# Nakodo --- > Nakodo reads your website, finds creators and businesses who fit, emails them for you, and introduces you to the ones who say yes. Nakodo is a web app for brands and agencies that work with creators on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. It writes a search brief from the brand's website, searches YouTube through the official API, Instagram through Meta's Business Discovery API (public Business and Creator accounts only) and TikTok through public profile pages, scores each creator from 0 to 100 on weighted parts with the reasons shown, finds the business email creators publish, and emails creators on the brand's behalf. Each conversation has its own address on Nakodo's sending domain with the brand's name as the sender; first emails wait for the brand's approval unless it chooses to let them go out after an hour. Nakodo follows up when there's no reply, answers what it can from the brand's offer and passes the rest to the brand, and introduces the creator by email when they say yes. Creators' email addresses are never shown, sold or exported to brands, and every email has a one-click way to stop. It never gets around captchas and never guesses email addresses. On the Pro and Business plans it also runs business campaigns: it finds businesses of the kinds and in the places the brand chooses, from the Overture Maps places listing and on Instagram and TikTok, reads each one's own website for an email at the business's own domain or a personal mailbox, scores each on fit with the brief and distance, and asks the best fits whether they'd like to talk about the product or try it. Nakodo is run by CogniPrep Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 17407266). Plans are measured by new creators and businesses contacted: Free (£0, no card, 10 new creators a month), Pro (£39 a month, 25 new creators or businesses each weekday), Business (£119 a month, 75 new creators or businesses each weekday). Details at https://nakodo.app/pricing. --- # How Nakodo works Source: https://nakodo.app/how-it-works Nakodo reads your website and writes a brief you can edit: what you sell, where your customers are, and the searches that would find creators who talk about it. It runs those searches on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, sets aside creators who can't fit, and scores the rest from 0 to 100 on up to five parts, each with its reasons. It then finds the business email creators publish and emails the ones you choose on your behalf, follows up, answers what it can and introduces you when a creator says yes. On Pro and Business it can look for businesses instead: the kinds you choose, in the places you choose, found in an open places listing and emailed at the address on their own website. ## 1. The brief A campaign starts from your website address. Nakodo reads your homepage and up to 5 key pages it finds there, such as about, products, pricing, features, FAQ and shipping, and writes a brief from them: - **What you sell,** in a sentence or two. - **Where your customers are:** the countries and languages to look in. - **The creator who fits:** the kind of content, and a subscriber range. - **Search keywords:** 3 to 6 groups, 10 to 20 keywords in all, written the way people search YouTube rather than the way you describe your product. - **Words that mark a video as off-topic,** so a channel that mostly makes something else can be set aside. You can change any of it before the search runs. The brief is where most of the quality comes from: keywords taken from your own site find creators who talk about your kind of product, not just your general niche. Our guide to [writing a creator brief](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-brief) covers the different brief you send to creators. ## 2. The search Nakodo searches YouTube for each keyword through YouTube's official API, looking at videos published in the last 12 months, and gathers the channels behind them. A channel found by several keywords is one channel with several matches, which counts in its favour later. Each channel's details and up to 20 recent uploads are then fetched. Channels that can't be a fit are set aside before scoring, with the reason recorded: - Marked as made for kids. - Fewer than half the subscribers at the bottom of your range, or more than twice the top of it. - No uploads in the last 6 months. - More than half of recent video titles contain the brief's off-topic words. ## 3. The fit score Every remaining channel is scored from 0 to 100 on five parts. Relevance comes first: AI reads the channel's recent videos and description against your brief and rates how well its content matches, and that rating is half the score and also its ceiling, so a channel off your topic can't score well however big or busy its audience is. The other four parts use fixed thresholds on the channel's own numbers. Channels are never ranked against each other, so a score means the same thing in every campaign. Creators scoring 55 or more count as a fit and get written notes on why, and only the relevance check can put a creator there. The five parts of the score: | Part | Weight | What it measures | | --- | --- | --- | | Relevance | 50% | How well the channel's recent videos and description match your product, audience and the kind of creator you want, judged by AI from titles, tags and the description. A word in common isn't a match. The score is never higher than this part. | | Audience fit | 15% | Subscribers against your range, the language of the comments (or of the videos, when there are too few comments), and the channel's country against your markets. | | Engagement | 15% | Likes and comments per view, and views per subscriber, each as a median over recent videos. | | Comment quality | 10% | The share of sampled comments that are questions or real discussion. Questions count extra; spam and self-promotion count against. | | Recency | 10% | Days since the last upload, and the number of uploads in the last 90 days. | Engagement uses videos at least 3 days old, because views on newer ones are still climbing, and prefers long-form videos over Shorts (anything up to 3 minutes), because the two behave differently. Engagement rate is (likes + comments) / views; the [engagement rate guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-engagement-rate) explains why per view beats per subscriber. - **Engagement rate points:** 1% gives 30, 3% gives 60, 6% gives 90, 10% gives 100 or more, on straight lines in between. - **Views per subscriber points:** 2% gives 25, 10% gives 65, 30% gives 100 or more, on straight lines in between. These thresholds are Nakodo's own, chosen to separate active audiences from inactive ones. They are not an industry benchmark. You can try them on any channel with the [engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/engagement-rate-calculator). For comment quality, Nakodo samples up to 20 comments from each of 3 recent videos and sorts each into question, discussion, praise, spam or self-promotion. Only the counts are kept, never the comments or who wrote them. When there are fewer than 10 comments to judge, the part is left out and the other four are reweighted, rather than guessed. Every score comes with its reasons in plain sentences, such as "A typical video gets 41K views, 12% of subscribers" or "Held to its relevance of 30, however strong the other parts", and with flags for anything worth a second look: - **Shorts-heavy:** more than 60% of recent uploads are Shorts. - **Subscribers hidden:** the channel hides its subscriber count, so size is scored as unknown. - **Outside your markets:** the channel's country is not one of yours. - **Comments off,** or **few comments:** too little to judge the audience by. ## 4. Instagram and TikTok The same brief and keywords are searched on Instagram and TikTok, through web searches limited to instagram.com and tiktok.com. Each account behind the results is then read on its own: - **Instagram:** Read through Meta's official Business Discovery API, which only returns public professional accounts (Business or Creator), so personal accounts are never read. Nakodo reads followers, the bio, the website and the latest 12 posts: captions, likes (unless the creator hides them), comment counts and dates. - **TikTok:** Read from the public profile page while logged out: followers, the bio and bio link, region and language, recent videos with their plays, and exact plays, likes and comments for 3 recent videos at least 3 days old. Private accounts are skipped. The same filters apply as on YouTube: accounts outside half the bottom to twice the top of your follower range, with no posts, with nothing posted in the last 6 months, or where more than half of recent captions match the brief's off-topic words are set aside. The score differs in three ways: - **Comment quality is left out,** because comments aren't read on either platform. The other four parts are reweighted, as on YouTube when there are too few comments. - **Relevance is judged from recent captions and the bio,** in place of video titles and the channel description. - **Engagement is per view on TikTok and per follower on Instagram,** where other accounts' views aren't shared. Per follower runs lower, so it has its own points: 0.5% gives 30, 2% gives 60, 5% gives 90, 8% gives 100 or more. Views per follower is added where enough posts show views. Audience fit uses TikTok's region and language. Instagram shares neither, so both count as neutral rather than guessed. The [TikTok](https://nakodo.app/tools/tiktok-engagement-rate-calculator) and [Instagram](https://nakodo.app/tools/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator) engagement calculators use the same thresholds. Instagram and TikTok are on every plan; YouTube is on the paid plans, as the [pricing page](https://nakodo.app/pricing) shows. ## 5. Business campaigns On Pro and Business, a campaign can look for businesses instead of creators: cafes, shops, gyms, salons or any other kind, to ask whether they'd like to talk about your product or try it. You choose the kinds of business from a list, and where to look: a town or city with a distance from 2 to 200 km, a region, or a whole country. Place names are looked up in OpenStreetMap. The brief then describes the business that would suit you, in place of the creator. - **Places listing:** Businesses come from the [Overture Maps](https://overturemaps.org) places data, an open listing released each month. Nakodo adds up to 200 new businesses a day to each campaign, nearest first, and leaves out listings Overture is unsure about. A listed brand, or a website shared by more than 3 places, counts as a chain. Chains are left out while "Independent only" is on, as it is to start with. - **Instagram and TikTok:** The brief's keywords are searched with each place's name, such as "craft beer bar Leeds", and accounts are read as for creators. Businesses aren't held to a follower range, but one with nothing posted in the last year is set aside. For a business from the listing, Nakodo reads its own website: up to 5 pages, starting with the home page and then pages whose address suggests contact, finding us, about or bookings. It respects robots.txt, and keeps an email only if it is either: - **At the website's own name,** with any ending: hello@thecrown.pub counts for thecrown.co.uk. - **A personal mailbox,** such as Gmail, Outlook or a broadband provider's, which many small businesses use. Everything else is thrown away, such as a web designer's or a booking platform's address, and so are placeholders, no-reply, jobs and accounts addresses, and any address whose domain can't receive mail. An email in the listing is checked the same way. An owner's or manager's address comes first, then the general inbox. A business with no email left, often one with only a contact form, is set aside with the reason. Websites are read again after 30 days. The two parts of a business's score: | Part | Weight | What it measures | | --- | --- | --- | | Fit | 85% | How well the business matches the brief, judged by AI from its listed type, its website and, on Instagram and TikTok, its bio and captions. The same notes on why it fits, and why it might