Courtesy Be Social
5. Scan your competitors: Look at the tagged content of your competitors to see who they are working with, from organic gifting to paid campaigns (search for the FTC hashtag or the paid partnership tag in the caption). While some of them might not be a fit because your competitors already started working with them, you can use the “suggested for you” to find like-minded creators. Or, scan like-minded brands and see who they are working with... a brand who aligns with your ethos, but is in a completely different category.
