How to Find Local Influencers: 14 Effective Methods for 2024
By Alexandra Kazakova 17 min READ | Sep 3 2024
Table of contents
Influencer marketing has become an essential strategy for brands, with 78% of marketers reporting it to be effective in boosting brand awareness.
Among the various types of influencers, local influencers hold a unique advantage when it comes to connecting with regional audiences.
These influencers have a deep understanding of their communities and can help brands build strong, authentic relationships with local customers.
However, identifying the right local influencers can be challenging amidst the vast sea of content creators.
Wondering how to find influencers who align with your brand and resonate with your target audience? Well, this guide is here to help.
We'll explore:
Strategies to identify and connect with the right local influencers
Tips on how to effectively craft a local influencer marketing campaign
P.S. Having a hard time finding the right local influencers? Discover how easy it can be with inBeat.co. Our spam-checked database and advanced search options—such as niche, follower count, location, etc., make it simple to find influencers tailored to your needs. Plus, our FREE tools, such as engagement calculator and fake follower checker, further enhance your search. Book a demo now!
TL;DR:
Influencer Marketing Importance: Local influencers are key to connecting with regional audiences and boosting brand awareness.
What Are Local Influencers?: Individuals with a significant following in a specific geographic area who are trusted by their community.
Finding Local Influencers:
Use influencer search tools with geo-targeting features.
Conduct manual searches using local hashtags.
Partner with local influencer marketing agencies.
Engage with the local community through events and collaborations.
Utilize Google targeted searches and tagged profiles on social media.
Develop a brand ambassador program.
Analyze competitors’ influencer collaborations.
Search through your own social media followers.
Use geo-tags and location stories on Instagram.
Apply YouTube search filters and join local subreddits.
Use influencer lookalike tools and LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
Crafting an Effective Campaign:
Define objectives and KPIs.
Understand your local audience.
Create personalized pitches.
Monitor and measure performance.
Ensure authenticity and transparency.
Tools: inBeat.co offers tools and templates to simplify finding and working with local influencers.
What Are Local Influencers?
Local influencers are individuals who have a significant following within a specific geographic area and are highly trusted by their community.
They create content that resonates with local audiences, often focusing on regional topics, events, or issues.
That’s why they’re ideal partners for brands looking to connect with a local market.
How to Find Influencers In a Specific Location? 14 Effective Ways
Finding influencers in a specific location requires a strategic approach, especially when you want to ensure they resonate with your target audience.
Below are 14 effective ways to hunt influencers in your target area:
1. Leverage Influencer Search Tools
When it comes to finding influencers in a specific location, one of the most efficient methods is leveraging specialized influencer search tools.
These platforms are designed to help you filter through vast databases of influencers based on various criteria.
Let’s see how you can use these tools effectively:
Geo-targeting capabilities: Various tools offer geo-targeting features that allow you to search for influencers within a specific city, region, or even neighborhood. This feature ensures that you find influencers who have a strong local presence and can effectively engage with your target audience in that area.
Audience demographics: These platforms also enable you to filter influencers by the demographics of their followers. You can search for influencers whose audience matches your target market in terms of age, gender, interests, and location. This way, you ensure that your campaigns reach the right people and resonate with them.
Engagement and authenticity: Influencer search tools provide insights into an influencer's engagement rates and authenticity. High engagement rates, combined with a local following, indicate that the influencer has a strong and active presence in the specific location you’re targeting.
Detailed analytics: Influencer platforms provide in-depth analytics and reports that allow you to assess the effectiveness of potential influencers in your desired location. This includes data on follower growth, audience interaction, and content performance, helping you make informed decisions.
An excellent platform that excels in these areas is inBeat.co. In the image below, you can see how it offers solid geo-targeting capabilities and audience demographic filters to help you find the perfect local influencers.
Moreover, inBeat provides a FREE toolkit that allows you to check for fake followers, engagement rates, and other essential metrics.
Beyond influencer marketing tools, inBeat also offers paid marketing tools designed to enhance your overall campaign effectiveness.
2. Conduct Manual Searches with Local Hashtags
One of the most effective ways to find influencers in a specific location is by conducting manual searches using local hashtags.
This approach is especially useful for discovering micro-influencers and content creators who may not appear in influencer databases but have a strong connection with their local community.
Let’s see how you can leverage local hashtags to identify potential influencers on various social media platforms:
Identify relevant hashtags: Begin by brainstorming keywords and researching popular hashtags in your target market. For example, if you’re seeking food influencers in New York, hashtags like #NYCFoodie or #BrooklynEats can lead you to active local influencers.
