Mastering Influencer Campaigns in Canada Chapter 1: How to Find the Right Influencers for your Brand

Chapter 1: Finding the Right Influencers

Imagine you’re at a party, and you’re trying to tell everyone about this incredible new product you have. But, there are hundreds of people there, each interested in different things. Some love fashion, others are obsessed with tech gadgets, and some are just there for the free drinks. You could shout about your product to everyone, hoping someone cares, or you could find the person who’s already talking about influencer marketing—someone who has a group gathered around them, listening to every word. That’s your perfect influencer.

Finding the right influencers can feel just like navigating a crowded party, except the stakes are higher, and the party is global. Understanding how to find the right influencers is key to ensuring your message reaches the right audience. The key to success is to find individuals who genuinely align with your brand’s story, audience, and vibe. Let’s explore how you can make that happen.

Defining Goals and Matching Influencers: Influencer Selection Strategy and Goal-Based Influencer Marketing

Start by asking yourself: what do you want to achieve with this campaign? Are you trying to create buzz, drive immediate sales, or perhaps introduce a new product to a niche audience? Defining these goals first is crucial because it will influence what type of influencers you should work with.

Let’s say your brand is launching an eco-friendly shampoo. Your goal is to create awareness and build credibility with an environmentally conscious audience. In this case, you’d want to look for influencers who already talk about sustainable living, eco-friendly products, and natural self-care routines. Maybe it’s someone who’s already posted about ditching plastic or has even done reviews on natural shampoos before. You’re not just looking for reach—you’re looking for fit.

Take, for example, a small skincare company that partnered with a micro-influencer who had a following of just 10,000—not huge by today’s standards. But that influencer was passionate about skincare routines and natural products, and their audience trusted them. The campaign resulted in not just a spike in sales but a new community of loyal customers. This is what happens when you’re selective about alignment and understand the micro-influencer benefits.

Authenticity Check: Influencer Authenticity Tools and Techniques

Once you’ve identified a potential influencer, it’s time to do a little homework. Authenticity is everything—especially in a world where followers can be bought, and engagement can be manipulated. Luckily, there are tools that can help you assess whether an influencer’s audience is genuine. Embold can help you assess whether an influencer’s audience is genuine. Embold allows you to analyze follower growth trends, which can reveal a sudden, unnatural spike in followers (a possible sign of follower purchasing). You can also use it to check which country an audience is in, helping you better understand the influencer's reach.

Beyond data, you need to take a qualitative approach. Dive into the comments. Are people actually engaging with their posts, or are the comments repetitive and spammy? Real engagement means people are asking questions, tagging friends, and sharing stories of their own. You want influencers who have built a community, not just an audience.

Types of Influencers: Micro, Macro, or Mega?

It’s easy to be tempted by influencers with millions of followers. After all, big numbers mean big results, right? Not necessarily. Depending on your goals, sometimes a smaller influencer can bring a greater impact.

Micro-influencers (those with 5,000-50,000 followers) are particularly effective when authenticity is key. They tend to have higher engagement rates and often a more niche audience. Their followers see them as real people—someone who’s genuinely passionate about what they’re promoting.

Then there are macro-influencers (50,000-500,000 followers), who are great for reaching a broader audience, while still maintaining some of that authenticity. They’re often known experts in their niche—think of a popular fitness instructor or a well-known beauty blogger.

Mega-influencers (500,000+ followers) are the celebrities of the influencer world, making them ideal candidates for mega-influencer marketing. They’re ideal for brand awareness campaigns—when you just want everyone to know about your new product. Just remember, the more followers an influencer has, the less personal the connection often becomes.

For example, a wellness brand working with a mega-influencer might see an uptick in brand awareness, but for driving conversions, partnering with a micro-influencer who’s trusted in the wellness community often leads to a better return on investment. The choice depends on what you’re aiming for.

Diversity and Brand Fit

Influencer campaigns are also an opportunity to show what your brand stands for. It’s important to consider diversity—whether that’s in terms of demographics, content style, or even audience geography. An influencer might be a perfect fit in terms of their aesthetic or values, but if their audience is entirely based in Europe and your product is only available in North America, you’ve got a problem.

Look for influencers whose communities align with your target customers. If you’re a Canadian brand, prioritizing influencers who have a strong presence in Canada will help you make a more direct impact. This also applies to the type of content they create—does it match your brand’s tone? A humorous influencer might be great for a casual lifestyle brand, but perhaps not for a high-end luxury product.

How to Find Influencers on Instagram

Finding the right influencers on Instagram requires more than just scrolling through feeds. Here are some practical steps to help you locate influencers who align with your brand:

• Use Hashtags Strategically: Start by searching for relevant hashtags that relate to your industry. For example, if you are in the wellness space, try hashtags like #wellnessblogger, #healthyhabits, or #fitnessinfluencer. This will help you discover influencers who are actively posting about related topics.
• Explore Competitor Partnerships: Check out which influencers your competitors are working with. This can give you a good sense of who is already established in your niche and has experience with similar campaigns.
• Instagram’s Search and Explore Features: Instagram’s search and explore features can be used to find influencers. By typing in keywords related to your industry, you can discover relevant content creators who are trending.
• Embold's Search Features: Embold's search capabilities can help automate the process of finding influencers. You can filter influencers based on location, follower count, engagement rate, and other parameters to quickly identify the best candidates. Best part? You can sign up for a free 14 day trial here.
• Check Engagement, Not Just Follower Count: When you find potential influencers, assess their engagement levels. Do their posts receive thoughtful comments, shares, and likes? Influencers with strong, authentic engagement are more likely to make an impact for your brand.
• Create a Shortlist and Reach Out: Once you have identified potential influencers, create a shortlist and start reaching out. Personalize your messages—show that you’ve taken the time to understand their content and explain why your brand is a good fit for them. It’s important to consider diversity—whether that’s in terms of demographics, content style, or even audience geography. An influencer might be a perfect fit in terms of their aesthetic or values, but if their audience is entirely based in Europe and your product is only available in North America, you’ve got a problem.

Look for influencers whose communities align with your target customers. If you’re a Canadian brand, prioritizing influencers who have a strong presence in Canada will help you make a more direct impact. This also applies to the type of content they create—does it match your brand’s tone? A humorous influencer might be great for a casual lifestyle brand, but perhaps not for a high-end luxury product.

‍Bringing It All Together

‍Finding the right influencers is like matchmaking—you’re looking for someone who’s not only interested in what you’re offering but who’s also excited to tell others about it. The best influencer relationships are built on mutual respect and authenticity—they’re more than transactions, they’re partnerships.When you take the time to define your goals, assess authenticity, and find the perfect type of influencer, you’re setting the foundation for campaigns that genuinely connect with people. And when your message resonates, that’s when the magic happens.

‍How Embold can help you find influencers

‍Embold is a leading Canadian influencer marketing platform with an extensive roster of over 9,000 Canadian influencers. Our platform makes it easy for you to discover the perfect influencers for your brand by enabling you to search based on content type, audience insights, and performance analytics. With our advanced filtering tools, you can assess an influencer's engagement metrics and audience demographics, ensuring a strong match for your campaign. Plus, you can seamlessly invite influencers to collaborate, all within the platform for a streamlined campaign experience. Sign up for a free trial here.