Influencer marketing has become an integral part of public relations (PR) strategies. By partnering with the right influencers, brands can amplify their message, connect with target audiences, and achieve campaign goals more effectively.

However, not all influencers are suitable for every campaign. The key lies in identifying influencers who align with your campaign’s objectives, audience, and values. Here’s how you can find the right influencers for your PR campaign.

Understand Your PR Campaign Objectives

Before searching for influencers, clearly define the goals of your PR campaign. Are you launching a new product, increasing brand awareness, or managing a crisis? Different objectives call for different approaches and influencer types.

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Product Launches

Partner with influencers who have a strong track record of engaging audiences in your niche. It is important that your product is relevant to what they post about normally or is a product they would genuinely endorse, as that is what their audience is interested in. They should be able to generate excitement and demonstrate the value of your product.

Brand Awareness

Whether you’re launching a new brand or want to get the word out about what you do, collaborating with influencers who can expose your brand to a large audience can be a great choice.

At One Voice Media, our ongoing work in promoting Princesshay has involved collaborations with local influencers to help increase brand awareness. From hosting meals and events at local restaurants to orchestrating Instagram video coverage of Princesshay’s shops and amenities, there are many ways that we have utilised influencer work for this campaign.

Having a clear objective will guide your search and ensure you choose influencers who can deliver the desired results.

Identify the Right Influencer Type for Your Niche

Influencers vary by their reach, engagement, and niche expertise. Understanding these distinctions will help you select the most effective partners for your campaign. First, think about the type of audience reach you are looking for to best work with your campaign.

1. Mega Influencers

• Typically celebrities or public figures with over a million followers.
• Best suited for campaigns targeting mass audiences or achieving widespread visibility.
• Huge reach, but will require large budgets and may not always seem as authentic.

2. Macro Influencers

• Usually have between 100,000 and 1 million followers.
• Ideal for building brand awareness and reaching broader audiences.
• A larger budget will be expected for a social media post.

3. Micro Influencers

• Have between 10,000 and 100,000 followers.
• Known for high engagement and niche expertise, making them effective for targeted campaigns.
• Will likely expect a paid collaboration in exchange for social media content.

4. Nano Influencers

• Fewer than 10,000 followers.
• Trusted by their close-knit communities, making them perfect for niche industries or local campaigns.
• May create content in exchange for gifted products. Content is more likely to be authentic reviews from genuine users.

Each type of influencer serves different purposes. For instance, a fitness brand launching a new line of equipment may benefit from micro and nano influencers who specialise in health and wellness, as they’re more likely to engage with a relevant audience.

Likewise, for our work with companies like Stagecoach South West and Princesshay Exeter, it is only really relevant to work with influencers who post about the Devon area to a more local audience. Therefore, it is more relevant to use a nano or micro influencer with an audience based in this target area, than it is to use a mega influencer with a national or global reach.

Where to Find Influencers

Finding the right influencers will require a bit of research, networking and possibly the use of tools or platforms if you are working with a large number of influencers on big or ongoing campaigns.

1. Social Media Platforms

Search hashtags and keywords related to your industry, as well as platform-specific tools like Instagram’s “Explore” page, to discover active influencers. If you find an influencer that fits your requirements, check out the people they follow and engage with, as the chances are they will be similar to your niche.

2. Competitor Analysis

Identify influencers your competitors are working with and evaluate their impact. This can provide insights into potential collaborators.

3. Industry Events and Communities

Attend events, webinars, and online forums where influencers in your niche are active. Building direct relationships can lead to authentic collaborations.

Evaluate Potential Influencers

Once you’ve identified potential influencers, assess their suitability by examining the following:

1. Audience Alignment

Ensure their audience demographics match your target market in terms of age, location, interests, and values. For example, if you are promoting a service only available in the UK, there is no point in choosing an influencer who has an audience that is 90% based in the US.

2. Engagement Rates

Engagement often indicates a loyal and interactive audience. Look for influencers with genuine likes, comments, and shares, especially in contrast to their follower count. While it might seem impressive that someone has 50,000 followers, if they are only getting 5 likes on each post then it is unlikely that the followers are authentic.

3. Content Quality

Review their content to ensure it aligns with your brand’s tone, style, and values. Authenticity and creativity are key, so look for influencers who can create the type of content you need.

4. Previous Campaign Performance

You can ask for case studies or metrics from past collaborations to gauge their effectiveness.

5. Reputation and Credibility

Especially for bigger celebrities and influencers, make sure to do a bit of research to ensure you are avoiding influencers involved in controversies that could harm your brand.

Tips for Building Strong Influencer Partnerships

• Personalise Your Approach – Reach out with a tailored message that highlights why you’re interested in collaborating and how it benefits them.
• Set Clear Expectations – Define goals, deliverables, timelines, and compensation upfront to avoid misunderstandings.
• Foster Long-Term Relationships – Instead of one-off campaigns, build ongoing partnerships with influencers who truly resonate with your brand.

Choosing the right influencers can make or break your PR campaign. If you need help finding the perfect partnerships for your campaign, One Voice Media is an experienced PR and marketing agency based in Exeter.

We work with a variety of influencers to deliver effective content for a diverse range of businesses. Get in touch to discover how we can help your business with an influencer marketing campaign.