When experienced influencer marketers talk about their selection process, they say things like “I have a feeling” or “I just know.”

What is it that they know? And how do the rest of us get in on this knowledge?

Spoiler: Keep reading.

In the last issue of ROI, I discussed using data like engagement rate, audience, and creator demographics to find partners who fit your brand. This was the science of influencer selection.

But data only tells you part of the story.

Marketers also assess the fuzzy stuff to get a fuller picture of an influencer. They look at the content and the person. What are they looking for exactly? This is the art of influencer selection.

In this issue:

• The art of choosing influencers

• What’s everyone else doing?

Fuzzy factor #1: What will I get & will it work for us?

Get the general vibe

Marketers scan a creator’s past content for consistency, quality, professionalism, and creativity. A quick feed scan will give you a good idea of what to expect.

Nacho Selma, Influencer Marketing Manager at Isnach says: 

But quality isn’t the only thing to look for. 

Scan for format

Influencers often reach different parts of their audience through different formats. Think top-level like reels, stories, carousel posts, and lives. Think sub-formats like voiceovers, speaking directly to the camera, skits, tutorials, and reviews. 

When scanning a profile, note the formats the creator uses.

You might already know the exact content formats that work well for you or need specific formats to use in other parts of your marketing funnel. Scan for those.

You might have logical reasoning to expect a specific format to match your goals Or, you might want to test new formats. Scan to see if the creator makes those or has the versatility to make them. 

Tamara Torrecillas, Digital and Influencer Marketing Manager at Dialect Fragrances, has a good reason to look for someone who speaks directly to the camera. 

If you have no earthly idea what formats work for your brand, work backward. See what content influencers who match your ideal creator profile are making. Start with those.

Fuzzy factor #2: Does the subject relate to us and their audience? 

Imagine for a second that you’re a fashion brand. In theory, you can partner with everyone. (Except, nudists and cat accounts, I guess.)

But in practice, you don’t want to collaborate with just anyone. You want to find creators whose style matches the kind of clothes your brand is known for. 

If you’re RegalRose, this feed will scream yes at you. If you’re Abercombie, though, it’s a nope.

Scanning for subject matter helps you find influencers whose content feels personal and relevant. 

You’re looking to learn: 

• What topics are they known for? 

• What niches are they part of?

• What are their values? 

• Does their lifestyle match the brand? 

Sometimes, it’s easy to spot, like in the fashion example. Other times, depending on your product, it’ll be harder. You’ll have that "A-ha!" moment while scanning when you know your product and your audience really well. 

Fuzzy factor #3:  How authentic are they?

To judge authenticity, you can look at the way a creator manages branded content vs. organic content. 

When marketers consider sponsored posts in the vetting process, they check to see whether they’re overly commercial and forced or if the creator can integrate the brand naturally. 

They’re looking for storytelling ability and how the creator replies to comments in the branded post. 

Don’t discount an influencer if you see some poor branded content, though. You can’t tell just by looking if this is the creator’s responsibility or if the brand insisted on a script and specific style. 

Fuzzy factor #4 What does my gut tell me? 

Presence

A lot of our intuition is actually coming from the creator’s presence on our screen. 

Look at their body language, pacing, and delivery.  Look at their eye contact, enthusiasm, and energy. Notice communication skills and confidence. 

A lot of the time, marketers are looking for someone who is confident (open body language), has good pacing when they talk (so people can follow along), and is clear of thought (so the audience can understand them).

This won’t always look the same across people. But as you work with more influencers, you’ll judge this better. 

Personality

The gut check usually also shows whether a creator’s personality matches the brand. If your brand is loud and edgy, it might not be a good fit to partner with someone soft-spoken and demure. 

Your gut will also tell you if a creator’s personality fits you or your team well. Do you (a frazzled influencer marketer) want to work with this person?  

Notice how a creator speaks to their community and how they appear in their interactions. This will help you get a good idea of whether or not they’re pleasant to work with. 

Michael Todner, Influencer Marketing Lead at Gear4Music says:

What’s everyone else doing?

76% of marketers said they look at an influencer’s previous sponsored content before making a decision.

They use previous sponsored content to understand:

• How well sponsored content integrates into a creator’s organic content

• How the influencer tells a story, and if their sponsored content is professional

• If the influencer creates sponsored content authentically and avoids salesy pitches

• How sponsored content engagement performs compared to organic content

Iconic #Sponcon

This collab between Emily from Cookie in the Kitchen and Wusthof caught my attention because it was so unexpected.

Sharp kitchen knives don’t automatically come to mind when you think of cookies. But, one look at the comments, and you see that the audience loved the artistry of it. (And a few customers of Wustof chimed in to sing their praises, too).

Excellent audience match. Sometimes, it’s better than going viral.

Have you seen (or worked on) iconic sponsored posts lately? I want to see ‘em. Send to [email protected] 

See you in the next issue of ROI!
Eleni Zoe xx
Marketing @ Modash. Say hi on LinkedIn or visit Modash.

📌A NOTE ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST READ

The tips in this newsletter might not be right for your specific case. Use good judgment when deciding whether to take advice from the internet—even mine. My team and I survey & interview influencer marketers whose advice and observations come from their direct experience. ROI is meant for you to connect the dots and be inspired or challenged to think about your influencer marketing in a way you haven’t before.