How To Find Influencers for Your Niche (DIY)

_{Here is a Quick DIY Guide on finding your own Influencers}

Influencers are everywhere nowadays. Just google "find influencers" and you will get dozens of influencer agency services that can help you find the right influencer per niche. But keep in mind you will likely pay a premium - which is cool if your business can afford it.

But if you have the time and want to save some cash, then we highly recommend directly reaching out to influencers you find on Instagram, TikTok, or any other social channel that's relevant to your business. This is how!

_{Hashtags are your Best Friend}

Start by searching with hashtags related to your industry. For example, if you are selling skincare masks, then search #skincare and see which posts come to the top. You will see many posts, some real user-generated content which means content created by customers who are truly unboxing products without getting paid to do so; and content from brand ambassadors and influencers who are paid to share content better known as Affiliates.

Scroll through the posts and see which people would be a good fit for your brand and for your budget. Keep in mind that the bigger the following a person has, then the more expensive they likely will be for posting. Check out this article on influencer costs.

If you are trying to bootstrap as much as possible, then your goal is to find people with less than 50,000 followers. They are the most likely to post on behalf of your brand for a free product and a commission only.

_{1% to 5% Engagement Rates is Money}

If you do find an influencer, whether with a small following or large, make sure to check their engagement rate. This is the best way to predict ROI and to get a  general idea of how many people it will likely hit. When you find a prospect, be sure to view posts that are 7 days or older and make sure their engagement rate is between 1% to 5%. This means that their total of likes, comments, and other interactions is 1% to 5% of their total following.

Formula: Select a post that's 7 days or older then apply the formula to that post.

Engagement Rate Per Post: (Total Likes + Total Comments )/ Total Followers x 100%

To get better accuracy on their engagement rate, it may be worth it to sample 3 posts and average the engagement rate between all three.

_{Quick Fraud Check}

The influencer market is filled with scammers just like any other. So don't be shy to open their comments and see who is liking their post - this is the best way to verify whether their following seems legit plus you can verify whether they are truly your target customer.

_{Making an Offer}

Once you find an influencer that matches your criteria, then reach out to them with an offer.

"Hey [First name], I love your content! Would you be interested in posting about my product? We are a smaller brand and don't have much of a budget but I would be happy to pay $200 per post and give you 25% commission on any sale that comes through your affiliate link. Let me know and would be amazing to partner with you!"

You may get a direct response or in many cases, if they are a larger influencer, their influencer manager may reach out to negotiate price.

Don't forget to check out our article on Negotiating Influencer Fees Like a Boss.

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