How to Find the Right Creators for Your Campaign

Finding the right creators for your campaign can feel overwhelming when you're just getting started. With so many profiles to explore, how do you know who will be the best fit for your brand?

On Social Cat, there are two main ways to find creators:

• Review applicants: Evaluate creators who have already applied to your campaign because they're interested in working with your brand.

• Invite creators: Search our creator community yourself and invite creators you think would be a great fit.

Let's walk through both options!

When a creator applies to your campaign, it means they've seen your campaign brief and are interested in collaborating with your brand. Your next step is to decide whether they're the right fit.

We recommend following these three steps before accepting an applicant.

Start by visiting the creator's Instagram profile and taking a look at their recent posts.

Ask yourself:

• Does their content match my brand's style and aesthetic?

• Is the quality of their photos and videos what I'm looking for?

• Can I imagine this creator featuring my product naturally in their content?

• Does their content appeal to my target audience?

Remember, a creator doesn't necessarily need to have the same aesthetic as your brand. What matters is whether their content feels like a good fit for your products and the audience you want to reach.

Once you're happy with their content, it's time to look at their performance.

Pay attention to the following:

• Engagement rate: Are people actively interacting with their posts? As a general guideline, we recommend looking for an engagement rate above 1%.

• Follower count: Does the creator have a suitable audience size for your campaign goals?

• Audience relevance: Will their content reach the type of people you're trying to attract?

A larger following isn't always better. A smaller creator with an engaged, relevant audience may be a better fit for your campaign than someone with many followers but little interaction.

Think about your goals when evaluating these metrics. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, generate authentic content, or reach a specific niche? Choose creators whose profiles and performance support those goals.

Before making your final decision, take a look at the creator's previous collaboration reviews.

Click the yellow star button next to the applicant's name to view their reviews in detail.

These reviews can help you understand what other brands thought about working with the creator. Consider whether they communicate well, deliver content as agreed, and provide a positive collaboration experience.

Reviews are a useful additional signal, so consider them alongside the creator's content and metrics rather than relying on them alone.

If the creator's content, metrics, and reviews meet your expectations, you're ready to move forward.

Simply click the Interested button on their application, and you've got a match!

You can then proceed with the collaboration and coordinate the next steps with your selected creator directly in the Inbox now.

Would you prefer to choose creators before they apply? Social Cat's Search Tool lets you explore our creator community, filter profiles based on your preferences, and invite creators who look like a great fit for your campaign.

Instead of browsing through every creator, start by applying filters that match your campaign requirements.

Depending on the available filters, you can narrow your search by criteria such as:

• Gender

• Follower count

• Age range

• Ethnicity

• Content niche

• Location

• Other available creator and profile criteria

The more relevant your filters are, the easier it becomes to find creators who align with your brand and target audience.

Tip: Start with the criteria that matter most to your campaign, but avoid making your filters unnecessarily restrictive. You may miss out on great creators if your requirements are too narrow.

Once you've applied your filters, browse the results and evaluate creators just as you would when reviewing applicants.

Check their content, engagement rate, follower count, and overall suitability for your campaign.

Even if a creator meets all your filters, take a moment to look at their actual content before sending an invitation. Your goal is to find creators who are likely to represent your brand well and create content that resonates with their audience.

Found several creators you like? You can invite creators in batches to save time rather than sending invitations one by one.

Learn more about invitations here.

Keep in mind that creator response rates to invitations are generally low. Not every creator you invite will respond or accept your offer, so we recommend reaching out to as many relevant creators as your monthly invitation allowance permits.

Our entry-level subscription includes up to 1,000 invitations per month. Your available allowance depends on your subscription plan.

Creators have up to one week to respond to your invitation before it expires.

Because invitations can expire without a response, it's best to keep your outreach active rather than relying on a small number of invitations. Make sure you're reaching out to relevant creators consistently throughout your campaign.

Remember that invitations are an opportunity to start a collaboration, not a guarantee that the creator will accept.

If you're still unsure where to start, keep these tips in mind:

• Prioritize relevance over follower count. A creator whose audience matches your target market can be more valuable than one with a much larger but less relevant following.

• Look at content first. Make sure you genuinely like the creator's style and can picture your product fitting naturally into their content.

• Use engagement as a guide. An engagement rate above 1% is a useful general benchmark, but consider the creator's niche, audience size, and your campaign objectives too.

• Check reviews before accepting. Previous brand feedback can provide helpful context about the collaboration experience.

• Don't rely on invitations alone. Since not every creator will respond, invite multiple relevant creators and keep exploring your options.

• Give your campaign brief enough detail. Clear expectations help creators understand the opportunity and decide whether it's right for them.

Ultimately, the best creator for your campaign isn't necessarily the one with the most followers. It's the creator whose content, audience, and collaboration history align with your brand and campaign goals.

Happy creator hunting!

If you have more questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us via email - hello@thesocialcat.com