not, come with it. | | Distance | 15% | How close it is to the nearest of your places: 100 within 2 km, 85 at 10 km, 70 at 25 km, 50 at 100 km or more. | Emails then work as they do for creators, below, with one difference: the first email mentions something real from the business's own website or bio rather than a video, runs 70 to 130 words, and asks whether they'd be up for a quick chat or a trial. The first email doesn't quote prices; if they ask, Nakodo answers from the pricing you add to the campaign. ## 6. Finding a creator's business email Nakodo looks only for the business email creators publish. On YouTube it reads the channel description and recent video descriptions; on Instagram and TikTok, the bio, the profile's website or bio link and recent captions. It then follows the website and link-in-bio links the creator publishes: up to 3 starting pages, and from each up to 2 pages whose address suggests contact, about, work with me, collaborations, business, press, media kit, partnerships, sponsorship or booking. - It respects each site's robots.txt. - It undoes the usual "[at]" and "[dot]" spellings, and skips no-reply and placeholder addresses. An address found on a linked site is kept only if it's on the creator's own domain, a personal mail provider, or a domain that looks like the creator's name. - Every address is stored with where it was found and when it was checked, and is checked again after 30 days. The first email to a creator says where the address was found, such as "in your Instagram bio". - It never gets around YouTube's captcha on "View email address", never logs in as anyone and never guesses an address. When a creator publishes no email, it says so, and that creator is never contacted. Creators' addresses are never shown, sold or exported to you. You get a creator's address only when they agree to talk and Nakodo introduces you. The [guide to finding a YouTuber's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-youtubers-email) shows how to do the same search by hand. ## 7. Emailing for you Nakodo emails creators on your behalf. Each conversation has its own address on Nakodo's sending domain, with your name as the sender, such as "Sam from Acme", so replies come back to Nakodo and are matched to the right brand and creator. For each campaign you choose who is contacted: the best fits automatically, a few each day with the strongest first, or only the creators you pick. You can skip any creator you'd rather not approach. You set the offer and the ask for each campaign. Every email is signed by the Nakodo team on your behalf. Each first email is written for one creator and follows the same rules: - It mentions one specific recent video by title, in the first two sentences. - It states your offer and ask exactly as you wrote them, and never invents payment amounts, discount codes, deadlines or product details. - It runs 80 to 140 words, with a subject under 60 characters. - It ends with a line saying that if it's not a fit, the creator can say so and you won't follow up. First emails wait for your approval by default. You can instead let them go out on their own after an hour, during which you can still read, edit or stop each one. Emails go out on weekdays between 9am and 7:30pm in the creator's time zone, paced rather than sent in bulk. If there's no reply, Nakodo follows up in the same conversation: twice by default and up to three times, 4, 7 and 10 days after the email before. Follow-ups run 40 to 80 words, keep the same offer and never say "just following up". When a creator replies, Nakodo reads it and handles it as far as you choose for the campaign. It can introduce you as soon as they want to go ahead or ask how it works, sending your campaign details with the introduction. By default it also answers their questions from your proposal and campaign details: what to make, the timing and how they're paid. On Business it can also agree the fee within the most you'll pay for each size, offering once in between before a final offer. Anything else, such as contracts, more commission or anything unclear, comes to you, and your answer goes out in the same conversation. An out-of-office reply pushes the follow-ups back. If they point to another address, such as their manager's or the owner's, Nakodo writes there instead. When a creator says yes, Nakodo introduces you by email with your own address in copy, then steps out, and you agree the details directly from your own inbox. Every email has a one-click way to stop. A creator who opts out, or whose address bounces or reports spam, is never emailed again by any brand through Nakodo. See the [outreach email templates](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-outreach-email-templates) for messages you can adapt by hand. ## 8. What is kept, and for how long YouTube data is refreshed after 25 days and deleted within 30 if it isn't, as YouTube's API terms require. Instagram and TikTok accounts are read again when a campaign needs them and the data is more than 30 days old, and deleted once no campaign has looked at them for 180 days. Businesses are treated the same way: their websites are read again after 30 days, and they're deleted once no campaign has looked at them for 180 days. Comment analysis keeps counts only. Contact details are stored with where they were found. Creators can ask for their channel to be removed at any time; the [privacy notice](https://nakodo.app/privacy#creators) has the details. ## Questions ### How does Nakodo find YouTube influencers? It reads your website, writes a brief with 10 to 20 YouTube search keywords, and searches YouTube for videos from the last 12 months. It then looks at the channels behind those videos, sets aside the ones that can't fit, and scores the rest from 0 to 100 with the reasons. ### How does Nakodo find Instagram and TikTok influencers? With the same keywords, through web searches limited to instagram.com and tiktok.com. Instagram accounts are read through Meta's official Business Discovery API, which only covers public Business and Creator accounts; TikTok accounts from their public profile pages. Each is scored on relevance, audience fit, engagement and recency, with the reasons. ### Can Nakodo find businesses as well as creators? Yes, on Pro and Business. You choose the kinds of business and the places, and Nakodo finds them in the Overture Maps places listing and on Instagram and TikTok. It reads each one's own website for an email at the business's own domain or a personal mailbox, scores it on fit with your brief and distance, and asks the best fits whether they'd like to talk or try your product. ### Is the fit score comparable between campaigns? Yes. Relevance is judged against your brief alone and the other parts use fixed thresholds on a channel's own numbers, never a ranking against the other channels found, so a 70 in one campaign means the same as a 70 in another. What changes between campaigns is the brief the relevance and audience parts are measured against. ### Does Nakodo use YouTube's API? Yes. Channel, video and comment data come from the official YouTube Data API, and that data is refreshed or deleted within 30 days as its terms require. Contact details come from the creator's own descriptions and the websites they link to. ### Does Nakodo send emails to creators? Yes, on your behalf. Each conversation has its own address on Nakodo's sending domain with your name as the sender, so replies come back to Nakodo. First emails wait for your approval unless you let them go out on their own after an hour. Nakodo follows up when there's no reply, brings you the questions it can't answer, and introduces you by email when a creator says yes. Every email has a one-click way to stop. ### Can I see a creator's email address? Not before they agree. Creators' addresses are never shown, sold or exported to brands. When a creator says yes, Nakodo introduces you by email and you carry on from your own inbox. ### How are plans measured? By the new creators and businesses Nakodo contacts for you: a number each month on Free, and each weekday on Pro and Business, shared across your campaigns. Each counts once, including follow-ups, answers and the introduction. Anyone with no published email is never contacted or counted, and a first email you decide not to send isn't counted. Limits are on the [pricing page](https://nakodo.app/pricing). --- # How to find YouTube influencers to sponsor Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-youtube-influencers Updated: 2026-10-03 To find YouTube influencers to sponsor, describe your customer, then search YouTube the way they do: for the problems your product solves, the product category, and comparisons. Read the results by channel, not by video. Put every plausible channel on a long list, then shortlist on recent views, comments, upload rhythm and past sponsors. Related channels, comment sections and competitors' sponsored videos find the ones search misses. ## Describe the customer before you search The tempting first search is the category: "tech YouTubers", "fitness channels". It returns the biggest names, who are the hardest to reach and the most expensive, and says nothing about whether their viewers would buy from you. Ask instead whose audience already looks like your customer. Write a few lines before you open YouTube: - **Who they are.** "Home baristas with a first espresso machine who want better shots" is useful. "Coffee lovers aged 25 to 45" suggests no search at all. - **What problem they have.** The thing they type into YouTube before they know your product exists: sour espresso, a squeaky bike chain, a toddler who won't sleep. - **What they already watch.** Reviews, tutorials, vlogs or long comparisons. This decides the kind of creator, not just the topic. - **Where they live and what language they speak.** A channel with a perfect topic and an audience in the wrong country can't sell for you. Those lines are most of a brief. If your market has a page in our [YouTubers by niche](https://nakodo.app/youtubers) series, it lists that niche's searches, sub-niches and pitfalls. ## Turn the customer into YouTube searches Creators make videos for what viewers search, so search what your customer searches. Three kinds of query find different creators, and a good list uses all three: - **Problem searches:** What the customer types when something is wrong: "why is my espresso sour", "how to stop a cat scratching furniture". These surface tutorial channels, many of them small, whose viewers arrive wanting a fix. - **Product-category searches:** The thing itself: "espresso grinder", "standing desk setup", "trail running shoes". These find reviewers and enthusiasts who already talk about products like yours. - **Comparison and "best X for Y" searches:** "Best budget espresso machine for beginners", "Brand A vs Brand B", "is it worth it". Viewers of these videos are close to buying. Patterns that tend to produce useful searches, with your own words in the brackets: - how to fix [problem] - why does my [product] [problem] - [problem] for beginners - best [product] for [use] - best [product] under [price] - [product A] vs [product B] - is [product] worth it - [product] review after 6 months - [product] setup - [activity] routine - [product] mistakes to avoid - [product] for small spaces > **Search in your customer's language.** If you sell in Germany, search in German. Creators who rank for an English query mostly speak to English-speaking viewers. ## From searches to a shortlist, step by step 1. **Run each search with filters on.** Use YouTube's [search filters](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/111997): upload date, to keep to recent months and active channels; type, to choose videos rather than Shorts, or to list channels; and duration, to keep long videos if that's the format you want. Ten to twenty searches across the three kinds above is a good first pass. 2. **Read the results by channel, not by video.** For every relevant result, open the channel's Videos tab and scan the last 10 to 20 uploads. One video on your topic among twenty on something else is a one-off, not a fit. 3. **Put every plausible channel on a long list.