Use the search bar on social media platforms: Enter these hashtags into the search bar on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok to find posts and identify influencers who frequently use them and have high engagement.
Evaluate content quality and engagement rates: As you explore these posts, assess the content quality and engagement levels (likes, comments) of potential influencers to find those with strong connections to their niche audience.
Check for consistency and authenticity: Ensure the influencers consistently use relevant hashtags and create authentic, engaging content, which is key for effective influencer marketing.
Below, you can see the results for the hashtag #NYCFoodie in Instagram's search bar.
3. Partner with a Local Influencer Marketing Agency
Working with a local influencer marketing agency can be a strategic move.
These agencies are experts in the local market and offer a wealth of benefits that can streamline your search and enhance your campaign's effectiveness.
Key steps to partnering with the right local influencer marketing agency are:
Research local agencies: Begin by researching agencies that specialize in influencer marketing within your target location. Look for agencies with a strong track record of successful local campaigns and positive client testimonials.
Check industry experience: Ensure the agency has experience in your specific industry or niche. An agency familiar with your sector will better understand your brand’s needs and how to connect with the right influencers.
Evaluate their network: Assess the agency’s network of influencers. Do they have access to a diverse range of influencers, including micro and macro influencers, who align with your target audience?
Review past campaigns: Ask for case studies or examples of past local campaigns they have managed. This will give you insight into their creative approach, effectiveness, and ability to achieve results.
One such example is our sister agency, inBeat, which is trusted by over 350+ brands online. The agency drives measurable results through data-driven, performance-focused campaigns, expertly selecting macro and micro-influencers tailored to your brand. You can view their case studies and proven results on their website.
4. Engage with the Local Community
Connecting with local influencers isn't just about online searches and databases; it’s also about building real relationships within the community.
Engaging directly with the local community is a powerful way to discover influencers who are genuinely connected to the area and who resonate with your target audience.
You can do this by:
Attending local events and meetups: Participate in community events, markets, and industry-specific meetups. These gatherings are excellent opportunities to meet influencers face-to-face. Whether it’s a local food festival, a tech meetup, or an art exhibition, influencers typically attend these events to network and create content.
Collaborating with local businesses: Partnering with other local companies can provide access to a network of influencers they’ve worked with. Small businesses sometimes collaborate with influencers for promotions, and these influencers tend to be well-regarded in the community.
Leveraging local online communities: Join local Facebook groups, Reddit communities, and other online forums where local influencers and content creators are active. These platforms allow you to see who is influential within specific niches, from food and fashion to tech and wellness.
In the image below, you can see local influencer groups in the USA:
5. Use Google for Targeted Searches
Google can be a highly effective tool for finding influencers in specific locations, especially when you use targeted search techniques.
This approach helps you uncover influencers who might not appear on traditional influencer marketing platforms but still hold significant influence within your desired geographic area.
For this, combine relevant industry keywords with location-specific terms in your Google search.
For example, if you’re looking for lifestyle Instagram influencers in Seattle, search for “top lifestyle Instagram influencers in Seattle” or “Seattle lifestyle bloggers.” This will help you find blogs, articles, and social media profiles of influencers who are active in that region.
6. Check Tagged Profiles
Tagged profiles on social media platforms offer a direct way to discover influencers who may be actively engaging with content relevant to your brand or industry.
This method is particularly useful for finding influencers who are genuinely interested in your niche and have already interacted with similar brands.
For instance, if you are looking for fitness enthusiasts in Atlanta, here's how you can find influencers through tagged profiles:
Search for popular gyms: Start by looking up well-known “gyms in Atlanta” using Google Maps or directly on Instagram.
Visit their social media profiles: Navigate to the gym's Instagram profile to explore their content and community.
Check tagged posts: Review tagged posts to see if any of them mention or include tags for their members or trainers.
For example, we came across a fitness micro-influencer named Michael in Atlanta who had tagged this gym in his posts.
Creating a brand ambassador program is an effective way to find and nurture local influencers who can consistently represent your brand.
It allows you to build long-term relationships with influencers who are passionate about your products or services and deeply embedded in their local communities.
You can do this by:
Identifying potential ambassadors: Begin by identifying loyal customers or micro-influencers who already love your brand. These individuals are ideal candidates because they genuinely resonate with your brand and have an authentic connection with their local audience.
