How to Find the Best Influencers for Your Brand: A Checklist

Do you want to get started with influencer marketing but can’t afford (or justify) spending a half-million dollars for a Kardashian endorsement? (Yes, just one sponsored Instagram post on Kim’s feed can cost a minimum of six figures — more proof that influencer marketing works!) Don’t get discouraged though: Micro-influencers with under 10,000 followers are just as effective in returning a strong ROI — if not more, when done right. 

As you embark on your influencer marketing journey (with our new guide in hand), scrolling through hashtags and jotting down relevant influencers in your niche, you’ll want to keep this list of questions in mind. 

Here’s everything to consider when narrowing down the influencers on your shortlist. Trust us: Finding the right influencers is worth the time and effort for a better return on investment (ROI).

Start by asking these questions:

• How large is their following across social media channels? Which social media platform are they most active on?

• Is there a product market and brand fit? Will their followers love your products? 

• Are their values aligned with your brand’s?

• How often do they post quality content? Do they post consistently? 

• What do their engagement rates look like for their last three posts?

• What are some past sponsorships they’ve done? What were the engagement rates for those posts? 

• Do their followers seem legitimate? (The last thing you want is to waste your money on reaching bots!)

As you begin reaching out to potential influencers, dive a little deeper with these questions:

• What type of partnerships are they open to? Sponsored posts from free products? Affiliate programs?

• How much will they cost? 

• What is their turnaround time for each post? What is their process for getting posts drafted, edited, and approved? 

• Do they create content themselves, or do you have to provide it to them?

• Do they have any usage rights? Are you able to use their posts as user-generated content (UGC) across your other marketing efforts? 

• What are their followers’ demographics (age, location, etc.)? Are these demographics aligned with your brand’s target audience? 

Last updated on December 6th, 2021.