** Keep a spreadsheet: channel name, link, the search that found it, subscriber count. Don't judge hard yet. If you want ten creators to contact, a long list of forty or fifty gives you room. 4. **Note the signals for each channel.** Fill in the columns in the table below. It takes a few minutes per channel and saves you paying on the strength of a subscriber count. 5. **Cut to a shortlist.** Drop channels that haven't uploaded in months, whose topic only grazes yours, or whose audience is in the wrong country. Then watch two or three full videos from each channel left. Our guide to [vetting a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator) has the full checklist. 6. **Find the contact details they publish.** Creators who take sponsorships usually publish a business email. See [how to find a YouTuber's email address](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-youtubers-email). ## What to note for each channel Subscriber count is the first number you see and the least useful one. It records how a channel grew in the past, not who watches now. These signals say more: | Signal | Where to find it | Why it matters | | --- | --- | --- | | Topic match | Titles of the last 10 to 20 uploads | How much of the channel is about your subject, rather than one lucky video. | | Median views | View counts on recent long videos, skipping any under a few days old | What a sponsored video is likely to get. The median ignores one viral outlier. | | Views per subscriber | Median views divided by subscribers | Whether the subscribers still watch. | | Engagement rate | (Likes + comments) / views, per video | How many viewers react. Compare with similar channels, not a universal number. | | Comment quality | Comments under two or three recent videos | Questions about methods and products suggest viewers who act on what they watch. | | Upload rhythm | Dates on the Videos tab | A sponsorship needs a channel that is still publishing, on a pace you can plan around. | | Shorts against long-form | The Videos and Shorts tabs | The two formats have different numbers. Know which one you're buying. | | Language and country | Speech, comments, the About panel | Whether the viewers can buy from you. | | Past sponsors | Video descriptions, spoken mentions, the "Includes paid promotion" label | Shows they take deals and how they handle them. A recent competitor may mean exclusivity. | For the arithmetic behind the engagement column, and why the median beats the average, see [YouTube engagement rate](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-engagement-rate). ## Where to look besides search Search ranks a few channels well and buries the rest. Once you have a handful of good fits, use them to find more: - **Channels sections.** Many creators list channels they recommend on their home page, usually ones that make similar things for similar viewers. - **Comments under similar creators.** Smaller creators often comment on bigger channels in their niche, and their names link to their channels. Viewers also mention other channels they watch. - **Videos your competitors already sponsored.** Search a competitor's brand name and look for the "Includes paid promotion" label or a sponsor line in the description. Those creators take deals in your category, but ask about exclusivity. - **Collaborations and guests.** Creators appear in each other's videos. A guest on a good-fit channel is often a good fit too. - **YouTube's own suggestions.** Watch a few videos from a good fit in a fresh browser profile, and the suggestions alongside will lean towards similar channels. Once you have a shortlist and a contact for each, the first message matters most. Our [outreach email templates](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-outreach-email-templates) cover paid integrations, product seeding and affiliate offers. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo does the first half of this for you. It reads your website and writes a brief you can edit: what you sell, your markets, the kind of creator that fits with a subscriber range, and 3 to 6 groups of YouTube search keywords. It then searches YouTube for videos from the last 12 months and works out median views and engagement for the channels behind them. Every creator gets a fit score from 0 to 100, led by an AI check of how well their recent videos match your brief, with its reasons in plain sentences, such as "A typical video gets 41K views, 12% of subscribers". Watching the videos stays with you, and by default you approve each first email before it goes. Nakodo finds the business email each creator publishes and emails the best fits, or only the ones you pick, on your behalf. The method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find YouTube influencers to sponsor? Describe your customer, then search YouTube for the problems your product solves, the product category and comparisons, in your customer's language. Read the results by channel, list every plausible channel, then shortlist on recent median views, comment quality, upload rhythm and past sponsors. Watch a few full videos from each before you get in touch. ### How do I find small YouTubers to work with? Search for specific problems rather than product categories, filter by recent upload date, and look beyond the first screen of results. Smaller creators also turn up in the comments of bigger channels in the same niche and in the channels that good fits recommend on their home page. ### Is subscriber count a good way to choose a YouTuber? Not on its own. Subscribers record how a channel grew in the past, and many subscribers no longer watch. The median views of the last 10 to 20 long videos is a better guide to what a sponsored video will get. ### How can I find YouTubers my competitors have sponsored? Search the competitor's brand name on YouTube and look for videos with the "Includes paid promotion" label or a sponsor line in the description. Those creators already take deals in your category. Ask whether they have an exclusivity agreement before you make an offer. ### How many YouTubers should I contact? Contact more than you need, because some won't reply and some won't fit once you talk. Start with a long list several times the size of your shortlist, and send each creator one personal message rather than a mass mailing. --- # How to find a YouTuber's email address Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-youtubers-email Updated: 2026-10-03 Most YouTubers who want sponsorships publish a business email in their channel description, under their recent videos, or on a link-in-bio page or website linked from their channel. Check those first. YouTube's own "View email address" button sits behind a sign-in and a captcha. If a creator publishes no email anywhere, use the contact form or social account they do link, rather than guessing an address. ## Where to look, in order Creators who take sponsorships want to be reachable, so the address is usually somewhere public. The trick is knowing where, because YouTube's layout hides some of it. Work through these in order and stop when you find a business address. 1. **Read the channel description.** Open the channel and click the description under the channel name to open the "About" panel. Look for lines such as "Business inquiries", "Brand deals" or "Contact". Creators often write the address out to dodge spam bots, as in "name [at] domain [dot] com", so read it carefully. 2. **Check the descriptions of recent videos.** Many creators repeat their contact line in every video description, often near the bottom with their gear links. Open three or four recent uploads. A sponsored video's description also tells you who they already work with. 3. **Open the links in the channel header.** The links next to the channel name usually include a website or a link-in-bio page (Linktree, Beacons, Stan and similar). Those pages often have an email button or a "Work with me" link. 4. **Look for a contact or "work with me" page on their website.** On a creator's own site, check the pages named Contact, About, Work with me, Collaborations, Press or Media kit. A media kit, if there is one, usually has the partnerships address and sometimes rates. 5. **Check their other platforms.** Instagram, TikTok and X bios often carry the same business email, or a management address. Instagram business profiles can have an Email button. 6. **Use YouTube's "View email address" button last.** If the About panel shows a "View email address" button, the creator has given YouTube a business email. You have to be signed in and pass a captcha to see it, and YouTube limits how many you can reveal. It's fine to use by hand; it's not something any tool should get around. ## What a contact line looks like Contact lines vary, but they cluster around a few phrasings. Searching the page for these words (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) finds them faster than reading. | Phrase | Where it usually appears | What it means | | --- | --- | --- | | Business inquiries / enquiries | Channel description, video descriptions | The address for sponsorships. Use this one. | | For collabs / brand deals | Link-in-bio pages, Instagram bio | Same thing, informal. Often a personal-brand address. | | Management / represented by | Channel description, website | A talent manager or agency handles deals. Write to them, and name the creator. | | [at] and [dot] | Anywhere | An email written out to avoid spam bots. Rebuild it before sending. | | Fan mail / PO box | Channel description | A postal address for viewers. Not for sponsorship offers. | ## When there's no email anywhere Some creators publish no email at all, or only behind YouTube's captcha. That's a choice, and it's worth respecting. You still have options: - Use the contact form on their website, if they link one. It reaches the same inbox. - Send a short direct message on the social account they link from YouTube, saying who you are and asking where to send a partnership proposal. - If they're signed to a management company or a creator network, the company's site usually lists a partnerships address. > **Don't guess the address.** Email-finder tools guess addresses from name patterns. For creators that usually means a personal inbox they never offered for business, or a bounce. Bounces hurt your sending reputation, and an unwanted message to a personal address is a poor first impression. Write to the address they chose, or don't write. ## Before you send anything - **Check the address is current.** A video description from three years ago may list an address the creator no longer reads. Prefer the one in the channel description or on their link page. - **Mention a specific video.** Creators get many generic offers. One sentence about a recent video shows you watched it. Our [outreach email templates](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-outreach-email-templates) show how. - **Send in your own name, from an address a person reads,** not a no-reply, so the creator's answer reaches someone who can act on it. - **Plan one or two follow-ups, not five.