Offer incentives and exclusive benefits: To attract and retain ambassadors, provide them with incentives such as discounts, free products, or exclusive access to new releases. This rewards their loyalty and motivates them to promote your brand more enthusiastically.
Build long-term relationships: Encourage ambassadors to create regular, authentic content about your brand and maintain ongoing communication with them. This helps build a dedicated group of influencers who consistently represent your brand and help grow its presence in specific locations.
For example, our sister’s agency client, Hurom, announced Marco Bianchi, a famous Italian food mentor, as their brand ambassador.
Understanding your competitors' influencer collaborations can unlock valuable insights into effective strategies and reveal untapped opportunities in your industry.
Analyzing who your competitors partner with allows you to identify relevant influencers, assess their impact, and uncover gaps where your brand can stand out.
To effectively approach this analysis:
Identify competitors’ partnerships: Track your competitors on social media to observe their influencer partnerships, noting which influencers they work with, the type of content created, and the engagement these collaborations generate. This helps you understand which influencers resonate with your target audience.
Spot opportunities and gaps: Competitor analysis can highlight gaps in the market or influencers that your competitors have overlooked. For instance, if they focus on macro-influencers, you might have room to collaborate with micro-influencers with a dedicated niche following. Identifying such opportunities can give your brand a unique edge in the market.
Evaluate campaign success: Examine key metrics like engagement rates, follower growth, and interaction quality on posts linked to your competitors’ collaborations. Social listening tools or influencer marketing platforms can help track and analyze these metrics, giving you a clearer picture of what strategies might work for your brand.
9. Search Through Your Social Media Followers
One of the most overlooked ways to find influencers in a specific location is by searching through your own social media followers.
Your followers are already interested in your brand, and some of them may be micro-influencers or even macro-influencers who can be ideal partners for your campaigns.
Let’s see how to identify potential influencers within your existing follower base:
Identify engaged followers: Start by reviewing your most engaged followers—those who frequently like, comment, and share your posts. Their high engagement suggests a strong connection with your brand, and their audience may share similar interests. Tools like Instagram Insights or third-party analytics can help identify these key individuals.
Check follower profiles for influence: Once you've identified engaged followers, take a closer look at their profiles to assess their influence. Look for followers who have:
A significant follower count
Consistent content quality
High engagement rates on their posts
These are key indicators that they could be effective influencers for your brand, especially if their content aligns with your brand’s values and messaging.
Assess their location and relevance: Finally, determine if these potential influencers are located in your target geographic area. This is crucial for localized campaigns. If they are, and their audience demographics match your target market, you’ve likely found a relevant influencer who can help amplify your brand within a specific community.
10. Use Geo-Tags and Location Stories on Instagram
Leveraging geo-tags and location stories on Instagram is an excellent way to find influencers who are active in specific areas.
These tools allow you to identify content creators who are posting from particular locations, making it easier to connect with influencers relevant to your target market.
To effectively use these features:
Search geo-tags for local content: Start by searching for posts tagged with specific locations related to your brand. For example, if targeting influencers in Seattle, use geo-tags like “Seattle” or specific spots like popular cafes or neighborhoods. This will help you find users active in those areas and identify influencers engaged with the local community.
Explore location stories: Instagram’s location stories also help discover influencers. Viewing stories tagged with specific locations shows real-time content from users in those areas, which is useful for finding micro-influencers attending events or visiting popular spots that align with your brand.
An example of a geo-tagged location on Instagram in Seattle is shown below.
11. Use Search Filters on YouTube
YouTube's search filters are a powerful tool for finding influencers who are creating content in specific locations.
When searching for influencers, use YouTube’s advanced search filters to narrow down results by location and upload date.
For example, if you’re looking for travel influencers in Miami, you can search for “Miami travel vlog”and then filter the results to show videos uploaded within the last month.
This approach helps you find active influencers who are currently creating content in your target area.
12. Join Local Subreddits
Reddit is home to many communities, known as subreddits, which focus on specific topics, interests, and locations.
Joining local subreddits can be an excellent way to find influencers who are actively engaged in discussions and content creation within your target area.
You can leverage local subreddits by:
Finding and joining relevant subreddits: Start by searching for subreddits dedicated to the specific city, region, or interest you’re targeting. For example, if you’re looking for influencers in Austin, join subreddits like r/Austin or r/AustinFood. These communities are filled with locals who are passionate about their city and often include active content creators and influencers.
