Finding the right YouTube influencers is a key step for any successful marketing campaign. These creators offer a mix of authenticity and wide reach that traditional advertising often can’t match. They have the power to shape trends, influence how people buy things, and get their followers to truly engage with content.
To help you find YouTube influencers who fit your brand’s values, goals, and target audience, here are some effective strategies and tips:
1. Know Your Target Audience First
Before you start looking, it’s vital to have a clear idea of your target audience. Think about their interests, demographics (like age and location), and what they do online. Knowing their age range, where they live, their interests, how much they spend, what kind of content they like, and when they watch videos will help you find influencers whose content fits your brand and appeals to the people you want to reach. This makes your message feel natural and real, which can lead to better engagement and sales.
2. Use Influencer Marketing Platforms
Influencer marketing platforms are very helpful tools for finding YouTube influencers. They have large databases of influencers across many different areas, along with information on their reach, how much people engage with their content, and details about their audience. Using these tools can make your search much easier, helping you find creators who match your campaign goals and your audience’s preferences.
Some platforms you can use include:
InBeat’s Influencer Search Tool
This platform lets you find influencers in large numbers using keywords, niches, and desired engagement levels. It has a large, checked database and offers specific insights. You can add “YouTube” as a keyword to find creators who are active on multiple social media sites and have a well-rounded social media presence. You can also filter by subscriber count, average views, engagement rate, location, and language. inBeat also helps you avoid influencers with fake followers.
Influencity
This platform provides advanced analytics to suggest influencers whose audience, engagement rates, and content style are a perfect match for your brand. This saves time and increases the chance of success. It also helps find local influencers, compares fees, organizes influencer lists, and offers predictive analytics and project management
Sprout Social Influencer Marketing
This tool helps you find and work with top influencers, organize campaigns, and track results. It includes features like AI Assist for finding relevant creators and a Brand Fit Score to help you choose confidently. It gives detailed information, including engagement rates, estimated fees, and audience demographics.
CreatorIQ
This platform uses an AI-powered system to suggest influencer profiles, offers advanced search filters with image recognition, and helps build a private community of influencers.
Heepsy
This tool allows you to filter influencers and check profile data on platforms like YouTube, and it has a fraud detection feature to help you avoid fake influencers. Some platforms like Heepsy might offer free trials.
3. Use YouTube’s Own Search Features
YouTube itself offers powerful built-in tools for finding potential influencers.
- Start with Relevant Keywords: Think about your niche (like beauty, gaming, or fitness) and use specific keywords such as “makeup tutorials” or “health tips”. Look at the top results, individual videos, and channels, paying attention to views and subscriber numbers.
- Use Advanced Search Filters: You can narrow your search using filters like view count, upload date, or rating to find popular and well-liked content from relevant YouTubers.
- Search YouTube Hashtags: Use specific hashtags for your niche (e.g., #FitnessTips) in the YouTube search bar to find relevant videos and creators. Also, search for hashtags like “#sponsored” or “#ad” to see content from past campaigns.
- Check the YouTube Trending Page: Visit the Trending page often to find out what’s currently popular and discover new influencers who are quickly gaining popularity. Look for creators that align with your brand’s niche and values.
- Browse Related and Recommended Channels: Start with a channel that fits your brand, then check its “Channels” tab or YouTube’s suggestions based on your viewing history. This can help you find new influencers with similar audiences or content styles.
- Social Blade: This platform shows analytics on creators and provides top lists of YouTubers in different categories, which can be useful for finding inspiration among big channels.
When discussing other platforms besides YouTube, you can say something like: “Just like YouTube, brands also benefit from learning how to find Amazon influencers for product promotion.
4. Use Google for Wider Searches
Google can help you find influencers that might not show up easily through YouTube’s own search tools.
- Keyword Research: Use keywords related to your brand’s area, and include “YouTube” in your search to get more specific results. You can also create alerts for keywords to stay updated on new content or emerging creators.
- Advanced Search Queries: Use special search commands like “site:youtube.com” to limit your results to YouTube, or search for “top YouTube [your niche] influencers” to find lists and blog posts. While this isn’t always good for finding many influencers, it’s a great starting point.
5. Look on Other Social Media Platforms
Many influencers are active on several platforms, so other social media sites can be a good place to find YouTube creators.
- Choose Relevant Platforms: Focus on platforms where your target audience and potential influencers spend the most time, such as Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook.
- Niche-Specific Hashtags and Keywords: Use relevant hashtags (e.g., #BeautyBlogger) on platforms like Instagram, or keywords on LinkedIn and Facebook.
- Check Bios and Video Content: Influencers often put links to their YouTube channels in their profiles. Look for video content in their posts, which suggests they likely have a YouTube presence.
- Local Influencer Search: For campaigns focused on a specific location, look up popular local spots or restaurants on Instagram and check their tagged posts. Influencers often tag themselves in these places, which can help you find local micro-influencers.
6. Ask for Recommendations
Getting suggestions from people in your industry, colleagues, or other influencers can be very effective, especially for specific markets. These recommendations often come from direct experience, meaning they’re usually reliable. This approach can also save time and is good for finding niche influencers.
7. Go to Conferences and Events
Attending these events offers a unique chance to meet influencers face-to-face. You can talk to influencers, industry experts, and content creators, which helps you see their skills, how they present themselves, and if they fit with your brand’s values and work ethic. This is especially helpful for business-to-business (B2B) sectors or for finding local influencers, as well as understanding how nano influencers are changing the influencer marketing landscape.
8. Start a Brand Ambassador Program
This strategy flips the usual outreach process around, encouraging influencers to contact you. You need to clearly define your goals, target audience, and what you’ll offer as incentives (like free products, commissions, or special discounts). Lay out their roles and what you expect, create a simple application process, and then promote your program effectively on your website, social media, and newsletters.
After explaining why finding the right YouTuber is important, mention how staying updated with the latest influencer marketing trends can improve your influencer selection.
Why Webworks?
Need help in leveraging these trends for your brand growth?
Webworks has the tools, team, and tech to help your brand work with the right influencers, create better content, and reach the right audience. We don’t just follow the trends—we make them work for you.