** See [how to follow up with a YouTuber](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-follow-up-with-a-youtuber). ## How Nakodo does this for you Nakodo reads each creator's channel description and the descriptions of their recent uploads, then follows the website and link-in-bio links they publish, checking the contact, about and "work with me" pages it finds there. It respects each site's robots.txt, undoes the usual "[at]" and "[dot]" spellings, and skips placeholder and no-reply addresses. Nakodo keeps every address with where it was found and when it was last checked. It never gets around YouTube's captcha and never guesses an address: when a creator publishes no email, it says so, and that creator is never contacted. The address itself isn't shown to you. Nakodo emails the creator on your behalf, and you get their address only when they agree and Nakodo introduces you. The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find a YouTuber's email address? Check the channel description first, then the descriptions of their recent videos, then the website or link-in-bio page linked from their channel. Creators who take sponsorships usually publish a business email in one of those places. YouTube's "View email address" button is the last resort, because it needs a sign-in and a captcha. ### Why can't I see the email on a YouTube channel? If the creator gave YouTube a business email, it sits behind the "View email address" button in the About panel. You need to be signed in and pass a captcha, and YouTube limits how many you can view. If there's no button, the creator hasn't given YouTube an email, so look at their descriptions and linked pages instead. ### Is it OK to email a YouTuber about a sponsorship? A creator who publishes a business email is inviting partnership offers. Keep the message relevant to their channel, send it in your own name from an address where replies reach a person, follow up once or twice at most, and say you won't write again if it isn't a fit. Data protection rules still apply to how you store their details. ### Should I use an email finder tool to guess a creator's address? No. Guessed addresses for creators tend to bounce or land in a personal inbox they never offered for business. Both hurt: bounces damage your sending reputation, and an unwanted message is a poor start to a partnership. ### What if the email belongs to a manager or agency? Write to it. The manager handles sponsorship deals and will pass on anything relevant. Name the creator and the video you liked in the first lines, because a manager may represent dozens of channels. --- # YouTube influencer outreach email templates Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-outreach-email-templates Updated: 2026-10-03 A good outreach email to a YouTube influencer names a specific recent video, states your offer plainly (a fee, a product or a commission), makes one ask, and tells the creator they can say no. Keep it under about 150 words and send it in your own name, from an address where replies reach a person. The templates below cover paid, gifted and affiliate offers, a direct message, a manager and a rate card reply. ## What makes outreach work Creators who take sponsorships get a lot of offers, and most read the same: a compliment that could apply to anyone, a vague "partnership", and a request for a call. The ones that get answered do four things. - **Name a specific video.** One sentence about something you actually watched, and why it relates to your product. - **State a clear offer.** Say whether you're offering a fee, a product, a commission or a mix. If you have a budget, give it or a range. See [how much to pay YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) for working one out. - **Make one ask.** "Could you send your rates?" is easy to answer. Rates, a media kit, audience data and a call, all at once, is homework. - **Make no an easy answer.** A closing line that says you won't chase them takes the pressure off and makes any reply, even a no, easier to send. Send it in your own name from an address where replies reach a person, never a no-reply, and only to an address the creator published. Our guide to [finding a YouTuber's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-youtubers-email) covers where to look. ## Templates to copy Replace everything in [brackets], and delete any sentence that isn't true for you. Each template keeps to one offer and one ask. **First email for a paid integration** ``` Subject: Paid integration on [Channel name] from [Brand] Hi [Creator first name], I'm [Your name], [role] at [Brand]. We make [product], [one line on what it does]. Your video [Video title] stuck with me, especially [specific moment or point]. Your viewers look a lot like the people we make [product] for. We'd like to pay for a [length, e.g. 60 to 90 second] integration in an upcoming video, with [deliverables, e.g. a link in the description]. Our budget is [amount or range], and we're flexible on timing and format. If you're open to it, could you send your rates or media kit? If it's not a fit, just say so and I won't follow up. [Your name] [Brand], [website] ``` **Product seeding with no obligation to post** ``` Subject: [Product] for you to try, no strings Hi [Creator first name], I'm [Your name] from [Brand]. We make [product], [one line on what it does]. I watched [Video title], and [specific observation]. [Product] might be useful for [the thing they do on the channel]. We'd like to send you one to try. There's no obligation to post, review or mention it, and this isn't a paid offer. If you like it and want to talk about a paid collaboration later, we'd be glad to. If you'd like one, just reply with a postal address. If it's not a fit, just say so and I won't follow up. [Your name] [Brand] ``` **Affiliate or discount-code offer** ``` Subject: Affiliate offer for [Channel name] viewers Hi [Creator first name], I'm [Your name] at [Brand]. We make [product], [one line on what it does]. Your video [Video title] covered [topic] clearly, and [specific detail]. [Product] is built for the same problem. We'd like to offer you an affiliate link paying [commission] on each sale, plus a code giving your viewers [discount]. There's no minimum and no posting schedule: use it if and when it suits a video. We'll send you [product] to try first. Would you like the link and code? If it's not a fit, just say so and I won't follow up. [Your name] [Brand] ``` **Direct message on Instagram or X, when there's no email** ``` Hi [Creator first name], I'm [Your name] from [Brand]. We make [product]. I liked your recent video on [topic], especially [specific detail]. We'd like to [pay for a sponsored segment, or send you a product to try], and I couldn't find a business email. Is there an address I should send the details to? If it's not a fit, just say so and I won't follow up. ``` **Email to a manager or agency** ``` Subject: Sponsorship enquiry for [Creator name] Hi [Manager first name], I'm [Your name], [role] at [Brand]. I'm writing about [Creator name], whose channel I understand you represent. Their video [Video title] is close to how we'd want [product] shown, because [specific reason]. We'd like a [deliverable, e.g. a 60 second integration] in a video [timing, e.g. in March or April], with a budget of [amount or range]. Could you send [Creator name]'s rate and availability for that? If it's not a fit for [Creator name] right now, just say so and I won't follow up. [Your name] [Brand], [website] ``` **Reply to a rate card above your budget** ``` Subject: Re: [their subject line] Hi [Creator first name], Thanks for sending your rates. They're clear, and I can see why [deliverable] is priced where it is. [Their rate] is more than we can spend on one video right now. Our budget is [your amount]. If there's a smaller version that works for you at that level, such as [a shorter mention, or a description link only], we'd be glad to do it. Either way, I'd like to keep in touch for when our budget grows. If it doesn't work at that budget, just say so and I won't follow up. [Your name] [Brand] ``` > **No reply after a week?.** Send one short follow-up that adds something new, then stop. The follow-up templates are in [how to follow up with a YouTuber](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-follow-up-with-a-youtuber). ## Subject lines Say what the offer is and who it's for, in under 60 characters so it isn't cut off on a phone. | Instead of | Try | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | Collaboration opportunity | Paid integration on [Channel name] from [Brand] | Says what kind of offer it is and who it's for. | | Quick question | Sponsoring a [topic] video: [Brand] | A vague subject reads like a sales sequence. | | Re: our conversation (when there wasn't one) | Sponsorship enquiry for [Creator name] | A fake reply thread spends trust you haven't earned yet. | | Exciting partnership for you | [Product] for you to try, no strings | Plain beats excited. The no-strings part answers the first question. | ## Mistakes that get outreach ignored - **The same email to everyone.** Swapping in the channel name isn't personal. One sentence about a real video is. - **Hiding the offer.** "We'd love to explore working together" makes the creator write back just to find out whether you're paying. - **Asking for free promotion and calling it a partnership.** If you're offering a product with no fee, say so, and don't ask for a guaranteed video in return. Our guide to [product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube) covers how to do it fairly. - **Several asks at once.** Rates, a media kit, audience data and a call can wait for the second email. - **Inventing urgency.** "We need an answer by Friday" only belongs in an email if it's true. - **Forgetting disclosure.** A paid or gifted mention needs to be disclosed to viewers. Agree how at the start, as covered in [sponsorship disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules). ## How Nakodo writes and sends first emails Nakodo writes a first email for each creator it contacts, the best fits or only the ones you pick, and sends it on your behalf, from an address of its own for each conversation with your name as the sender, such as "Sam from Acme". The email mentions a specific recent video and states your offer and ask exactly as you set them. It never invents payment amounts, discount codes or deadlines, and ends with the same "not a fit" line as the templates above. First emails wait for your approval by default, or go out on their own after an hour in which you can still read, edit or stop them. They're sent on weekdays in the creator's working hours, and every email has a one-click way to stop. Nakodo follows up if there's no reply and introduces you by email when a creator says yes. Creators with no published email are never contacted, so the direct message template above is one to send by hand. ## Questions ### How do I write an outreach email to a YouTube influencer? Name a specific recent video and why it relates to your product, state your offer plainly, and make one ask, such as their rates. Keep it short, send it in your own name to the address the creator published, from an address where replies reach a person, and end by saying you won't follow up if it isn't a fit. ### What should the subject line of an influencer outreach email say? Say what the offer is and who it's for, such as "Paid integration on [Channel name] from [Brand]". Keep it under 60 characters so it isn't cut off on a phone, and avoid vague subjects like "Quick question" or a fake "Re:". ### How long should an outreach email to a YouTuber be? Short enough to read in under a minute: roughly 80 to 140 words for an email and under 80 for a direct message. Everything else, such as audience data or contract terms, can wait until the creator replies. ### Should I mention my budget in the first email to a YouTuber? If you have a budget, yes, or at least say whether the offer is paid. It saves both sides an exchange of emails, and creators can answer straight away if it works for them. A budget is a starting point, not a final offer. ### Can I message a YouTuber on Instagram instead of email? Yes, if they publish no business email. Keep the message short, say who you are and what you're offering, and ask where to send the details. If they do publish an email, use it, because that's where they've chosen to handle business. --- # How to follow up with an influencer on YouTube Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-follow-up-with-a-youtuber Updated: 2026-10-03 Follow up with an influencer once or twice, in the same thread: the first time four days to a week after your first email, the second a week or so later. Add something new each time rather than repeating yourself: a newer video of theirs, a clearer offer or a smaller ask. Keep each one under 80 words and give them an easy way to say no. If there's still no reply, stop. Silence is an answer, and a polite exit keeps the door open. ## When to follow up Four days to a week after the first email is a sensible default, with a longer gap before a second follow-up. It isn't a magic number, it's a judgement call: creators often deal with email in batches between filming and editing, and a week covers a full cycle for anyone who uploads weekly. It's long enough that you're not pestering, and short enough that they may still remember your first message. - **Wait longer** around holidays, big launches in their niche, or when their channel says they're on a break. - **Wait less** only if your timing is genuinely tight, and only if your first email said so. - **Reply in the same thread,** so the creator sees your first message without searching for it. ## One or two follow-ups, not five A creator who doesn't reply to three messages has usually decided, or is too busy to take on anything new. A fourth and fifth email won't change that. It will only make your brand the one they remember for the wrong reason. If your first email ended with "if it's not a fit, just say so and I won't follow up", you've promised to stop when they decline. A follow-up or two after silence keeps that promise, as long as each says something new and the last says it's the last. A string of chasers that repeat themselves doesn't. > **Lines to leave out.