Effectively promoting your small business can be a difficult task, but collaborating with local influencers can dramatically increase your market reach. Although they may not have follower counts that soar into the millions, a local Creator has built a dedicated following and likely has the ability to sway purchasing decisions.
Local influencers are generally viewed as reliable and trustworthy by their followers, and the effectiveness of their recommendations can make them a valuable asset for small businesses. Collaborating with a local Creator can increase your brand’s visibility and credibility while granting you access to a more engaged segment of customers.
How Your Small Business Can Establish Partnerships with Local Creators
How do you find the right influencer for your small business? Let’s walk through the process of effectively building a partnership with local Creators.
1. Identify who you want to reach.
Before you begin the search for a local influencer, make sure you have a clear understanding of your target audience. Start by answering questions such as:
- Who are my ideal customers?
- What are their interests, demographics, pain points, and shopping behaviors?
- What types of campaigns do I want to promote?
- Will my brand focus on giveaways, hosting local events, or seasonal promotions?
By understanding the needs and wants of your audience and the unique ways you can address them, you can find influencers whose followers will relate to your brand.
2. Use the right influencer finder.
LTK Connect’s new location filter simplifies the process of finding the right local partner for any type of marketing campaign. You can access this new location filter using the Discover tab. Then, input your target zip code and use the sliding scale to determine the appropriate radius. The filter can identify local Creators within 100 miles of the entered zip code and is only available in the US.
3. Do your research.
Once you’ve found influencers who are local to your area, identify those who are regularly active on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter. Note their follower counts, engagement rates, and the type of content they create.
It’s also important to partner with local Creators who produce content that aligns with your brand's values and messaging. Authenticity is important, especially when it comes to certain age groups like Gen Z.
Gen Z audiences can easily identify inauthentic reviews, sponsored content, or marketing campaigns. This generation prefers to buy from brands that focus on realistic storytelling, and they love companies that value honesty and transparency. Make sure to partner with influencers who embody these values. Failing to do so could hurt your business in the long run.
4. Interact with their content.
Before reaching out to a local influencer, actively engage with their content. Like, comment, and share their social media posts to establish a connection and show interest in their work. This establishes a more genuine tone when you finally do reach out to them about a partnership.
5. Make contact.
Write the Creator an email or send a direct message that describes your business. Let them know you’re interested in collaborating, and be clear about what you're offering and how the partnership can benefit both your business and the Creator.
6. Establish terms.
If a local influencer expresses interest in working with you, make sure to clearly discuss the terms of the collaboration. This involves the following:
- Types of content they’ll be creating (video clips, blog posts, photos, and so on)
- The frequency at which they’ll publish posts
- Compensation or incentives they’ll receive
Unless you’re selling an expensive product or service, a commission rate of less than 12 percent is typically viewed as low. Offering local Creators rates in this range could lead them to pass on promoting your brand. Reasonable commission rates fall between 13-15 percent, and high, competitive commission rates are typically 16-20 percent.
7. Make your expectations clear.
Make sure to clearly outline your expectations when working with a local Creator, including:
- The main message you want the influencer to convey
- Any hashtags or mentions to include
- Specific guidelines for content creation
This being said it’s also important to give influencers the creative freedom to produce content they feel comfortable with to maintain that authentic feeling with their followers.
Use the Right Influencer Finder to Grow Your Business
Learn why LTK is considered the top influencer marketing platform across the globe. We offer everything that small businesses need to build upon and boost their marketing efforts.
LTK’s influencer platform will help you increase sales and grow your digital presence by establishing partnerships with the right local Creators. Contact us to get started.
