3 Best Ways to Search for Creators

Finding TikTok influencers is a top priority for brands of all shapes and sizes.

And good news: there’s no shortage of TikTok influencers to promote your products.

The challenge? Starting a TikTok creator search from scratch is super daunting.

Especially when there’s no “right” way to do it.

With fierce competition among brands and creators, many marketers struggle with how to find TikTok influencers without getting totally overwhelmed.

That’s why we wrote this breakdown of three ways to find TikTok creators for your brand!

3 Best Ways to Do a TikTok Influencer Search

Whether via manual search or using an influencer discovery tool, how you find creators depends on your brand, budget and bandwidth.

Below we break down ways to uncover relevant influencers on TikTok to collab with faster.

Option #1: Find TikTok Influencers on TikTok

Uncovering TikTok influencers the DIY way can be time-consuming but it’s 100% doable. 

Granted you know what to look for and how to reach out to them!

Let’s kick things off by diving into how to find TikTok creators without actually leaving the app. 

Search Industry and Influencer-Specific Hashtags

Starting your TikTok creator search on the app makes sense, right?

This is especially true as TikTok has leveled up its search features over the past year.

Running a quick hashtag search to uncover potential influencers is simple enough. Hashtags can highlight creators who reflect your target audience and post about relevant products, too. 

Let’s say you’re looking for TikTok influencers for a beauty brand campaign. You might search #BeautyTutorial or #GRWM to find industry-related posts.

You can apply this approach to just about any industry. For example, a nutrition brand might search for TikTokers via #ProteinReview or a similar product-related hashtag.

Just remember: the more targeted your hashtag search is to your industry, the better. 

Don’t let a “low volume” hashtag fool you. Creators using niche hashtags typically target more specific audiences. Dominating smaller hashtags can get you in front of relevant customers.

Don’t be afraid to get too specific! For example, there are TikTok hashtags for everything from #VeganBeauty to #SnailMucin that have millions of views.

Searching influencer-specific hashtags can also help you hone in on potential creators. You can often find micro-influencers on TikTok posting on hashtags like:

For example, a search for #UGCbeauty will drum up a variety of dedicated UGC creators. These creators are likely already partnering with brands. This means they’re likewise open to being approached about new collaborations.

Combine TikTok Influencer Hashtags with a Keyword Search

By combining niche and influencer-specific keyword phrases, you can uncover specific types of influencer content beyond just hashtags. 

We recommend conducting some cursory social media keyword research. Then, combine your industry-specific keywords with influencer-specific terms. Here are some sample search queries that could help you find TikTok influencers and micro-influencers for a beauty brand:

• “lip plumper” + #gifted
• “no makeup look” + #ad
• “glass skin serum” + #unboxing

These searches may not provide the most results but the videos you do find will most likely reflect your target audience if your product category is popular on TikTok.

Take Advantage of TikTok’s Search Filters to Find Creators

If you know what to look for, you can treat TikTok like its own creator search engine.

The app now has search features making it easier to find TikTok micro-influencers versus bigger creators. For example, you can filter creator searches based on factors like follower count. 

And so this means you can hone in on people with sizeable audiences faster.

Here’s an example of how to find TikTok influencers by using the app’s search filters:

One of the default searches will uncover micro-influencers with anywhere between 10k to 100k followers. This is the sweet spot for most creators in terms of engagement and reach. 

Keep in mind that this method of finding TikTok influencers requires you to use the “User” search tab. This limits your search to creators who have their niche in their usernames.

This can still yield good results for influencers that have titles or specific professions relevant to your products. For example, phrases like “RN” or “RNFA” can uncover nursing influencers. 

Find TikTokers Who Have Already Engaged with You

Some of the best TikTok influencers for your brand may be right under your nose.

Make sure to comb through your mentions, comments and DMs to collab requests. You may be pleasantly surprised by satisfied customers already eager to work with your brand.

Working with creators who are already familiar with your brand is a huge bonus because:

• They’ll already know about your products (plus benefits to highlight in their content)
• They trust you (which means) they’ll be more receptive to your outreach messages
• They’ll create high-effort content because they love your brand
• You save time searching for TikTok influencers yourself!