** "Just following up", "bumping this to the top of your inbox", "did you see my last email?" and "I know you're busy, but". Each says nothing new and asks the creator to feel bad. Say something useful instead, or don't write. ## What to add the second time A follow-up earns its place by giving the creator a reason to answer that the first email didn't. Pick one: - **A newer video.** If they've uploaded since, mention it. It shows you're still watching, and it may be a better fit than the one you named first. - **A clearer offer.** If the first email was vague about money, fix that now: the fee or range, the product, the commission. A creator may have skipped your email because they couldn't tell whether it was paid. - **A smaller ask.** Instead of a sponsored video, offer to send the product with no obligation to post (see [product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube)), or just ask where you should send details. - **A real date.** If your campaign has an actual deadline, say so once. Don't invent one. ## Follow-up templates Each of these is under 80 words and goes in the same thread as your first email. Replace everything in [brackets]. **Follow-up with a newer video** ``` Subject: Re: [your original subject] Hi [Creator first name], I saw your new video on [topic], and [specific detail] is exactly the problem [product] solves. It made me think the offer below might suit you even better now. To recap: [one-line recap of the offer and budget]. If it's not a fit, just say so and I won't follow up again. [Your name] ``` **Follow-up with a clearer offer** ``` Subject: Re: [your original subject] Hi [Creator first name], I should have been clearer last time. We'd pay [amount or range] for [deliverable] in a video of your choosing over the next [timeframe], and we'd send [product] first so you can try it. If that works, I'll send a short brief. If it's not a fit, just say so and I won't follow up again. [Your name] ``` **Follow-up with a smaller ask** ``` Subject: Re: [your original subject] Hi [Creator first name], No pressure on the sponsorship. Would you like us to send you [product] to try anyway? There's no obligation to mention it. If you'd rather we spoke to a manager or used a different address, point me there and I'll write to them instead. If it's not a fit, just say so and I won't follow up again. [Your name] ``` For first messages, see our [outreach email templates](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-outreach-email-templates). ## When to stop, and how to take a no If two follow-ups get no reply, stop. Mark the creator as no reply and move on. Months later, with something genuinely new, such as a new product or a bigger budget, one fresh email is fair. A monthly check-in is not. When a creator says no, thank them and leave it there. Don't argue, don't ask them to reconsider, and don't ask why unless they offer. A kind reply costs nothing and leaves the door open. **Reply to a no** ``` Subject: Re: [your original subject] Hi [Creator first name], Thanks for letting me know, and for taking the time to reply. I'll keep watching the channel. If things change on your side, you know where to find me. All the best, [Your name] ``` When a creator sends a [rate card](https://nakodo.app/glossary#rate-card) you can't afford, say so plainly and give your budget once. Ask whether a smaller version works at that level, such as a shorter mention or a description link, then accept the answer. Their rate reflects their views and their time; [how much to pay YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) explains the arithmetic, and the outreach templates include a reply to a rate card above your budget. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo follows up for you when a creator hasn't replied, in the same conversation as the first email. It does so twice by default, and you can choose anywhere from none to three, spaced 4, 7 and 10 days after the email before. Each follow-up runs 40 to 80 words, keeps the same offer and never says "just following up". An out-of-office reply pushes the follow-ups back. When a creator does reply, Nakodo answers what it can from your offer and notes and brings you the rest, such as a rate card above your budget, and your answer goes out in the same conversation. A creator who says no isn't followed up, and one who opts out is never emailed again by any brand through Nakodo. ## Questions ### How do I follow up with an influencer who hasn't replied? Wait four days to a week, then reply in the same thread. Add something new, such as a newer video of theirs, a clearer offer or a smaller ask, keep it under 80 words, and say you won't write again if it isn't a fit. One more follow-up a week or so later is fine; if there's still no reply, stop. ### How long should I wait before following up with a YouTuber? Four days to a week is a sensible default, and longer before a second follow-up. It gives a creator who works in weekly cycles time to get to their inbox, without letting your first message go cold. Wait longer around holidays or if their channel says they're on a break. ### How many times should I follow up with an influencer? Once or twice. A creator who doesn't answer three messages has usually decided or is too busy, and further chasing only makes your brand memorable for the wrong reason. Make each follow-up say something new, and say in the last one that it's the last. If you have something genuinely new months later, one fresh email is fair. ### What should I say when a YouTuber's rate is over my budget? Thank them for the rates, say plainly that it's more than you can spend, and give your budget once. Ask whether a smaller version works at that level, then accept their answer either way. ### Should I message a YouTuber on another platform if they don't answer my email? Only if you suspect the address is out of date, and only once. Chasing a creator across email, Instagram and X reads as pressure. If they publish a business email and haven't replied to your email or follow-ups there, take that as the answer. --- # How to vet YouTube influencers before sponsoring Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator Updated: 2026-10-03 To vet a YouTube influencer, judge their last 10 to 20 videos, not their subscriber count. Check that recent views are steady rather than one viral outlier, and sensible against subscribers; that comments are real questions and discussion, not generic praise or bots; how past sponsors were disclosed; and that several full videos are safe for your brand. Then check upload rhythm, Shorts against long-form, and where the audience lives. ## The checklist, step by step Do this for every creator on your shortlist before you agree a fee. It takes twenty minutes or so per channel, most of it spent watching. You need nothing but the channel itself and a spreadsheet. 1. **Compare recent views with subscribers.** Open the Videos tab and note the views on the last 10 to 20 long videos, skipping any less than a few days old. Take the median, the middle value, and divide it by the subscriber count. A channel whose videos reach a fair share of its subscribers still has an audience that watches. A channel whose videos reach a sliver of them may have grown in a different era, or on a different topic. Our guide to [YouTube engagement rate](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-engagement-rate) explains why the median beats the average. 2. **Check that views are consistent.** Look down the list for one video with many times the views of the rest. A viral outlier makes the channel look bigger than its typical video, and it's often the video that brought you there. Price on the median, not the outlier, and check whether the outlier is the only one on your topic. 3. **Read the comments.** Open two or three recent videos and read through the comments. Specific questions ("does this work on a 2019 model?") and real discussion suggest viewers who pay attention and act on what they watch. Pages of "great video", emoji and "first" say much less. Links to unrelated offers, and other channels promoting themselves, count against. 4. **Look for signs of bought engagement.** Likes far out of line with comments, comments from empty accounts posting the same phrases, or views that jump with no change in comments are all worth a second look. The table below lists the common ones. Work out the engagement rate with our [engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/engagement-rate-calculator) and compare it with similar channels. 5. **Check past sponsors and how they were disclosed.** Scroll recent descriptions for sponsor lines and discount codes, and look for the "Includes paid promotion" label YouTube shows when a creator [ticks the paid promotion box](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/154235). A creator who discloses clearly will do it for you too. A competitor's sponsorship last month may mean an exclusivity period. 6. **Watch several videos in full.** This is the brand safety check, and nothing replaces it. Watch at least three whole videos, including the one that found them and one from a few months back. Listen to how they talk about other people, what they joke about, and how their existing sponsor segments sound. 7. **Check the upload rhythm.** Note the dates of the last ten uploads. A steady rhythm, weekly or fortnightly, makes timing easy to agree. Long gaps may mean a break, a change of direction, or a channel winding down. Ask before you plan around it. 8. **Separate Shorts from long-form.** Compare the Videos tab with the Shorts tab. Shorts are watched in a swipe feed, where a view counts as soon as a Short starts to play, so a channel with huge Shorts numbers may have a much smaller long-form audience, and the reverse. Judge the format you're paying for on its own numbers. 9. **Look for clues to audience geography and language.