Engaging with the community: Get involved in discussions, comment on posts, and interact with users who consistently share high-quality content. This helps you spot potential influencers and builds rapport within the community. Influencers active on Reddit typically have a strong following and are well-respected locally.
Identifying influential users: Focus on users who regularly receive upvotes, awards, and positive feedback. These individuals likely have significant influence within the subreddit and could be valuable partners for your brand. Also, use Reddit’s search feature to find posts and users related to your industry, helping you identify those who align with your brand’s goals.
13. Use Influencer Lookalikes
Finding local influencers who resonate with your target audience can be challenging, but using influencer lookalike tools can simplify the process.
This is particularly useful when you’re trying to expand your reach within a specific location.
How it works: Influencer lookalike tools analyze the characteristics of influencers you’ve already selected—such as their follower count, content style, and engagement metrics—and then suggest other influencers who share these traits.
This feature is invaluable for scaling your influencer marketing efforts, especially when you want to ensure consistency in brand messaging across different influencers.
For example, inBeat.co offers an influencer lookalike option under each influencer’s profile. This option helps you identify similar influencers who may be equally effective for your campaigns and makes it easier to expand your influencer network within your desired geographic area.
14. Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is an effective tool that can be leveraged to find influencers in specific locations, particularly those who are professionals or thought leaders in their industry.
This tool allows you to perform highly targeted searches, making it easier to connect with influencers who align with your brand’s objectives.
To effectively use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to find local influencers:
Refine your search with advanced filters: LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers advanced filters like location, industry, job title, and company size. These filters help you narrow down your search in your target area. For example, if you're looking for marketing influencers in New York, you can easily filter by location and industry to find relevant profiles.
Analyze profile engagement and content: After identifying potential influencers, review their LinkedIn profiles to gauge their activity and influence. Look for individuals who regularly post content, share industry insights, and receive high engagement (likes, comments, shares). This indicates strong influence within their professional network.
Connect and build relationships: Once you’ve identified the right influencers, use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to connect directly. Send a personalized connection request or InMail referencing mutual interests or industry topics. Building a relationship on LinkedIn can lead to valuable influencer partnerships that align with your brand’s goals.
Below, you can see an example of how LinkedIn Sales Navigator filters look like:
How to Craft an Effective Local Influencer Marketing Campaign? 5 Crucial Steps
To craft an effective local influencer marketing campaign, it's essential to follow a structured approach that ensures every aspect of your campaign is aligned with your brand’s goals and resonates with your target audience.
Five crucial steps that you must follow are:
Define clear objectives and KPIs: Set specific goals, such as increasing brand awareness or driving sales, and establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure your campaign’s success.
Understand your local audience: Conduct research to identify the needs, preferences, and behaviors of your local target audience. This ensures your campaign resonates with the right people and drives meaningful engagement.
Create a personalized and engaging pitch: Tailor your pitch to each influencer, showing how your brand aligns with their content and values. A customized approach increases the chances of securing a successful partnership.
Monitor and measure campaign performance: Track your campaign’s success by monitoring KPIs such as engagement rates, follower growth, sales conversions, and ROI. Use this data to optimize and improve future campaigns.
Ensure authentic and transparent collaboration: Build an open, honest relationship with influencers, allowing them creative freedom while keeping brand consistency. Authenticity and transparency are key to building trust with both the influencer and their audience.
Need help crafting the perfect influencer brief or contract? Check out inBeat’s Influencer Brief Template for step-by-step guidance, or use our Influencer Contract Template to ensure all your bases are covered. Both templates are available for FREE on our platform!
Discover Local Influencers Effortlessly with inBeat.co
Finding the right local influencers is crucial for building authentic connections with your target audience and driving meaningful engagement in specific regions.
By using the above-mentioned strategies, you can identify influencers who resonate with your brand and are influential in their areas.
Key takeaways:
Use specialized platforms with geo-targeting features to find influencers in specific locations.
Explore local hashtags to discover micro-influencers not listed in databases.
Collaborate with agencies that have deep local market knowledge for better results.
Build relationships by attending local events and interacting with businesses.
Combine industry keywords with location-specific terms to find influencers through Google.
Look at tagged posts on social media to identify engaged influencers.
Ready to simplify your search for local influencers? inBeat.co has you covered! With its comprehensive database, you can easily find micro and nano influencers on TikTok and Instagram within seconds.
The platform offers flexible search options, allowing you to explore a spam-checked database using specific metrics and keywords to pinpoint the perfect influencers for your campaigns.
