How to Find and Hire Social Media Influencers 2021
By: Jonathan Lee
Tags: How To, Influencer Marketing, Influencers, Social Media, Social Media Marketing

Over the last decade, Social Media has tremendous growth and if you are not on it. Get on Social Media Now! It is not too late. It captures the communication with one and another directly worldwide.

Started from Facebook, Facebook’s Messenger, Myspace, AOL, MSN, Twitter, Youtube, Whatsapp, WeChat, Skype, Instagram, QQ, Tumblr, Qzone, Reddit, Pinterest, Baidu Tieba, LinkedIn, Viber, Snapchat, Line, Telegram, Medium and most recently TikTok!

You are currently using one right now! Medium!

How to hire influencers

A Short Story about the history of Influencer Marketing

It is so important and effective is because Influencer marketing are powered by “regular people” who are relatable to those with the same interests. They aren’t that famous like celebrities or walk down the same paths as the celebrities. Rather they are young teens who have a following that are trusted with like minded people. Statistically shown that over 70% teens trust influencers more than traditional celebrities.

Knowing such fact, it is crucial to work with these super stars on social media to boost your brand or company. They can bring you the audience to you and attract like minded people. It brings tons of impressions and brand awareness. With that kind of Impressions (simple terms : walk in amount) it is crucial to gain some of that into your Brand / Company / Product that you are Promoting.

Just with Google Trends. In the past decade. People searching for “instagram influencers” have skyrocketed exponentially. More and more brands and companies work with influencers to gain traffic and awareness.

Google Trends: Instagram Influencer

2020 Statistics: Instagram has 1 Billion daily active users and if you are doing business in the US market. It is expected to reach 112.5 million users in the States.

Influencers are the new gold rush of marketing. They are called influencers for a reason. They bring influence to their audience.

So let’s get to the point

HOW DO YOU FIND INFLUENCERS RIGHT FOR YOU / YOUR BUSINESS?

1. What do you plan on achieving with Influencers?

Are you looking for one person with a large following, or multiple micro-influencers to cover a more specific reach? What’s your measure of success — likes, reach, comments, inquiries, or sales? Do you have a budget?

For Businesses starting out with a tight budget. Starting to go and hire a large following of over 100,000 followers might break the bank or might make bank. If it is your first time interacting and hiring influencers. I recommend finding smaller influencers. AKA “micro-influencers” Roughly 1,000 to 5,000 followers. These type of following have better interactions with their followers. Most of these people are like minded with this influencer. You can start a giveaway, promotion discount, or even send them your products/services! Most likely they will be willing to do it and promote your products / services.

You then wouldn’t have to spend money on social proof, lifestyle photos, or even a photographer. Even better is that these influencers can bring their audience to your Brand or Company.

2. Can you only find Influencers only on Instagram?

Of course not! You can find influencers outside of Instagram, like: Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Twitch and TikTok!

3. Make a list of Potential Candidates that Matches Your Brand / Company

Forming up with a list of Potential Candidates that suits your Brand / Company. Find them that connects well with your product or services that you are trying to promote. Understand their posts. Do they get interactions and do they have the same morals as your Brand / Company?

Are these influencers speaking to the same Niche as you?

Are these influencers getting useful engagements with their followers?

Are these influencers posting often?

What is the ratio of followers to engagement of their posts?

Are the content that the influencers post relatable to your ideal?

Now Hiring Influencers

How should you go about hiring influencers?

1. Go reach out through their social media platform.

For example on Instagram. Go to their Instagram Page and see if they have an email. It is unprofessional of you to just DM them (Direct Message). Only send them DM if they do not have an email on their profile. Then ask them for their email so you can move on to the next step.

2. Email them

There are three types of working / hiring with and influencer.

Make them your Brand Ambassador (they promote your product / services and you give them a cut) You pay an amount upfront for a post or story post. It may be permanent or a time frame specific. You send the products / services directly to them and see if they like them or not.

NOTE: DO NOT BOMBARD Influencers with Messages. Respect them like how you would professionally. Some may even be younger than you and I. Showing how professional you are will make your Brand / Company look just as Legitimate.

A Gift to you.

Here is an example Template that you are providing a promotion rebate percentage incentive that one of their followers buy your products / services with their code.

Title: [Store Name] x [Influencer Username]

Hi [Influencer username],

My name is [Your Name] and I’m the head of Affiliate Partnerships here at [STORE NAME]. Ran across your IG page and I absolutely love the content that you’re creating! Thought I’d reach out to you and see if you would be interested in joining our exclusive Influencer Partner program as I think there is a ton of alignment in both of our audiences!

We have one of the highest paying affiliate programs that exist worldwide. By becoming official Influencer Partner you will earn 20% commissions on each sale! For example customer orders our [Product] using your link coupon code for $169.95, you will get $33.99!

I think you could do really well promoting our [Product] or even just include the affiliate link in your bio because our [product] is extremely popular worldwide. I think your audience would absolutely love it! Let me know if you’re interested and I can set you up right away!

Best,

[Your Name]

Affiliate Partnerships Manager [Store]

3. After Negotiating and Confirming the Partnership

Set final agreements so that on both sides will be clear and see what to expect from one and another.

Things to NOTE.

Influencers with a large following. I would be 10X time more cautious. Why? If you see that they have 100,000 followers but their most recent post only have 100 likes. That is only 0.1% Engagement Rate. WAY WAY LOW! Most likely they are “bought” Fake followers.

S tats to consider. Followers & Engagement Rate

<1,000 Followers 8.0%

<5,000 Followers 5.7%

<10,000 Followers 4.0%

<100,000 Followers 2.4%

100,000+ Followers 1.7%

For Large Followings. I would specifically ask for data from their previous campaign to make sure that it is legitimate. We don’t want you wasting time on some 100,000+ instagram influencer and finding out that they only have a result of a 1,000 influencer.

LAST THING TO NOTE

When doing promotions with influencers. Also have them tag your Brand or your social media account. Drive that traffic into your social media! Turn their audiences into yours!

Good luck and I wish that the influencers you find are perfect fit for your Brand / Company!