There is no doubt that TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms in 2023. If you want to make it big on TikTok, partnering with the right influencers is key. With their help, you can reach new audiences, improve your standing on the platform, and increase your engagement rates and profits.
However, finding relevant TikTok influencers in your niche requires a lot of research, especially considering the number of users the app has. Luckily, we have a practical guide that can help get your search off the ground. Follow along!
Use TikTok’s Search Page
TikTok is designed with user convenience in mind, allowing you to use the app to search for anything that interests you. When it comes to finding influencers, searching for keywords and hashtags yields the best results.
Keywords
Looking up keywords will give you broad and general results, so it’s an excellent place to begin your quest. You can search for both short phrases and long-tail keywords, all depending on your niche.
For example, let’s say you’re a small makeup business, and you want to find influencers to market your brand to their followers. You can begin with keywords such as ‘makeup influencer,’ ‘makeup reviews,’ ‘makeup brand review,’ and ‘makeup for oily skin,’ among others.
Now, this is where things get a bit tricky. The results will feature countless posts, and you will have to parse through them to find what you need. And even if you hit the jackpot with an influencer you particularly like, you’ll still have to analyze their profile and content to see if your values and target audiences align.
So, using keywords is a sure way to success, but it requires a lot of patience on your part. Still, since you want the best for your brand, consider this research yet another wise investment you need to make.
Hashtags
In this regard, hashtags work similarly to keywords. But instead of looking up ordinary phrases, you add a # and exclude all spaces.
For instance, you can search for #makeupreview, #brandreview, #makeuppartnership, and so on. And if you want to narrow down your search, you can explore tags such as #acnetips, #dryskinconcealer, and #skincaretips, to name a few.
Your search results will consist of all posts using a particular hashtag. So, your job is to, once again, go over all the content and find relevant influencers that might want to collaborate.
A good aspect of performing these searches is that the app’s algorithm will pick up on them. As a result, your FYP will soon be full of makeup tutorials, tips, and brand review videos. In other words, you’ll be able to look for influencers by simply scrolling through your FYP, which can save you a lot of time.
Learn From Your Audience
TikTok’s audience — mainly Zoomers and Millennials — is often vocal about the brands, products, and influencers it supports. So, it pays off to check what your own customers, or those interested in your niche, are liking and sharing.
Thus, you should take a peek at the content your followers are engaging with. Are there any specific influencers that keep appearing? If so, it won’t hurt to check out their profiles and see whether they’d be a good fit for a collaboration.
Finding influencers using this method can help you save time, as the chances of your values matching are higher. After all, you have a similar audience, and you share a niche, which gives you a lot of common ground.
Work With an Influencer Agency
The rise of influencers has caused a sudden influx of influencer agencies. As the name suggests, these agencies find, manage, and represent influencers. One of their many roles is helping connect content creators with brands to form lucrative partnerships.
On the current marketing scene, Upfluence, Moburst, ViralNation, and The Influencer Marketing Factory are the most popular choices. All of these agencies work with a rich lineup of influencers in just about any industry, so finding a suitable option for your business won’t be difficult.
Of course, it goes without saying that hiring an influencer agency is a costly way to find TikTok partners. Rates can reach thousands of dollars, which is more than most up-and-coming brands can afford to part with. Still, if you can fit it into your budget, working with an agency can save you a lot of time.
Use Influencer Search Tools
There are many online tools that allow you to search for influencers on different platforms, including TikTok. While some of them are free, others require a subscription fee if you want access to all their features. In most cases, this fee starts at around $500 per month.
Here are some of the most commonly used tools you can check out:
Generally speaking, paid tools allow you to perform more in-depth searches. For instance, paying for a premium version would give you access to a wider network of influencers. What’s more, you’d be able to narrow down your search based on more parameters, including their niche, number of followers, usual engagement rates, country or region, and many more.
However, if you can’t afford to pay for a tool, it’s still useful to check out the free version option. If anything, it can help you save time you’d spend looking up keywords or hashtags on TikTok.
Convert Customers Into Influencers
Sometimes, you can find influencers without straying too far from your own audience. Namely, you can contact a particularly dedicated and loyal fan of your brand and ask them for a collaboration.
Naturally, you should look for customers that already have a following. However, they don’t necessarily have to be influencers. As long as they can present your products to their audience and advertise you well, it’s a plan that can work wonders.
This strategy has one significant advantage. If someone is already a fan of your brand, they will be able to talk about your services or products with passion. That can, in turn, make the promo more genuine and effective, attracting a wider pool of potential customers.
If you opt for this option, you can collaborate with users through brand shoutouts, detailed product reviews, and live features. All you have to do is send your products to the chosen fan — or give them a discount or special offer — and arrange a promo in return. This method doesn’t cost too much, and it can actually help you gain customers organically.
