Creating engagement and a loyal brand community is a challenging task if you’re starting from scratch.
You’d have to be credible, inspirational, and approachable – and still, that would be just the tiny first step.
Enter micro-influencers.
These content creators have already built that loyal fan base, focusing on a targeted niche.
As a result, they have a high engagement rate and trust level.
If you find the right micro-influencers, your brand will reap all those benefits.
Of course, the problem is finding those influencers in the first place.
And you’re on the right page for that. We’ll share various strategies on how to find micro-influencers on different social media platforms just below!
Warning: Before finding micro-influencers, you’ll have to go through other steps in your strategy, like setting goals and KPIs, understanding your target audience, figuring out the best channels and tools, etc.
Our complete micro-influencer marketing guide covers all these points, so make sure to check it out.
Pro tip: Micro-influencers have differently sized niche audiences according to the platform they’re on:
- Micro-influencers on Instagram: 5k to 50k followers
- Micro-influencers on TikTok: 100k to 250k followers
- Micro-influencers on YouTube: 10k to 100k subscribers
TL;DR
- Introduction:
- Instagram: 5k-50k followers
- TikTok: 100k-250k followers
- YouTube: 10k-100k subscribers.
- Micro-influencers have targeted niches and high engagement rates.
- They vary in follower count based on the platform:
- Finding Micro-Influencers on Instagram:
- Search using relevant hashtags specific to your niche.
- Engage with your community; see who’s already posting about your brand.
- Utilize local area searches for location-specific influencers.
- Use Instagram’s recommendation tool to discover related influencers.
- Finding Micro-Influencers on TikTok:
- Search with hashtags to find influencers in a specific niche.
- Focus on topics to ensure influencers are genuinely interested in your niche.
- Filter by location to get area-specific influencers.
- Platforms like inBeat.co can assist in the search.
- Finding Micro-Influencers on YouTube:
- YouTube BrandConnect can match with suitable influencers.
- Simple Google/YouTube search with niche-related keywords.
- Use the YouTube Trending section and filters for current popular content.
- Search for previously sponsored content to find open-to-collaborate YouTubers.
- Other Ways to Find Micro-Influencers:
- Speak to employees for insider insights.
- Engage at local events for direct interactions.
- Use influencer marketing agencies like inBeat for efficient, expert help.
- Conclusion:
- Finding the right micro-influencer is crucial for brand engagement and increased sales.
- inBeat offers tools and expertise for efficient influencer campaigns.
How to Find Micro-Influencers on Instagram
Instagram is an efficient platform for online advertising with proven success rates. Here’s how to find micro-influencers on Instagram:
1. Hashtags
This step starts with one simple question: what’s your niche? Let’s say the answer is baby clothes.
At this point, you can start writing in Instagram’s search box “#baby, ” “#mom, ” or “#parenting” and see what comes up. You can get relevant hashtags like #babyfashion, #babylove, #momlife, etc. Next, you might click on these pictures to see who posted them and how many likes/shares they have.
You can probably already see the problem here, right?
That entire process is long and tedious. It’s like searching for a needle in the haystack! However, that task can be easier if you are:
- Using Instagram’s keyword search tool to narrow down more specific keywords
- Looking for branded hashtags from other brands to see which influencers your competitors worked with
Obviously, a quick hashtag search with your company name is a must. That brings us to the next point:
2. Your Community
Looking for potential influencers in your fan base is pretty intuitive. Real people who are part of your community and post about your brand will probably team up with you in an official capacity.
But first, scrutinize their profiles. Try to gauge their interests and values based on what they post, who they follow, who they address. These people and your brand must share the same mindset.
Then, make sure these content creators tick all the boxes in terms of audience size and engagement.
Once you have checked everything, you can reach out to them either via Instagram or sending a cold email with the help of some useful cold email tools such as an email finder.
Alternatively, you can lead your campaign with the help of a cold email marketing agency.
3. Your Local Area
If your brand retails products or services locally, try Instagram’s location feature to find potential micro-influencers in your area. That’s an efficient strategy because it means those content creators can come and try your goods on the spot.
Imagine this:
You own a coffee shop chain, and Instagram shows you a few popular micro-influencers in your area: an EMT, a teacher, and a busy parent. Just like everyone, these people want to feel full of energy throughout their days. It’s easy to send them a message inviting them for a complimentary cup of coffee and a face-to-face friendly conversation.
4. Recommended Influencers
Let’s say you find an influencer you like, but they have too many or too few followers. Alternatively, they’re working with another brand or aren’t too keen on a collaboration right now.
