TikTok is one of the most innovative and creative platforms out there. It's a global community of creators, influencers, artists, advocates, and everyday people who come together to create short videos that can be shared with friends or the world. 

But beyond the fun and creativity lies an untapped goldmine for brands: the power of influencer marketing on TikTok.  

And to tap into it, you need to find someone who speaks directly to millions and has the trust and attention of your target audience. Though there are a lot of tools available for this purpose, finding the right influencer goes beyond them.   

This blog discusses how effectively you can find the right influencer from TikTok. Let's delve into it. 

Consider These Factors First!

Choosing the right influencer is a critical decision in influencer marketing. Partnering with someone who doesn't align with your brand or fails to deliver can be costly, both in terms of finances and brand reputation.   

So, here are some key factors to consider before making your choice:  

Relevance to Your Brand: 

Research and check whether the influencer's content aligns with your brand's values, aesthetics, and target audience. Also, check whether they cater to your brand's demographic and psychographic segments.  

Engagement Rate: 

Beyond the number of followers, check how engaged their audience is. Look for likes, comments, shares, and the quality of interactions. A smaller, more engaged audience can often be more valuable than a larger, passive one.  

Authenticity: 

Does the influencer come across as genuine in their content, or does it feel scripted and promotional? Authentic influencers tend to have a more trusting and engaged audience.  

Content Quality:

Evaluate the production quality, creativity, and consistency of the influencer's content. See if it matches the standards and aesthetics your brand aspires to.  `

Audience Demographics: 

Analyze the age, location, gender, interests, and other demographic details of the influencer's followers to ensure they match your target audience.  

Past Collaborations: 

Review their previous brand partnerships. Were they successful? Did they seem organic or forced?  Check for any controversies or negative feedback from past campaigns.  

Frequency of Sponsored Content: 

If every post is a sponsored one, their audience might be desensitized to promotional content. Result? Less effective campaigns.  

Values and Controversies: 

Ensure the influencer's values align with your brand's.  

Check their past content and public statements to avoid partnering with someone who might have been involved in controversies. Directly or indirectly, these could harm your brand's reputation.  

Pricing and Budget: 

Ensure their charges align with your budget. Remember, the most expensive influencer isn't necessarily the best fit for every campaign.  

Flexibility: 

Are they open to feedback and collaboration, or are they rigid in their approach? A flexible influencer can adapt to your brand's needs and feedback.  

Exclusivity: 

Some influencers work exclusively with certain brands. Or avoid promoting competing products within a specific timeframe. Clarify these terms upfront.  

Platform Expertise: 

While the focus might be on TikTok, it's worth noting if the influencer has a strong presence on other platforms. This can amplify the reach of your campaign.  

Contractual Terms: 

Ensure you're clear on deliverables, timelines, rights to content, payment terms, and any other contractual details before finalizing the collaboration.  

By considering these factors, you can make a more informed decision and increase the likelihood of a successful influencer partnership.

Keeping these factors in mind, let’s have a look at how you can find the right influencer from TikTok.

How to Find Your Influencers from TikTok?

Now to explain the steps behind finding the right influencer, let’s consider an example. 

Suppose you have a company that sells sustainable skin care products called EcoSkinCare. Your company is fairly new, and you want to increase brand awareness and drive sales for their new line of organic facial serums.

The characteristics of the target audience - 

Demographics: Women aged 20-40. 

Psychographics: Environmentally conscious, prefers organic and cruelty-free products, values sustainability, and is willing to invest in quality skincare.

Step 1: Sign Up or (Log In) to Your Influencer Marketing Tool

Here is the signup link for Impulze.ai. It won’t take more than a minute. Once you sign up, you will be transferred to the dashboard, where you can filter out your desired influencer.

Step 2: Choose all that matters

We have a starter plan, so we can do 500 searches per month. If you are using a free version, you will have 5 free searches. So use them wisely. 

With that said, let’s find your influencer.

Filter #1 - Choose the Platform

As shown in the figure, click on the TikTok logo to change the platform from the default (Instagram).

Once you have done that, switch on the filter option boxed in the image. Doing this ensures that the profiles loaded are verified and have contact details.

DON’T CLICK “SEARCH” YET!

Filter#2 - Add the Basic Filters

This is the basic filter. You have to add in your target audience, the engagement rate, the minimum and maximum followers, and the niche.

Considering the example, we added the target location, which is the United States. We want a profile with a minimum of one thousand followers, so we have added accordingly. We are leaving the maximum number of followers as such because the more they have, the better. And finally, for the niche, we added “Beauty & Cosmetics”.

Now regarding the engagement rate. 

