1. Search TikTok, Instagram and YouTube by hand
Search your topic and your competitors' names, and note who posts often and gets steady views. It is free and slow: you still have to message each person and agree a price.
2. Look at who already posts about you
Customers who tag you or use your sound already like the product. They are often happy to post again, and their videos feel honest.
3. Pay for an influencer search tool
These are databases with filters for topic, country and audience. Most charge a monthly fee, and you still contact and pay each influencer yourself.
4. Hire an agency
An agency finds and manages influencers for a fee. It fits large programs with a team and a long plan.
5. Post one campaign and let creators apply
On a campaign marketplace you don't search at all. You describe who you want and what they should post, and creators who fit apply. On Sound.me you set:
- Creator size. From 100 followers to over 50 million.
- Audience. Age, gender and language.
- Location. Worldwide, one of 24 countries, or a region.
- Look-alikes. Add up to 3 example creators and Sound.me finds similar ones.
Sound.me's team matches and approves creators, and watches every video before it is paid.
How to check an influencer before you pay
- Recent videos. Watch the last ten. Are views steady, or is there one hit and nothing else?
- Comments. Real comments talk about the video. Rows of emojis from empty accounts are a warning.
- Fit. Would their audience plausibly buy what you sell?
- Clean content. Anything you would not want next to your brand.
What each way costs
| Way | Money | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| Search by hand | Free, then a price per post | High |
| People who already post about you | A price per post, or free product | Medium |
| Search tool | A monthly fee, then a price per post | Medium |
| Agency | A fee on top of creator pay | Low |
| Campaign on Sound.me | One budget from $250, no subscription | Low |