Building a loyal brand community can help bridge this gap, as it fosters direct engagement with your audience and creates opportunities for organic advocacy, reducing reliance on external influencers.
Enter Instagram’s recommendation tool.
Once you click “follow” on someone’s account, Instagram will show a list of other suggested accounts you can browse. Use this tool to find another micro-influencer profile that would better fit your current goals.
How to Find Micro-Influencers on TikTok
TikTok micro-influencers will help you start trends and kick-start your community as your brand becomes viral. Here’s how to find them.
1. Hashtags
No surprise here: hashtags are excellent tools on TikTok search, too, because they allow you to filter the correct information and influencers. If your goods and services speak to an exact niche, these hashtags are extremely useful in narrowing down the right people.
TikTok micro-influencers who use specific hashtags have a loyal fan base that uses the same hashtags relevant to your industry.
In other words, this hashtag is the first indicator that your brand clicks with this community.
2. Topics
You want to stay relevant for your audience, so you need TikTok micro-influencers who are interested—and more than that, passionate—about your niche.
Some marketers use hashtags to find these topics, but that’s not enough. A micro-influencer can post about being a #petparent just once or twice, while their profile is all about skydiving.
You get the gist.
You’ll have to do a thorough profile search and hashtag search if you’re going down this road.
Alternatively, you can simply use inBeat.co - our influencer database - to find out neatly organized micro-influencers according to your preferences.
3. Location
If you’re selling only in particular countries, you want influencers from those places. For instance, a US micro-influencer wouldn’t bring much value if you retail cars for UK citizens. Conversely, a UK car instructor would.
But again, searching after location criteria is a tedious process, and inBeat can make things much easier for you.
It’s easier if your goods and services sell in just one city because you have fewer profiles to research. Once you’ve narrowed down the perfect candidates, personalize your messages to them.
These content creators must visit your place of business, so ensure their visit runs smoothly.
How to Find Micro-Influencers on YouTube
You can use YouTube micro-influencers mainly to explain some intricacies of your product and post helpful tutorials or DIY series.
For example, we’ve worked with Carter Sullivan to promote Mogo’s financial app.
We wanted young people to understand all the ins and outs of this financial app and the benefits of carefully planning their finances.
If you want to use a similar content marketing strategy, try to use:
1. YouTube BrandConnect
YouTube BrandConnect allows you to find the right influencers according to campaign type, budget, and other goals.
You have concrete search terms, so BrandConnect enables you to shortlist relevant content creators for your audience.
Besides, BrandConnect boasts remarketing lists and also the ability to create new videos from your old content.
Thus, this tool guarantees you can repurpose your content to save money.
Add the Shopping Shelf and App Promo features to make sure you’re monetizing your ads correctly. And, if you want to track the results of your influencer marketing campaigns, Google offers plenty of valuable tools.
2. Google/YouTube Search
This one’s easy. Go on Google and type “your niche + YouTuber”—for example, “Coffee + YouTuber, ” and you’ll get a ton of results in that industry of yours.
Then watch the videos, check the YouTubers’ profiles, and pick the ones you click with.
Pro tip: Add other relevant keywords to your Google search to narrow down your choices.
For example, you can add your city’s name if you own a local coffee shop.
3. YouTube Trending
Go on the left part of your screen, under the “Explore” section, and you’ll see the Trending tab, which shows you the most popular videos currently.
Next, add keywords based on your industry, topics, or location to see which micro-influencers pop up.
This strategy works well because you can narrow down content creators with higher engagement rates.
For instance, type “US car reviews” to get a ton of video reviews.
But this gets only better: YouTube offers useful filters for the Trending section, such as upload date, content type, duration, and location.
4. Previously Sponsored Content
Of course, not everyone on YouTube with a large following wants to collaborate with a brand.
Sometimes you can convince people who are visibly passionate about your brand or your niche, but most times, that’s just wasted effort.
To save you some time, here’s a quick tip.
When searching YouTube for specific keywords, add “sponsored” or “ad” to narrow down paid content creators.
5. Hashtags
Yes, hashtags work on YouTube, too, and for the same reasons discussed above.
They help you find relevant micro-influencers that:
- Share the same values as your brand
- Address the target audience you need
- Discuss the topics you care about
Best Practices to Find Micro-Influencers
Before applying those strategies, make sure you’ve followed the best practices below.
After all, finding the right micro-influencers is just part of the entire influencer campaign.