A good engagement rate on TikTok depends upon the total number of followers. The higher the number of followers, the lower the engagement rate. Therefore, as you can see, we left the engagement rate untouched for the time being.

Filter #3 - Filter the Creators

You can filter out the creators based on the last time they have posted, their likes, views, the language they speak, and more. 

Choose all that matters and go to the next filter. You can see how we have chosen ours.

Filter #4 - Filter the Audience

Select the age range, location, gender, etc., to filter out the creators who cater content to your target audience.

A couple of things here. The default percentage for audience location and gender is set at 20%. Since we are marketing a skincare product for women in the US, it’s only logical to change these default values above 50%. 

But it’s not always the right approach.

Yes, if our target customers are women, we need a creator who has more female audience than male. But in reality, the female audience for a female influencer is always below 50. 

Similarly, in the case of audience locations, having more than 50% of the creator's audience from your desired (target) location is the ideal way. But with TikTok creators having audiences from across the world, this approach isn’t right either.

So what should you do? Keep the default values!

With the values set at default (20%), you will get a broader list of influencers you can reach out to. 

Once you have added all the filters, it’s time to hit the “Search” button.

Step 3: Save all the Influencers

Carefully scrutinize and save all the influencers you think can help you with your influencer marketing campaign.

Once you have selected the influencers, go to home and view each influencer’s profile.

Step 4: Use SocialiQ to Get Deeper Insights

Initially, the influencer’s profile would like something like the following. For more details, click on the continue at the top. 

We use our Chrome extension, SocialiQ, to extract deeper insights from the influencer’s social media profile. Follow the link to add SocialiQ to your Chrome extensions.

Once you get the data from social, the influencer profile will look something like the following. 

Do the same for all the influencers and see which one fits best for your campaign.

And that’s it! You have found your ideal TikTok influencers.

What now? How to Approach Influencers?  

We have sifted through about 250 million databases in impulze.ai and shortlisted some influencers perfect for your brand. Now, it's time to reach out to them and seal the deal. Let's break it down step by step.  

a. Initial Outreach 

Crafting a Compelling Initial Message or Email:   

Hey, first impressions matter, right? Think of your initial message as a digital handshake. You want it to be firm, confident, and leave a lasting impression. 

Start with a catchy subject line or opening, something like, "Collab proposal from [Your Brand]?" or "Let's create some TikTok magic together!"  

Then, dive into why you think they're a great fit, maybe mention a video of theirs you loved, and give a brief intro about your brand and what you're hoping to achieve.  

Importance of Personalization and Clarity:   

Nobody likes those generic, copy-pasted messages. Take a moment to personalize your outreach. Mention their work, show genuine interest, and be clear about what you're proposing.  

Remember, influencers get tons of these messages. Make yours stand out by being genuine and to the point.  

b. Negotiation  

Tips for Negotiating Rates and Deliverables:   

Negotiating can feel a bit like a dance. Start by being transparent about your budget. Ask them for their rates, but also be prepared with a counter-offer.  

Discuss the scope of work clearly – how many videos, the length, any specific content you want, etc. And hey, sometimes it's not just about money.  

Maybe they'd appreciate some extra products, a long-term partnership, or other perks.  

Common Pitfalls to Avoid:   

Avoid being too rigid or aggressive. It's a partnership, not a competition. Don't undervalue their work; remember, you're not just paying for a video but their reach, expertise, and audience engagement.  

And always, always get everything in writing. Verbal agreements are great, but written ones are legally binding

c. Setting Clear Expectations  Importance of Clear 

Communication and Setting Boundaries:   

Alright, so you've agreed on terms, but before you dive in, set clear expectations. Discuss timelines, how feedback will be handled, any specific do's and don'ts, and how results will be tracked.  

It's like setting ground rules before playing a game. It ensures everyone's on the same page and avoids any mid-game surprises.  

Drafting a Contract or Agreement:   

A contract outlines everything you've discussed, from deliverables to payment terms, ensuring both parties are protected.  

It doesn't have to be a 50-page legal document. Even a simple agreement, signed by both parties, can save a lot of potential headaches down the road.  

Just keep in mind that it's about building a relationship, not just a transaction. So, go on, slide into those DMs or inboxes, and start building some amazing partnerships!

Takeaway

TikTok is a crucial platform for agencies looking into running their influencer marketing campaign. With the right influencer by their side, agencies can boost their brand awareness and authority. And the best way to find TikTok influencers is to leverage the best influencer marketing tools. 

As you can see, with impulze.ai, you can easily find your ideal influencer marketers from their vast (250 million) database. To avail of their free version, click below.