** The language the creator speaks and the language of the comments are the strongest public clues. Currencies, shops and units mentioned in videos help too. The country in the About panel is the creator's own setting and says little about viewers. For certainty, ask the creator for a screenshot of their audience's top countries from YouTube Analytics. ## Red flags and what they might mean No single sign proves a channel is fake or unsuitable. Each is a reason to look closer or to ask the creator, who will usually have a simple answer. | Red flag | What it might mean | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | | Views far below subscribers on every recent video | The audience has moved on, the channel changed topic, or subscribers were bought | Price on recent median views, never on subscribers. | | One video with many times the views of the rest | A viral outlier, not the typical video | Use the median and ignore the outlier. | | Plenty of likes but almost no comments | Bought likes, or a passive audience | Read the comments that are there, and compare with similar channels. | | Comments from empty accounts, repeated phrases, emoji only | Bot comments or engagement swaps | Treat the engagement rate as unreliable. | | Comments turned off on most videos | The creator's choice, or videos set as made for kids, which turns comments off | You can't judge the audience from comments, so ask for analytics. | | Sponsored mentions with no disclosure | Carelessness about rules that apply to you as well | Agree disclosure in writing before you pay. | | A competitor sponsored them recently | A possible exclusivity period | Ask before you make an offer. | | Long gaps between uploads | A break, burnout or a channel winding down | Ask about their plans for the next few months. | | Comments mostly in a language your customers don't speak | An audience outside your markets | Ask for top countries from YouTube Analytics. | ## What to ask the creator before you pay Public numbers only go so far. Creators can see far more in YouTube Studio, and asking for a few screenshots is a normal request before a paid deal: - **Audience by country and age,** from YouTube Analytics, for the last 90 days. - **Views on recent sponsored videos,** and if they'll share it, any results a past sponsor reported. - **Exclusivity,** meaning any agreements that stop them working with brands in your category. - **How they disclose,** both on screen and with YouTube's paid promotion setting. See [sponsorship disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules). - **Turnaround,** from receiving the product to publishing, so your timeline is realistic. With the answers in hand, you can price the deal on real views. [How much to pay YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) shows the arithmetic. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo runs the numerical part of this checklist on every creator it finds. It takes up to 20 recent uploads and, from videos at least 3 days old, preferring long-form over Shorts, works out median views and median engagement rate. It samples comments from 3 recent videos and sorts them into questions, discussion, praise, spam and self-promotion. It flags channels that are Shorts-heavy, hide their subscriber count, sit outside your markets, have comments turned off, or have too few comments to judge. Each creator's fit score shows its reasons in plain sentences, so you can check them yourself. Watching the videos is still your job. The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I vet a YouTube influencer before sponsoring them? Look at their last 10 to 20 videos rather than their subscriber count. Check that median views are steady and sensible against subscribers, that comments are real questions and discussion, how past sponsors were disclosed, and that several full videos are safe for your brand. Then ask the creator for their audience's top countries from YouTube Analytics. ### How can I tell if a YouTuber has fake views or subscribers? Look for views far below subscribers on every video, likes far out of line with comments, and comments from empty accounts repeating the same phrases. None of these proves anything alone, but together they're a reason to ask the creator for analytics screenshots before you pay. ### How do I check if a YouTuber is good for a sponsorship? Check that most of their recent videos are on your topic, that the audience speaks your customers' language, and that the comments show viewers acting on recommendations. Then watch three full videos to judge tone and how they handle existing sponsors. ### Can I see a YouTuber's audience demographics? Not publicly. Creators see their viewers' countries, ages and other details in YouTube Analytics, and asking for screenshots before a paid deal is a normal request. Public clues include the language of the comments and what the creator mentions in videos. ### How many videos should I watch before sponsoring a creator? At least three in full, including the one that led you to them and one from a few months back. Skimming thumbnails won't tell you how a creator talks, what they joke about, or how their sponsor segments sound. --- # How much do YouTubers charge for sponsorships? Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers Updated: 2026-10-03 There is no standard rate. Each YouTuber sets their own price, and a fair fee depends on how many people actually watch, what the deal includes and what a new customer is worth to you. Start from the creator's median views: fee = median views ÷ 1,000 × the CPM you're willing to pay. Check that against your break-even CPM, then adjust for format, usage rights, exclusivity and deadlines. ## Price it on median views Any single "average rate" you read online mixes niches, countries, formats and channel sizes, so it tells you little about the creator in front of you. The more useful number is what you'd pay for every 1,000 people who see the video. That's the [CPM](https://nakodo.app/glossary#cpm), or cost per mille, and it turns any quote into something you can compare. 1. **Collect views for recent long-form videos.** Note the view counts of the last 10 to 20 long-form uploads on the channel's Videos tab. Leave out Shorts, and anything from the last week or so, which is still gathering views. 2. **Take the median, not the average.** Sort the numbers and take the middle one. One video that took off can double the average; the median is what a typical upload gets. 3. **Decide the CPM you can afford.** Use your break-even CPM from the next section. If you don't know it yet, pick a CPM you'd be comfortable losing on a first test. 4. **Do the sum.** Fee = median views ÷ 1,000 × CPM. Turn it round to check a quote: CPM = fee ÷ median views × 1,000. 5. **Adjust for what the deal includes.** A dedicated video, usage rights, exclusivity or a tight deadline all add cost. See "What changes the price" below. A worked example, with made-up numbers: say a creator's last 12 long-form videos have a median of 40,000 views, and you're willing to pay a $25 CPM. 40,000 ÷ 1,000 × $25 = $1,000 for an integration. If the creator quotes $1,500 instead, that's a $37.50 CPM. Whether that's fair depends on your margins, not on anyone else's rates. > **Do the arithmetic in one place.** The [sponsorship cost calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/sponsorship-cost-calculator) does all three sums for you: the fee from a CPM, the CPM hidden inside a quote, and your break-even from the next section. ## Work back from what a customer is worth A CPM only means something next to your own numbers. Your break-even CPM is the most you can pay per 1,000 views before the video loses money on first purchases: **Break-even CPM = sales per 1,000 views × profit per sale.** Another hypothetical: past campaigns, or a careful guess, suggest 2 sales per 1,000 views, and each sale leaves you $15 after product, shipping and payment costs. Your break-even CPM is 2 × $15 = $30. The $1,500 quote above, at $37.50, loses money on first orders. It may still be worth it if customers come back: use the profit from a customer's first year instead of one sale, if you know it. If you've never sponsored a video, you don't know your sales per 1,000 views yet. Treat the first deal as a measured test with a tracked link and code, then use the real figure next time. Our guide to [measuring YouTube sponsorships](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-measure-youtube-sponsorships) shows how. ## Flat fee, affiliate or both How you pay matters as much as how much. The three common structures share the risk differently: | Structure | How it works | Suits the brand when | Suits the creator when | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Flat fee | A fixed amount for agreed deliverables, whatever the results. | You know your break-even CPM and want a guaranteed video by a date. | They want certain income for the work they put in. | | Affiliate | A commission on each sale through their link or code, and nothing else. | Your budget is tight and you can only pay for results. | They already review products in your category and the commission is generous. | | Hybrid | A lower flat fee plus a commission on sales. | You want to share the risk and reward the creator if it goes well. | They believe in the product and are willing to bet part of their fee on it. | Affiliate-only deals put all the risk on the creator, who still has to script, film and edit the segment, so established channels may turn them down for anything more than a description link. Free product alone is a different arrangement, covered in [product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube). ## What changes the price - **Dedicated video or integration:** A whole video about your product takes more work and gives you more of the audience's attention than a segment inside another video, so it costs more. Our guide to [sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats) compares them. - **Usage rights:** Running the creator's footage in your own ads, or on your site, is a separate permission. Agree where, for how long and whether paid ads are included. See [usage rights](https://nakodo.app/glossary#usage-rights). - **Exclusivity:** Asking the creator not to work with your competitors for a period costs them future deals, so expect it to be priced in. Keep it narrow: named competitors, a short window. See [exclusivity](https://nakodo.app/glossary#exclusivity). - **Deadlines:** A fixed go-live date may mean reshuffling the creator's schedule. Flexible timing is worth something to them. - **Revisions and approval:** Each review round is more work. One round of feedback on the sponsored segment is reasonable; script approval plus two rounds of edits is a bigger job. - **Extras:** A pinned comment, a Shorts cut-down, a link kept in the description for a year, or mentions on other platforms are each separate deliverables. ## Asking for rates and negotiating Ask whether the creator has a rate card or media kit. Wait until they've said they're interested, and describe the deal so they can price the right thing: **Asking for rates** ``` Subject: Rates for a [integration / dedicated video] in [month] Hi [Name], Thanks for getting back to me. To make sure we're pricing the same thing, here's what we have in mind: - One [60-second integration / dedicated video] about [product], live in [month] - A link and code in the description - [No usage rights / Use of the segment in our own ads for 3 months] - One round of feedback on the sponsored part only Could you send your rate for that, or your rate card if you have one? Our budget is around [amount], so if that's well off, I'd rather know now than waste your time. Thanks, [Your name] ``` - **Negotiate scope before price.** If a quote is above your break-even CPM, offer to drop something (exclusivity, usage rights, a fixed date) rather than asking them to work for less. - **Show your arithmetic.** "Your median is around 40,000 views, and we can afford about $25 per 1,000" is easier to discuss than "Can you do it cheaper?" - **Don't ask for work in exchange for exposure.** Free product is fine as an offer, but say so plainly and accept a no. - **Accept a no gracefully.** If the numbers don't meet, thank them and leave the door open. Rates change, and so do budgets. - **Pay on time.** Agree payment terms in writing and keep to them. ## How Nakodo helps The CPM method needs one number per creator: median views. Nakodo works it out for every creator it finds, from up to 20 recent uploads, using videos at least 3 days old and preferring long-form over Shorts. It doesn't quote or predict anyone's rates. The first emails it sends on your behalf state your offer exactly as you set it and never invent payment amounts, and when a creator asks about rates, the question comes to you to answer. The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How much do YouTubers charge for sponsorships? There's no standard rate: each creator sets their own, and prices vary with views, niche, format and what the deal includes. To judge a quote, divide the fee by the creator's median views and multiply by 1,000. That gives the CPM you'd be paying, which you can compare with what a customer is worth to you. ### How do you calculate a YouTube sponsorship fee? Take the median views of the creator's recent long-form videos, divide by 1,000 and multiply by the CPM you're willing to pay. For example, a 40,000-view median at a hypothetical $25 CPM gives $1,000. Then add for extras such as a dedicated video, usage rights or exclusivity. ### Should I pay a YouTuber a flat fee or commission? A flat fee buys a guaranteed video and suits any deal with a clear brief. Commission only suits creators who already review products like yours with affiliate links, because it puts all the risk on them. A hybrid of a lower fee plus commission shares the risk between you. ### Do smaller YouTubers charge less? A fee based on views will be lower for a channel with fewer views, but the price per 1,000 views may not be. A smaller channel in a specialist niche can fairly charge more per view than a large general channel, because its audience is closer to what you sell. Compare the CPM, not the headline fee. ### Do I need to pay extra to use a creator's video in my ads? Expect to. Using the footage in your own ads or on your site is a separate permission from the sponsorship itself. Agree in writing where you'll use it, for how long and whether paid ads are included, and expect it to change the price. --- # What is a good engagement rate on YouTube? Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-engagement-rate Updated: 2026-10-03 YouTube engagement rate is (likes + comments) / views for a video. Work it out for each of a creator's recent long videos, skip any under a few days old, and take the median. There is no universal good number: it varies by niche, format and video length, so compare a creator with similar channels. The free [engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/engagement-rate-calculator) does the arithmetic for you. ## The formula For a single video, engagement rate is the likes and comments divided by the views, shown as a percentage. A video with 40,000 views, 1,500 likes and 100 comments has an engagement rate of 1,600 / 40,000 = 4%. Likes and comments are the two reactions anyone can count from outside the channel, which is why they're the ones used. > **Why divide by views, not subscribers.** Some formulas, borrowed from other platforms, divide by followers. On YouTube that mixes two questions. Videos reach people through search and recommendations as well as subscriptions, and subscriber counts only record past growth: a channel keeps its subscribers long after some of them stop watching. Dividing by views answers one clear question, how many of the people who watched reacted. How many subscribers still watch is a separate measure, views per subscriber, covered below. ## How to work it out for a channel One video tells you little. A creator's engagement rate is the typical value across several recent videos: 1. **Open the channel's Videos tab.** Use the Videos tab, not Shorts, if long videos are what you're sponsoring. Treat Shorts as a separate set of numbers. 2. **Skip anything less than a few days old.** A new video's views keep arriving for days, while its first viewers, often the most loyal subscribers, react early. So a fresh video's rate starts high and drifts down. Start from videos at least three days old. 3. **Note views, likes and comments for the last 10 or so.** Ten to twenty videos is enough to see the pattern without reaching back to a time when the channel was different. 4. **Work out the rate for each video.** (Likes + comments) / views, for each one. The [engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/engagement-rate-calculator) does this for a list of videos at once. 5. **Take the median.** Sort the rates and take the middle one. The median ignores a single viral video or a single flop, which the average does not. ## A worked example Say a channel with 300,000 subscribers has these eight most recent long videos. The numbers are made up for illustration. Hypothetical numbers for one channel: | Video | Views | Likes | Comments | Engagement rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Posted yesterday (skipped) | 9,000 | 900 | 150 | 11.7% | | Video 1 | 42,000 | 1,380 | 132 | 3.6% | | Video 2 | 36,000 | 1,350 | 126 | 4.1% | | Video 3 | 51,000 | 1,370 | 109 | 2.9% | | Video 4 (went viral) | 610,000 | 6,100 | 610 | 1.1% | | Video 5 | 39,000 | 1,150 | 98 | 3.2% | | Video 6 | 44,000 | 1,560 | 112 | 3.8% | | Video 7 | 33,000 | 1,380 | 105 | 4.5% | Sorted, the seven rates are 1.1, 2.9, 3.2, 3.6, 3.8, 4.1 and 4.5%, so the median is **3.6%**. Compare the shortcuts: - **Yesterday's video alone** says 11.7%, because its views haven't caught up yet. - **Pooling all seven** (15,582 likes and comments over 855,000 views) says 1.8%, dragged down by the viral video. - **Average views** are about 122,000, while **median views** are 42,000. The viral video nearly triples the average. A sponsor paying on the average would pay for views the typical video doesn't get. Median views of 42,000 against 300,000 subscribers also gives views per subscriber of 14%. Median views are the number to price a sponsorship on; [how much to pay YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) shows how. ## Is there a good engagement rate? Not a universal one, and be wary of anyone who quotes one without saying where it came from. Engagement rate depends on things that have nothing to do with how good a creator is: - **Niche.** Tutorials and reviews invite questions in the comments. Music, comedy and background-viewing channels can draw many viewers who never react. - **Format.** Shorts and long videos behave differently, so never compare one with the other. - **Video length.** A long video is watched by people who chose to stay. A short one is easier to watch and leave. - **Channel size.** A small channel may have a closer audience that comments more, so its rate can run higher. - **Calls to action.** A creator who asks viewers a question at the end will get more comments than one who doesn't. The useful comparison is with similar channels: the same niche, the same format, a similar size. Work out the median for five or six of them and you'll see what normal looks like for your market. Then read the comments, because a high rate made of "nice video" is worth less than a modest one made of real questions. Our guide to [vetting a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator) covers that. ## Views per subscriber, and how Shorts skew both - **Views per subscriber:** Median views divided by subscribers. It answers the question engagement rate doesn't: does the audience the channel built still watch? A low figure on every recent video suggests subscribers who moved on, a change of topic, or bought subscribers. A high one means videos reach well beyond the subscriber base, often through search. Note that YouTube [abbreviates public subscriber counts](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6051134), so treat the result as approximate. - **Shorts:** YouTube counts a view the moment a video starts to play, for Shorts as well as long videos ([how views are counted](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2991785)). In the Shorts feed, a Short starts playing as soon as someone swipes to it, including people who swipe straight past. That tends to push a Short's views up and its engagement rate down, compared with the same creator's long videos. A channel whose numbers mix both formats can look busier and less engaged than its long videos really are. ## How Nakodo scores engagement Nakodo works this out for every creator it finds. It takes up to 20 recent uploads and, from videos at least 3 days old, preferring long-form over Shorts, calculates median views and median engagement rate. Channels with more than 60% Shorts are flagged as Shorts-heavy. The engagement part of the fit score then uses these fixed thresholds, with straight lines between the points: Nakodo's own scoring thresholds, not industry benchmarks: | Measure | Value | Points (of 100) | | --- | --- | --- | | Engagement rate | 1% | 30 | | Engagement rate | 3% | 60 | | Engagement rate | 6% | 90 | | Engagement rate | 10% or more | 100 | | Views per subscriber | 2% | 25 | | Views per subscriber | 10% | 65 | | Views per subscriber | 30% or more | 100 | In the example above, 3.6% would score 66 and 14% views per subscriber would score 72. Each channel is scored on its own numbers and never ranked against others, and the score always shows its reasons, such as "Likes and comments are 3.6% of views (median)". The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### What is a good engagement rate on YouTube? There is no universal good number. Engagement rate varies with niche, format, video length and channel size, so the useful comparison is with similar channels in your market. Work out the median rate for five or six of them to see what normal looks like, then read the comments to judge quality. ### How do you calculate YouTube engagement rate? For each video, add the likes and comments and divide by the views. For a channel, do that for the last 10 to 20 long videos, skip any less than a few days old, and take the median rather than the average. ### Should YouTube engagement rate use views or subscribers? Views. Videos reach people through search and recommendations as well as subscriptions, and subscriber counts include people who stopped watching long ago. Measure how many subscribers still watch separately, as median views divided by subscribers. ### Why do new YouTube videos have a higher engagement rate? A new video's first viewers are often loyal subscribers who like and comment quickly, while views from search and recommendations keep arriving for days. The rate falls as those views come in, so leave out videos less than a few days old. ### Do YouTube Shorts have a different engagement rate from long videos? Yes. A Short's view counts as soon as it starts to play in the feed, including for people who swipe straight past, which tends to raise views and lower the engagement rate. Work out Shorts and long videos separately and judge the format you plan to sponsor. --- # YouTube micro-influencers: how to find and work with them Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/micro-influencers-on-youtube Updated: 2026-10-03 On YouTube, micro-influencers usually means channels with roughly 10,000 to 100,000 subscribers, though the bands are a convention, not a standard. Small channels often suit niche products because their viewers came for one specific topic. The trade-off is more creators to find and manage, with less polish and fewer media kits. Find them through searches for specific problems, and work with them fairly: pay or product, one clear ask, realistic turnaround. ## What people mean by micro "Micro" is shorthand for a channel that is small but established. Agencies and platforms sort creators into size bands by subscribers, and the most common bands look like this. They vary from one source to the next, and some put the top of micro at 50,000, so treat them as a convention rather than a standard. Commonly used size bands. Conventions, not a standard: | Band | Subscribers, roughly | | --- | --- | | Nano | 1,000 to 10,000 | | Micro | 10,000 to 100,000 | | Mid-tier | 100,000 to 500,000 | | Macro | 500,000 to 1 million | | Mega | Over 1 million | The bands describe subscribers, which record past growth. For planning a sponsorship, a channel's recent median views matter more: a 40,000-subscriber channel whose videos get 20,000 views is a better buy than an 80,000-subscriber channel whose videos get 5,000. The glossary entry on [micro-creators](https://nakodo.app/glossary#micro-creator) has the short version. ## Why small channels can fit niche products A product with a narrow audience, such as a fountain pen ink, a climbing chalk or a sourdough tool, rarely suits a big general channel. Small channels can be a better match for several reasons: - **Narrow topics.** A channel about restoring vintage fountain pens has viewers who care about fountain pens. A large stationery channel has many viewers who don't. - **Viewers who arrived with a problem.** Small channels are often found through search, by viewers looking for a specific answer. They came for a solution, not just entertainment. - **Closeness.** A small creator can read and answer most of their comments. Viewers know them, and a recommendation lands as advice from someone they trust. - **Fewer sponsors.** A small channel may have few or no other sponsors, so your segment isn't one of three in the same video. - **A lower fee per video.