4 Top Ways to Find Local Influencers for Your Business

Table of Contents

What are local influencers?
Why use local influencers for your business
How to find local influencers
How much does it cost to hire a local influencer?
Building relationships with local influencers
Conclusion

Do you want to engage your local community and bring more customers through the door? 

As a local business owner, one of the key strategies to ensure success is finding local influencers who can help promote your business and share relevant content with their own networks.

Connecting with the right local influencers could be just what you need to take your marketing efforts up a notch – after all, word of mouth is still one of the most powerful drivers for brands today! 

In this blog post, we’ll discuss how businesses can identify potential local influencers.

By understanding each phase of this process in detail, you will soon have an additional network of loyal fans that are ready to support your brand no matter what. So let's get started on discovering how you can find exceptional influentials in your area!

What are Local Influencers?

Local influencers are people in your area who have built a significant following on their various social media profiles. They typically have an engaged audience, who will listen to and act upon their recommendations. As a business owner or marketer, having access to local influencers offers tremendous potential for growth.

Image source: Creators.co

Why Use Local Influencers for Your Business

Local influencers offer businesses the opportunity to reach a new and larger audience and help them gain more visibility in the community.

Working with local influencers can help you drive engagement and increase brand awareness organically, without the need for expensive marketing campaigns. 

Not only does it allow you to tap into their established, engaged fan base, but it also means that your message is being heard by people who are geographically close to your business.

For example, suppose you own a restaurant in London and want to advertise your establishment through an influencer's social media platform - they're likely to be followed by locals who live nearby and can easily visit your restaurant. 

This allows you to target a specific group of individuals who may not have been reached by conventional methods of advertising.

Local influencers are also invaluable when it comes to creating word-of-mouth buzz about your business within the community. If one of their followers tries out your product or service, chances are they'll let others know about their experience – providing even more exposure for your business.

How to Find Local Influencers

Finding local influencers for your business can be tricky, but with the right approach, it is possible.

1. Perform a Simple Google Search

Conducting a simple Google search is one of the fastest and simplest ways to identify local influencers.

Try searching for local influencers and bloggers near you, or top Instagram influencers in your area. You can also search for keywords related to your industry or products, along with the name of your city or region.

For instance, if you run a coffee shop, you could search for "coffee influencers in [your city]" or "food bloggers in [your region]." 

Additionally, you can look into more specific keywords related to your products like "vegan influencers in [your city]" or "fitness influencers in [your region]."

Once you have your list of potential candidates, take time to review their profiles and assess them based on engagement rate, content quality, and any other relevant criteria that may pertain to your brand.

Tip: It's worth mentioning that you may find more success by contacting less established local influencers who are just starting out. These people may be willing to collaborate with a bit more enthusiasm than larger names due to the fact that they still need to build up their own fanbase.

2. Use an Influencer Marketplace

An influencer marketplace is another great way to identify local influencers for your business. These online platforms connect brands with influential people who are interested in promoting products or services.

Creator.co is a popular influencer marketplace that allows brands to search for micro influencers based on location, industry and other criteria. You can filter influencers based on their following size, engagement rates and past sponsored content to find the right fit.

When using an influencer marketplace, it's essential to have a firm grasp on your campaign objectives and budget. Influencers on these platforms may charge different rates for sponsored content, so having an estimated amount in mind before reaching out is vital.

When researching potential influencers, be sure to review their social media profiles and past sponsored content to confirm they align with your brand values and target audience. Look for influencers with a large following, high engagement rates, and who consistently create content related to your industry or products.

Once you've identified potential influencers, reach out to them with a tailored pitch outlining the campaign objectives, compensation plan, and expectations. It is essential to give influencers creative freedom so their content is authentic and in line with their personal brand.

Using an influencer marketplace is an excellent way to find local influencers who can help promote your brand and connect you with new customers in your community.

3. Use Local Hashtags to Find Local Influencers

Using location-specific hashtags is a great way to find local influencers on platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Simply type in the relevant hashtag and you’ll be presented with a list of accounts that have used that same hashtag.

To get started, search for hashtags related to your industry or products along with the name of your city or region. For instance, if you own a local clothing store, you could search for "#localfashionblogger" or "#fashionbloggersnyc."

4. Tap Into Your Personal or Professional Network

Finding local influencers through your personal or professional network is a great way to make sure you’re working with an individual that aligns with your brand values. 

Ask around and let family, friends and colleagues know what you’re looking for – recommendations from people you trust can help lead you in the right direction.

You could also reach out to local businesses that have a presence in the area and inquire if they know of any influencers who could be suitable for the job. 

Alternatively, go straight to the source and use social media platforms or search engines such as Google to research potential candidates. You might even consider attending local events, trade shows and conferences to meet people in person and find out who’s making waves on the scene.

How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Local Influencer?

One of the most common questions brands have when considering hiring a local influencer is, "How much does it cost?" The answer can vary widely based on the influencer's following, engagement rates, and the scope of the campaign.

According to Andrew Macarthy, local influencers with smaller followings (between 1,000 to 10,000 followers) may charge between $10 to $100 per post. 

Influencers with larger followings (between 10,000 to 100,000 followers) may charge between $100 to $500 per post. Influencers with over 100,000 followers may charge $500 or more per post.

Image source: Influencer Marketing Hub

Building Relationships with Local Influencers

When working with local influencers, building a relationship is key in order to ensure a successful collaboration. 

Start by establishing yourself as an interested and engaged follower – comment on their posts, like their content and share it with your own audience. Doing this will help show the influencer that you’re genuinely interested in them and appreciate the work they do.

You can take it one step further by replying to their stories or messaging them directly – introduce yourself and mention why you’d like to work with them. It could also be advantageous to suggest ideas of mutual benefit that involve both sides taking something away from the partnership.

By engaging with potential collaborators, you’ll not only build relationships but also get an understanding of their content style, audience engagement level and any other factors relevant to your project. 

Investing time in building these relationships will help create more meaningful collaborations down the road, so don’t rush the process!

Conclusion

Local influencers can be a powerful tool for growing your brand and reaching new customers in your community. 

By partnering with influencers who have a loyal and engaged following, you can increase brand awareness, drive sales, and establish your business as a trusted and valuable resource in your local market.

Finding the right local influencers for your brand takes time and effort, but the potential benefits are well worth it. Whether you're using influencer marketplaces, social media hashtags, or personal connections to discover local influencers, the key is to approach the relationship with authenticity, transparency, and a focus on providing value to both the influencer and their audience.

By building genuine relationships with local influencers and collaborating on projects that benefit your community, you can create long-lasting partnerships that drive real results for your business. So don't be afraid to get out there and start connecting with influencers in your area – the possibilities are endless!