Choosing Influencers: 4 Criteria To Gauge If They're Your Best Match

 FREE GUIDE: How To Grow Your Local Instagram Following

Working with local influencers is one of the best ways to create hype around your local business.

But how do you know which influencers are the right ones for you to partner with?

Today, I'm sharing 4 questions to answer when you're scoping out the influencers in your area.

Plus, I'm sharing a dirty little secret some influencers don't want you to know.

Watch now or read below!

This is the fourth part in our local influencer mini series. Be sure to check out the other videos:

How To Work With Local Influencers

3 Things To Do Before You Work With Local Influencers

4 Ways To Find Local Influencers + How To Reach Out To Them

Once you start connecting with influencers, you'll have to make a judgement on whether or not certain influencers will be a good match for you.

Just because they're an influencer or have a large following, doesn't necessarily make them a good partner for your business.

But don't let that freak you out or stop you from working with influencers.

I have exact questions for you to answer today so you can easily choose and go through the elimination process.

Question 1: How many followers do they have?

This is a trick question. But it's usually the one we ask the most.

Surprisingly, numbers aren't everything with influencers.

In the marketing world, there are different types of influencers based on how many followers they have.

There are mega or macro influencers who have 100s of thousands or millions of followers.

These are like celebrities.

Then there are your mid-range influencers.

Then there are your micro and nano influencers.

A micro influencer has 10K - 100K followers.

A nano influencer has less than 10K. 

As a local business, it's likely you'll be focusing more on the more micro and nano influencers.

(Unless you're lucky and have some major celebrity influencer who lives in your city. Then by all means, go for it!)

But likely you'll be dealing with influencers who are a few thousand followers up to 100K followers.

Don't be afraid to work with the nano influencers.

They have smaller audiences, but they're likely less expensive and they have really engaged followers.

They may even seem a more relatable to their followers.

I've run a successful local blog here in Baton Rouge for over a decade, and I'm still considered a nano influencer -- and I've made a lot of local businesses a lot of money.

So you can still find a lot of success and reach your target audience even with the influencers with the smaller audiences.

The point is: don't pay too much attention to numbers.

There are other more important things to look at.

Question 2: Are they local to you? Is their audience local to you?

If the influencer's audience isn't local to you, then you're not going to see much return on your investment for partnering with them.

For example, if you're an interior designer and your influencer's audience isn't local, then no one will book with you.

So how do you know if your influencer's audience is LOCAL?

The easiest way is to ask the influencer.

Instagram business gives you insights as to where your followers are located.

You can also skim their followers and people engaging with them and see if they are local or if they seem to be people more all over.

Question 3: Is their audience engaged -- and is it authentic?

The next thing I want you to ask yourself is: Is their audience engaged and is it authentic?

In other words, is their engagement real?

Here's a dirty little secret *some* influencers don't want you to know:

Some influencers are involved in these things called "comment pods" or "engagement pods."

This means that they are in a group with other influencers who are all required to go like and engage on each others photos when they're posted.

This would be considered fake engagement.

Yes, it's real people.

But it's other influencers.

And they're doing it to give the appearance of high engagement.

So it's not real engagement from local people who are your target customer.

Luckily, this is super easy to spot.

All you have to do is take a look at the comments and what they're saying.

You'll be able to quickly tell if it's a bunch of other influencers or if it's real people who are leaving thoughtful comments.

For example, let's say a local influencer posts a picture at a new local restaurant.

Real local followers may comment things like:

"I can't wait to try this place out" or

"OMG I love that place."

Maybe they ask questions on the post or even tag their friends.

A person in a comment pod may comment things like:

"Love your dress!"

"OMG obsessed with your lipstick"

"So cute"

They're not local, so they can't really chime in on the restaurant, but they're required to leave a comment.

I've found they're usually off topic and not relevant other than complimenting the influencer.

Question 4: Does your product or service fit their brand?

Can you see your business fitting in with the content they're sharing? Is it a natural fit?

For example, I've been a local lifestyle blogger for years.

I have good authentic engagement, and I'm perfect for local businesses to partner with in Baton Rouge.

BUT I'm not perfect for a local baby clothing store.

Why? Because I don't have kids.

So this type of content wouldn't really be a good fit for what I already share with my blog readers. It would be out of place and forced.

An easy way to learn more about the influencer (besides watching them online) is to ask for their media kit.

Typically their media kit will include the demographics of their followers, the type of content they share and ways you can partner with them.

Don't be afraid to reach out and ask for the media kit - especially if you're making a list of potential influencers to partner with in the future.

Become THE local go-to with a steady stream of clients using my Localpreneur Marketing Method.

Working with influencers is simply one strategy to reach more people in your area.

But highly effective within your full marketing plan.

If you're ready to evolve into being THE local top choice in your industry, I invite you to join us inside The Localpreneur Bootcamp.

Using my unique Localpreneur Marketing Method, you'll stand out online and get booked solid with local clients.

You're amazing at what you do, and you're ready to communicate the power of what you do.

First, you'll shift and step into being the local go-to in your industry. We'll uncover what makes you truly unique and everyone's top choice.

Then, you'll show up and sell with compelling content online. We'll take the mystery out of content creation and establish you as the expert... in a way that you can sustain even when you're fully booked.

Finally, you'll generate never-ending local leads with ease. Wake up with new inquiries and bookings, new followers and new subscribers.

Pre-enroll now into The Localpreneur Bootcamp and get instant access to all the course content.

Work through at your own pace, and we'll officially kick off our group with my support on September 3.

If you pre-enroll during the summer, you'll also receive a private strategy kick-off call with me, plus 2 bonus 1:1 coaching calls so I can make sure you're meeting your revenue goals.

I'll see you inside!