How to Find Local Influencers to Collaborate With

Nowadays, more and more businesses are harvesting the potential of local influencer marketing campaigns.

Let’s take a look at this example: Vero Moda faced an issue - Noisy May, a sub-label of the previously mentioned fashion brand, noticed that some of their demographics were located in hard-to-reach places.

According to Neal Schaffer, the brand decided to collaborate with 6 local influencers with a target audience from Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands.

The influencers became brand ambassadors, and they launched their own designs within their designated geographic location through the marketing strategy of the brand.

The result? Noisy May’s local influencer marketing campaign amassed over 4 million social media impressions as the branded posts reached over 6% engagement rates.

This is not an isolated case , and today, we are going to teach you how to find local influencers to collaborate with on Instagram and TikTok.

Why Should You Collaborate with Local Influencers?

Implementing local influencer marketing efforts highlights the authenticity of a local business through the support of thought leaders.

Social media influencers come in all shapes and sizes, as they appeal to audiences in different niches and industries.

Bu t why is collaborating with local influencers important? Let’s see what the data says.

1. Local Influencers Have Locally Targeted Audiences

Collaborating with potential influencers from a certain local community means reaching narrowed target audiences on a specific niche.

For instance, if your target audience is located within a certain geographic area (such as food business), local creators can bring credibility and social proof to your brand.

Influencer Marketing Hub says that 31% of social media users discover new products through influencers, which means that aligning an influencer’s content strategy with your business goals is a great way to reach more potential customers in the short and medium haul.

2. Local Influencers Are Relatable

Working with mega and macro influencers might not be the best path to follow for small businesses: their audience demographics are too wide, and their content might be too broad to reach the community.

In contrast, by working with the right local influencer, they can create content that feels credible and close to a certain audience location.

According to The Drum, influencer marketing is 182% more memorable than other classic marketing forms.

By finding relevant influencers within a community, it is possible for potential customers to get an honest review of your product or service.

3. Social Media Platform Algorithms Favor Local Content

According to Later, TikTok’s algorithm takes the user's location into consideration to show relevant posts on their feeds.

When a local influencer starts creating content about a brand, it has more chances to organically appear on the feeds of nearby users.

This is also true for the Instagram algorithm (InstaSize) - the location of users is taken into account as they scroll through Reels, search for new content, or look for local businesses.

How to Find Local Influencers to Collaborate With

As you can see, small businesses can have many benefits if they ask influencers to promote their products, but first, it is necessary to find them.

Let’s learn the seven best ways to find local influencers today by following different steps.

1. Use Influencer Marketing Platforms

Influencers marketing platforms, such as influencer marketplaces or an influencer search tool, are a great way to narrow down your search based on location.

Hypetrace’s influencer database allows you to find the right local influencers (without fake followers or false engagement rate metrics) by country, city, or area.

Searching Instagram and TikTok influencers with Hypetrace is as simple as selecting the influencer reach (you can find micro-influencers, nano, mega, or macro creators) and desired location.

2. Search Local Hashtags

Local hashtags focused on certain areas are oftentimes used by the most relevant influencers of a community.

Relevant hashtags can be searched through Instagram and TikTok’s built-in search feature.

Start by manually searching for relevant keywords related to your business industry.

This way, you can find local influencers manually by discovering hashtags and keywords that TikTok and Instagram influencers are using in their content.

3. Use TikTok Discover and Instagram Explore

Instagram Explore and TikTok Discover often feature several accounts or prominent local influencers.

By going to Instagram Explore , it is possible to find local Instagram influencers as their content gets organically featured on this section of Instagram.

Likewise, you can find the right influencer on TikTok by using TikTok Discover , which often features creators who are following the current trends on the platform.

4. Understand Your Social Media Followers

Your own social media followers are the ones who are more interested in your brand than anyone else.

By checking the people followed by your followers , you can find similar influencers within a local range.

If you are a local business, it is possible to analyze the accounts followed by your followers and find Instagram influencers (or TikTok influencers) in your niche based on your audience’s preferences.

5. Analyze Your Competitors

What influencers are your competitors working with? Do they have influencer marketing campaigns in motion?

By identifying your competitors, it is possible to search for sponsored posts published by a local nano or micro-influencer.

This will drastically reduce research times and give you a broader point of view regarding the types of local influencers you can work with.

6. Use Google Search

Finding local influencers is also possible by performing relevant Google searches.

Start by going to the official Google Search Engine page to perform a search based on the following query: “ your niche + influencers + location .”

For example, if you are in the fashion niche and live in New York, you can search for “ fashion influencers in New York City. ”

The results page will include several names of potential influencers to work with. However, since this method is manual, it can be very time-consuming.

7. Launch a Brand Ambassador Program

Brand Ambassador Programs are a great way to find influencers interested in working with your company.

By implementing a Brand Ambassador Program, you can attract local profiles that turn into brand advocates for your business.

Instead of trying to find influencers by yourself, implementing and promoting a Brand Ambassador Program can connect you with tens of local creators who want to be part of your brand and promote your products/services on their TikTok or Instagram account.

Summary: How to Search for Local Influencers to Work With

Collaborating with local influencers provides a competitive edge to your marketing strategy.

The authenticity, reach, and engagement levels of local influencers can be taken advantage of to improve the general goals of your local business. These are the best seven ways to find local influencers on TikTok and Instagram:

1. Use Influencer Marketing Platforms: Use influencer marketing platforms like Hypetrace to pinpoint local influencers by location, engagement, and reach.
2. Search Local Hashtags: Explore local hashtags on Instagram and TikTok to identify influencers relevant to specific communities and industries.
3. Use TikTok Discover and Instagram Explore: Go to Instagram Explore and TikTok Discover to find local influencers in line with platform trends.
4. Understand Your Social Media Followers: Analyze who your followers follow to discover influencers that resonate within your local audience.
5. Analyze Your Competitors: Identify influencers collaborating with competitors for quicker research and a wider range of options.
6. Use Google Search: Conduct Google searches like "your niche + influencers + location" to find local influencers, although this method can be time-intensive.
7. Launch a Brand Ambassador Program: Implement a Brand Ambassador Program to attract local advocates, connecting you with numerous local creators eager to promote your brand on TikTok or Instagram.

FAQ

How Much Do Local Influencers Charge?

Generally, local influencers tend to be nano or micro-influencers with a following that ranges from 1k to 50k on social platforms. The prices of sponsored posts by influencers vary depending on many different factors, but according to a study by the IMH, nano-influences and micro-influencers charge from $25 to $250 to post a brand message, product, or service on their social media platforms.