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So, you’re on the lookout for an Instagram influencer. You’ve found a perfect match for your brand, reached out, and they’re eager to work with you. What’s the next step? What’s the process of hiring Instagram Influencers?

Once you’ve found your ideal influencer, the next step is onboarding and hiring them. The process of hiring an Instagram influencer starts by establishing a meaningful relationship. From there, you’ll collaborate on campaign ideas to make sure everyone’s on the same page and that deadlines will be met. This sets a strong foundation for your Instagram influencer marketing campaign.  

How to search for Instagram influencers 

According to SproutSocial, there are over 500,000 influencers on Instagram, meaning brands seeking influencer partnerships have many options. To find influencers aligned with your campaign goals, you could use the search function on the platform to explore hashtags and keywords relevant to your brand. Alternatively, consider using influencer platforms like IZEA’s Marketplace, which streamlines the search and filtering process for influencer marketing campaigns and our blog for additional resources and tips on the nuances of identifying quality Instagram influencers.

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How to hire Instagram influencers: Know what they want 

Working with and hiring Instagram influencers is about building quality and long-lasting relationships with them. Consider the content they create and take note of the criteria they value in partnerships, such as shared brand relevance and the potential for creative input.

Influencers want genuine connections with the brands they partner with, gravitating toward collaborations that seamlessly align with the type of content they produce. This not only solidifies the authenticity of the partnership but also highlights the influencer’s interest in working with brands that organically complement their creative output. 

Creating an Instagram influencer marketing campaign

Once you know what your influencer is looking for in a partnership, it’s time to work collaboratively to build a campaign with them.

Aligning with the influencer’s voice and catering to their audience’s interests is pivotal in deciding what type of campaign or collaboration will have the most significant impact. Generally speaking, there are two approaches to crafting a campaign. One involves granting the influencer a considerable amount of creative freedom to create content featuring your products, while the other involves you taking the lead in orchestrating the campaign and enlisting the influencer to execute it.

An example of an influencer is showcased by fashion influencer Ella spontaneously sharing a casual haul of gifted pieces from PrettyLittleThing, a U.K.-based retailer she’s an ambassador for. 

@3llathomas

Party SZN is here ❤ Which is your fave?! @prettylittlething AD 

♬ agora hills - ✿

Negotiating influencer prices for projects

The cost of partnering with an influencer varies depending on their tier — whether nano-, micro-, midtier, macro- or mega- —with prices ranging from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. When negotiating with an influencer, remember that each influencer sets their rates, and there isn’t a standardized fee. If an influencer’s rate exceeds your budget, consider modifying deliverables to align with their pricing or exploring additional perks to get them onboard.

One of the benefits of using the IZEA Marketplace to find your Instagram influencer is the transparent pricing in listings. Influencers name their prices in their listings and set their deliverables, but you can ask an influencer for adjustments. Plus, with Casting Calls, brands can set their budget and ask influencers to pitch themselves with their pricing.

Tracking status and accountability

An influencer marketing platform like IZEA Flex can help brands monitor the ongoing progress of their campaigns. Modules like Tracking Links and Google Analytics and Shopify integrations enable real-time tracking to gauge the immediate impact of your influencer’s posts.

In Marketplace collabs, brands can review content and approve it before publication. This ensures that your influencer adheres to necessary FTC disclosures in their posts.

Paying Instagram influencers

Influencers are driven by financial incentives. Business Insider notes that influencers rely on sponsored content and brand deals for most of their income. 

Using an influencer marketplace simplifies the payment process, alleviating concerns about issuing checks that might get lost in the mail. For a complete breakdown of influencer compensation, check out our annual The State of Influencer Earnings report

 THE CREATOR MARKETPLACE® 

Find your next great collab.

Browse creator listings now

 THE CREATOR MARKETPLACE® 

Find your next great collab.

Browse creator listings now

 THE CREATOR MARKETPLACE® 

Find your next great collab.

Browse creator listings now

 THE CREATOR MARKETPLACE® 

Find your next great collab.

Browse creator listings now