As a marketer, it’s easy to be tempted by the allure of influencers with many followers. Partnering with a celebrity on social media can feel like a win. Still, the draw of millions of followers doesn’t always result in a successful campaign, and the cost can burn through your marketing budget in one fell swoop. Working with mid-tier influencers could be the solution. These influencers have 50K-500K followers, which is still a sizable audience to reach. To help with how to find mid-tier influencers, here are some tips to follow:
1. Use an influencer marketing platform
To find mid-tier content creators among the masses, use an influencer marketing platform.
Do your research to ensure you choose a tool that can grow with you. IZEA Flex, for example, provides campaign metrics, multi-platform social monitoring, content discovery, tracking links, integration with Shopify or Google Analytics, and other features.
You get an all-in-one platform that works with your brand, regardless of size.
2. Tap your brand advocates
Some of your most loyal customers could be mid-tier influencers.
A simple search of your brand’s most engaged followers on social media may turn up some mid-tier influencers. Not only are they already familiar with what you offer in the way of products and services, but by staying up to date with your posts on social media, they likely know the tone and style of your marketing — and your company’s values.
Once you find a handful of them, simply check out their social media accounts to see if there’s a potential for partnership.
Another option is to search your reviews for promoters or fans who have vocalized their love for your brand’s products or services. These potential influencers might be talking about your brand somewhere else online too. Social monitoring can alert you to these under-the-radar supporters, whose accounts you can check for collaboration possibilities.
3. Search for accounts directly on social media
Although more time-consuming, a search on the social media platforms where you’ll be hosting your campaigns can uncover potential mid-tier influencers. Start by typing your industry plus the word “influencer” into the search box, then skimming the top accounts.
On TikTok, for example, a search for “beauty influencer” under top results displays countless options, all of which have their follower counts in the bottom right corner of their video.
Pro tip: The IZEA blog shares influencer lists that you can reference, too.
4. Follow the hashtags
Hashtags can provide a simple way to find influencers on social media, but the broader your industry, the more specific your choice of words needs to be. A quick search for “#fashioninfluencer” on Instagram, for example, turns up 3.8M posts, while “#sandalinfluencer” only produces 146 results.
Another option is to Google a hashtag that includes your industry and the word “vlogger.” A search for “home renovation vlogger” turns up a variety of influencers on YouTube, as well as some articles and lists of influencers who fit the criteria.
You’ll be left to sort through a mix of mid-tier, micro-, macro-, and mega-influencers, but because they’ve been identified as vloggers, you’ll already know they’re content creators.
Understanding mid-tier influencer rates
Brands can expect to pay an influencer more based on the number of posts, usage rights to the content, and costs incurred for travel, photo shoots, and other expenses agreed upon in advance. If your brand wants exclusivity with the influencer, you should be prepared to pay for that right, as you’ll be limiting other potential income for the content creator.
In 2021, the average cost per post for mid-tier influencers across all platforms hit a record high at $3,087, up from just $1,913 in 2020. But those numbers vary by platform, with YouTube and TikTok earning two to four times more than almost all other platforms, according to IZEA’s State of Influencer Earnings™.
Many experienced mid-tier influencers will either post their rates online or be willing to send them upon request to give you an idea of what to expect without the need for extensive negotiations.
Use these tips for how to find mid-tier influencers for your next social media campaign. With the right partner, your brand will be able to reach new, engaged followers with unique content, and you may develop a long-term partnership that benefits everyone.
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Marketers:
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