If you’re stuck on how to find TikTok influencers who have bought from you before, try checking your branded hashtags. Even if you don’t have one, people might already be posting about you. Search #[yourcompanyname] and see for yourself.

For example, Pura Vida’s branded hashtag (#PuraVida) is brimming with promo-worthy posts.

Source: TikTok

If you see creators who frequently post about your brand or shout out your products, that’s a great sign. Review their profiles and send them a DM if they seem like they’d be a good fit.

Browse the TikTok Creator Marketplace

If you’ve been searching for TikTok influencers, you’ve likely heard of the Creator Marketplace.

The Marketplace is basically TikTok’s in-app influencer database. The TCM is designed to help brands streamline the process of partnering with creators without leaving the app. The tool offers search features to filter results based on follower count, engagement rate and industry.

Although the TCM is an option for finding creators, it may not be your best bet. The TCM is tailored for influencer marketing campaigns with bigger creators. That’s because the Marketplace’s follower and engagement threshold prevents smaller creators from applying.

Option #2: How to Find TikTok Influencers Off-Platform

Spoiler alert: TikTok isn’t the only place you can find micro-influencers! 

If a creator is active on the app, they’re likely active on other platforms. These platforms are sometimes more search-friendly than TikTok itself. 

Below are a few places to find potential TikTok influencers beyond the app.

Google + YouTube Search

Many content creators are established outside of TikTok via blogs and YouTube channels. 

Looking at a creator’s content elsewhere is a good idea, anyhow. Long-from content offers a better feel for the types of products an influencer promotes. Not to mention their overall vibe.

For example, check out influencer Evangelina Petrakis below. She creates “Full Face of First Impressions” videos where she tries new items from brands. Then, she shares her honest and unfiltered product reviews.

Source: YouTube

As you conduct your creator search, Google and YouTube can be a huge help. Both platforms can uncover influencers you may have overlooked during your in-app search on TikTok. Relevant influencer content can be found through search engine terms including…

• “[product/industry] blog”
• “[product/industry] reviews”
• “[product/industry] round-up”

For example, below is a simple YouTube search of “setting spray review 2024.” Results show creators of all sizes posting product reviews and breakdowns. 

If you’re searching for a competitive industry like beauty or skincare, you won’t run out of potential influencers to pitch.

When in Doubt, Hop Over to Instagram

If you’re still struggling to find TikTokers, don’t rule out Instagram as a social search engine. 

The concept here might seem backward but it’s simple enough:

Use Instagram search to uncover creators who might also be active on TikTok.

Many influencers have already optimized their Instagram bios to attract brands. Some are still catching up on TikTok. Thankfully, Instagram bios are easier to search through. With the right keywords and phrases, you can reveal relevant TikTok influencers as well.

For example, let’s say you’re looking to find cosmetic-focused creators. You might run a quick bio search of “MUA” or “Makeup Artist” and see what comes up.

If you find a creator who links their TikTok account in their Instagram bio, you’re golden! Directing people to their TikTok profile means they’re open to possible influencer collaborations.

And if you don’t see a TikTok link right away, don’t fret. Many creators will keep contact information and social handles in their bio links. That’s where you’ll see their TikTok (if they have one).

Source: @shelby.jolly

It might seem backward but Instagram can help you hone in on potential influencers on TikTok. However, you still need to keep a few things in mind if you plan on reaching out to creators here:

• Try to find an email address, bio link or contact form first.
  
  
• Be upfront about how you found their account and contact info. Keep your outreach warm, welcoming and honest.
• If your only method of contact is to send a TikToker an Instagram DM, be crystal clear about where you’d like to collab.
  

Kicking off your TikTok outreach on Instagram can be confusing to creators. Ideally, you can find an all-purpose point of contact (hint: email) before reaching out. That said, some creators use their IG for all brand-related communication. It really depends on the creator!

Option #3: Using a TikTok Influencer Search Tool

No surprises here but this is the fastest way to find TikTok influencers.

There are plenty of third-party search tools and influencer platforms out there. This includes databases that let you search through lists of TikTokers across industries.