So, here’s a page out of our playbook:
1. Segment Your Target Audience
To effectively find micro-influencers, start by segmenting your target market.
Identify the specific audience demographics you want to reach, including age, location, interests, and behaviors. Knowing your target market helps you find relevant influencers whose followers align with your brand's customer base.
The result is two-fold. You can create stronger connections with your audience and get higher conversion rates.
2. Set Clear Goals for Your Influencer Marketing Campaign
Before searching for influencers, set clear goals for your influencer marketing efforts.
Define what you aim to achieve, such as increasing brand awareness, boosting sales, or generating user-generated content.
Having clear objectives helps you measure the return on investment.
Also important is to ensure that your influencer marketing platforms and tools are aligned with your campaign goals. And you need to set clear goals for that.
3. Choose a Social Media Channel
Selecting the right social media channel is crucial for your campaign's success.
Determine where your target audience spends most of their time. For example, if you’re targeting fitness enthusiasts, Instagram micro-influencers might be ideal due to their engaged audiences.
Different types of influencers thrive on different platforms, so choose the ones that best suit your brand’s needs.
4. Check Influencers' Engagement Metrics
When evaluating prospective influencers, pay close attention to their engagement metrics. High average engagement rates are a good indicator of a loyal audience and genuine connection.
Our in-house influencer search tool allows you to analyze audience interactions and ensure the influencer has a strong follower base that interacts with their content regularly.
5. Analyze Their Profile Quality and Authenticity
Ensure the creators you consider are authentic and not fake influencers.
Check their profile quality, including the type of content they post and how they engage with their followers.
Pro tip: This free fake follower checker gives you an audience score for each influencer, calculated based on the percentage of active versus inactive followers, as well as average likes, comments, and posts.
6. Analyze Their Content
Examine the type of content influencers produce to ensure it aligns with your brand.
Look for creativity and consistency in their posts. Influencers with millions of followers might have diverse content, but for micro-influencers, focus on the quality and relevance of their content.
Creative freedom in content creation can lead to more authentic and engaging posts for your brand.
Also, look for genuine content that resonates with social media users and reflects a genuine connection with their audience.
This authenticity can significantly boost your influencer marketing efforts.
7. Check Their Previous Brand Collaborations
Review the influencers' past collaborations to gauge their effectiveness and professionalism.
See how they have promoted other products and the type of influencers they have worked with. This analysis helps you identify future collaborations with trustworthy, professional creators.
Make sure they have a history of successful influencer marketing campaigns and have worked with brands similar to yours.
However, don't pick influencers who represented your direct competition.
8. Strive to Create Long-Term Partnerships
Building long-term relationships with influencers can lead to more consistent and impactful results.
Look for influencers who have a relevant audience and can become advocates for your brand.
Their loyal audience will appreciate their ongoing partnerships, leading to increased trust and a stronger connection with your brand over time.
9. Conduct Professional Influencer Outreach
When reaching out to potential influencers, maintain a professional and personalized approach.
Use influencer outreach strategies to connect with ideal creators. Provide clear communication about your campaign goals, expectations, and potential collaborations.
Pro tip: Having their email address handy can facilitate direct and efficient communication. That's why you can use an Instagram email finder.
10. Track Your Campaign Metrics
Once your campaign is live, consistently track your metrics to measure success. Monitor key performance indicators such as engagement rates, follower growth, and conversion rates.
Use excel sheets to gather data and analyze the effectiveness of your efforts.
Tracking these metrics will help you refine your strategy and optimize your influencer marketing campaigns for better ROI.
Other Ways to Find Micro-Influencers
Finding the right micro-influencers is an essential step to ensure your content goes to the right audience.
That’s key to generating engagement and increasing your sales.
The tools we discussed above are fantastic if you have a particular medium in mind.
But, if you’re not yet clear on your strategy or looking for a more versatile micro-influencer, you can try other alternatives.
For example, you can start by speaking to your employees.
These people know all about your brand; they get to experience all the behind-the-scenes action and have unique insights.
You can also try to mingle at local events if you have a small local company.
This strategy works better than dispersing your messages aimlessly in the ether. Speaking to your future partners face-to-face creates a specific kind of bond, plus you can sense if you’re on the same page.
And last, an experienced influencer marketing agency like inBeat will save you a lot of time and money.
All the solutions we discussed above take anywhere from hours to days to execute. After that, you’ll have to double-check, wait for the micro-influencers to answer, evaluate those answers, and sometimes even start over.