The only caveat? Not every platform is equal in terms of features, oversight or types of creators. Depending on the type of TikTok search tool you use, you could still be responsible for:

• Vetting creators for authenticity, engagement rate and no fake followers
• Double-checking creators’ content to make sure it’s relevant to your industry
• Drafting documents including influencer agreements and creative briefs
• Negotiating with (and compensating) influencers

A big problem with so-called TikTok influencer finders is that their information is outdated. Creators pivot and change their and areas of focus more often than you might think. Reaching out to irrelevant creators isn’t just a waste of time — It can reflect poorly on your brand.

Sure, self-service influencer platforms and databases can help you find TikTokers. But the process can get overwhelming (and time-consuming) if you don’t know exactly what you want.

That’s where a TikTok influencer platform like Statusphere can help.

Our tool programmatically matches your brand with TikTok influencers from our network in real-time. Not only is our network fully vetted but you only get matched with influencers relevant to your industry. Specifically, people that actively want to promote your products.

This means you can quickly scale your creator campaigns — even if you don’t know what you’re looking for initially. Not to mention ditch the legwork of scrambling for creators to work with.

Why Brands Should Prioritize Finding Micro-Influencers on TikTok

We’ve seen firsthand how brands do influencer marketing with a wider variety of creators than ever before. Diverse content, totally different follower counts and everything in between.

And in our experience, micro-influencers play a not-so-micro role in driving campaign results.

To wrap things up, we’ll quickly run down why brands shouldn’t discount smaller creators and instead make finding TikTok micro-influencers a priority:

• They’re more scalable. Contrast this with working with a handful of “celebrity” creators. More creators mean more individual pieces of promotional content you earn. Likewise, this makes micro-influencers more cost-effective.
• Their content is more authentic and relatable. Smaller creators seamlessly bring a sense of “realness” that consumers crave. That relatability translates to trust. This is especially important for brands that want to run promotions such as TikTok Spark Ads which perform best with raw content. 
• Their content earns higher engagement rates. Micro-influencers’ audiences are often more engaged than those of celebrities or mega-influencers. We’ve seen firsthand how TikTok micro-influencers in niches like beauty and pet care can consistently earn 10-20% engagement rates across an entire campaign. 

When it comes to smaller creators, follower count doesn’t tell the whole story. The TikTok algorithm doesn’t solely favor “big” accounts. In our experience, authentic creators in the micro or power-middle categories tend to be the ones who get the most love from the algorithm. 

Finding TikTok micro-influencers isn’t totally different than finding bigger creators. The process simply requires more digging and likewise combing through profiles to verify their account sizes.

That said, here are some tips to speed up the process:

• Comb through #unboxing videos related to your products or niche. This specific tag is a goldmine for finding TikTok micro-influencers, especially since unboxing videos consistently earn reach on the platform.
• Look at trending videos and Spark Ads on TikTok’s Creative Center. Micro-influencers have to be up on the latest trends to maintain strong engagement and grow their accounts. Analyzing top keywords and trends in TikTok ads can clue you in on up-and-coming formats used by smaller creators that are gaining traction with the algorithm.
• Don’t rely on typical creator search tools. Having a list or database of TikTok influencers doesn’t save a ton of time if you have to vet and review each account by hand. Contrast this with a platform like Statusphere that matches brands with relevant influencers based on 250+ first-party data points. 

The Best Way to Find TikTok Influencers to Collaborate With

Finding creators is only the beginning when it comes to running a TikTok influencer campaign.

From outreach to vetting, there’s a lot more that goes into it all than meets the eye. Many brands running their first campaigns often find themselves in over their heads.

Hey, we totally get it! Influencer vetting and outreach can take a ton of time and resources. 

That’s exactly why we created Statusphere to streamline busy brands’ influencer marketing campaigns. Again, our platform matches you with relevant creators to earn UGC at scale. 

Our software also handles all of the heavy lifting related to fulfillment, data tracking and more. For brands that want consistent UGC for organic social and Spark Ads, we remove the legwork from finding TikTok influencers and instead help brands focus on getting content at scale.

Want to learn more about how our platform works? Get in touch with one of our experts to see how you can get hundreds of TikTok influencers posting about your brand consistently. 

This article was first published in June 2020. It was last updated May 30, 2024.