** Fees tend to follow views, so a smaller channel usually costs less per video. That lets you test several creators instead of betting on one. See [how much to pay YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) for the arithmetic. ## The trade-offs Working with small channels is more work per view than working with one large one. Plan for that before you start. | Trade-off | What it means in practice | How to handle it | | --- | --- | --- | | More contacts to manage | Reaching the same number of viewers takes more creators, emails, briefs and invoices. | Keep a simple tracker, and use one short brief for everyone. | | Less polish | Lighting, sound and editing may be plainer than on big channels. | Judge whether the audience trusts the creator, not whether the video looks expensive. | | Sometimes no media kit | No rate card, no audience summary, sometimes no business email. | Ask for a screenshot of their YouTube Analytics and propose a fee yourself. | | Less experience with sponsors | Contracts, disclosure and briefs may be new to them. | Explain plainly what you need, including how to disclose. | | Irregular schedules | Many small creators make videos around a day job. | Agree a window of weeks, not a fixed day. | ## How to find small channels Broad searches tend to return established channels with big view counts. The narrower the search, the more small channels you'll see. These kinds of search work well: - how to fix [specific problem] - [product] for [specific use] - [product] after 6 months - [hobby] for beginners [year] - [product model] setup - my [hobby] routine - [niche] on a budget - [problem] at home - **Filter by upload date** to see channels that are active now. - **Scroll past the first screen.** Smaller channels often sit further down, below the bigger names. - **Read the comments of bigger channels** in your niche. Small creators often comment there, and their names link to their channels. - **Check who good fits recommend** on their channel home pages. Our guide to [finding YouTubers to sponsor](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-youtube-influencers) covers the full process, from search keywords to a shortlist. ## How to work with small creators fairly - **Pay, or offer product with no strings.** If you want a guaranteed video, pay for it. If you're only sending a product, say there's no obligation to post. Our [product seeding guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube) covers how to do that well. - **Make one clear ask.** Say exactly what you want: the length of the mention, the link, the timing. A small creator shouldn't have to guess. - **Give a realistic turnaround.** Weeks, not days, and ask what fits their schedule rather than imposing one. - **Keep the brief short.** A page of must-say lines turns a personal recommendation into an advert. Give the facts and let them say it their way. - **Explain disclosure.** Tell them how you'd like the sponsorship disclosed, and remind them to tick YouTube's paid promotion box. See [sponsorship disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules). - **Pay on time,** and don't ask for extra usage rights, such as using their video in your ads, without paying for them. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo's brief includes a subscriber range for the kind of creator that fits, which you can set to a micro band or anything else. Each creator is scored on their own numbers against fixed thresholds and is never ranked against bigger channels, so a small channel with an engaged, on-topic audience can score well. Nakodo also finds the business email small creators publish and says so when there is none, and a creator with no published email is never contacted. The method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### What is a micro-influencer on YouTube? Usually a channel with roughly 10,000 to 100,000 subscribers, though the bands are a convention that varies between agencies and platforms, and some put the top at 50,000. For a sponsorship, the channel's recent median views matter more than which band it falls in. ### Are micro-influencers worth it for YouTube marketing? They can be, especially for niche products, because small channels often have viewers who came for one specific topic. The cost is more creators to find, contact and manage. Test a few before committing a large budget. ### How do I find micro-influencers on YouTube? Search for specific problems and narrow uses rather than broad product categories, filter by recent upload date, and look past the first screen of results. Smaller creators also turn up in the comments of bigger channels in the same niche. ### How much do YouTube micro-influencers charge? There's no standard rate. Fees tend to follow a channel's recent median views, so a common method is to divide the fee by median views and multiply by 1,000 to compare creators on cost per thousand views. Many small creators have no rate card, so be ready to propose a fee yourself. ### Do small YouTubers have media kits? Some do, but many don't. If there's no media kit, ask for a screenshot of their YouTube Analytics showing recent views and audience countries, and describe the deliverables you want so they can quote. --- # Influencer brief template for YouTube sponsorships Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-brief Updated: 2026-10-03 A good creator brief fits on a page or two. It says who you are, what the product does, the one thing viewers should remember, what must and mustn't be said, the call to action with its link or code, how the video will be disclosed, the deliverables, the dates, how review works, usage rights and payment terms. Leave the script, the format and the voice to the creator. ## What to put in a creator brief A [sponsorship brief](https://nakodo.app/glossary#sponsorship-brief) is the one document a creator needs to make your video: what you want, what you need, and what's up to them. Send it once they've agreed in principle, and keep it short enough to read in five minutes. Each part below earns its place by answering a question the creator would otherwise have to email you about. - **About the brand:** Two or three sentences: what you make, who buys it, and why you think their audience will care. Skip the mission statement. - **The product:** What it does, what it costs, where to buy it, and anything the creator needs to know to use it properly. Send it early enough to use for real. - **The one message:** The single thing a viewer should remember. If you list five, the video will land none of them. - **Must-says:** The few facts that have to be accurate: the price, a key feature, the offer and its end date. Keep it to three or fewer. - **Must-not-says:** Claims you can't back up, competitor comparisons you don't want, and topics to avoid. Health, money and safety claims deserve particular care. - **Call to action, link and code:** What viewers should do next, the creator's own tracked link, and their discount code. Both let you [measure the results](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-measure-youtube-sponsorships). - **Disclosure:** That the video will be labelled as an ad: said at the start, shown on screen, in the description, with YouTube's paid promotion box ticked. See the [disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules). - **Deliverables:** Exactly what you're buying: an integration or a dedicated video, any Shorts or pinned comment, and how long the link stays in the description. Our guide to [sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats) explains the options. - **Timeline:** When the product arrives, when a draft is due if you want one, and the go-live date or window. - **Review and approval:** How many rounds of feedback, on what, and how fast you'll reply. Reviewing the sponsored segment for facts and disclosure is reasonable; rewriting the creator's jokes is not. - **Usage rights:** Whether you can reuse the footage, where and for how long. If you want it for paid ads, say so now: it's a separate [usage right](https://nakodo.app/glossary#usage-rights) and changes the price. - **Payment terms:** The amount, the currency, when it's paid (on signing, on going live, or split) and where to send the invoice. ## What to leave to the creator The audience watches because of the creator, not because of you. A segment that sounds like them is worth more than one that sounds like your website. Leave these alone: - **The script.** Give the facts and the one message; let them write the words. A word-for-word script read off a screen sounds like one. - **The format.** Where the segment sits, how they demonstrate the product and whether it's a skit or a straight talk to camera. - **Their honest opinion.** If they find a flaw, let them say so. An honest view is what you're paying for, and a creator asked for praise only may turn the work down. - **Their style.** Jokes, editing, music and thumbnail choices are theirs. ## A fill-in brief template Copy this, fill in the brackets and delete whatever doesn't apply. It works as an email or as a shared document. **Creator brief** ``` About us [Brand] makes [product category] for [who buys it]. We think your audience will care because [reason]. The product [Product name]: [what it does, in one or two sentences]. Price: [price]. Where to buy: [shop or URL]. We'll send it by [date]. The one thing viewers should remember [One sentence.] Must say - [Fact 1, such as the price] - [Fact 2, such as a key feature] - The code [CODE] gives [offer] until [date] Please don't say - [Claims we can't back up] - [Competitors or topics to avoid] Call to action [What viewers should do]. Your link: [tracked link]. Your code: [CODE]. Disclosure Please say at the start of the segment that it's an ad for [Brand], show it on screen, put it in the first lines of the description and tick YouTube's paid promotion box. Deliverables [One integration / one dedicated video], with the link and code in the first lines of the description, kept there for [period]. [Any extras.] Timeline [Draft or rough cut by [date], if wanted.] Live on [date or window]. Review One round of feedback on the sponsored part, for facts and disclosure only. We'll reply within [number] working days. Usage rights [None: the video stays on your channel. / We may share it on our own accounts. / We'd like to use the segment in our ads for [period] in [countries].] Exclusivity [None. / No sponsored videos for [named competitors] for [period] after going live.] Payment [Amount and currency], paid [when]. Invoices to [email]. Everything else is yours: the script, the format and your honest opinion. If anything here doesn't suit your channel, tell us. ``` ## Before you send it - **Check it against what you agreed.** The brief describes the deal; it shouldn't add deliverables you never discussed or priced. If you want more, ask, and expect to pay for it. - **Agree it in writing.** A brief describes the work. Payment, usage rights, [exclusivity](https://nakodo.app/glossary#exclusivity) and disclosure belong in a written agreement too, and you can attach the brief to it. - **Leave enough time.** Creators plan their uploads ahead. A brief that arrives a few days before your launch date asks them to drop something else. - **Name one contact.** One person who answers questions and gives feedback, so the creator isn't caught between your marketing team and your founder. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo also writes a brief, but a different kind. When you start a campaign from your website address, it reads your site and writes an internal brief: what you sell, the countries and languages you sell in, the kind of creator that fits with a subscriber range, and the YouTube search keywords to try. You can edit it before Nakodo searches. That brief is for searching, not for sending to creators. The creator brief on this page comes later, once a creator has said yes. By then Nakodo has introduced you by email and stepped out, so you send the brief from your own inbox. The first emails Nakodo sends on your behalf state your offer and ask exactly as you set them, so the brief and the first email tell the same story. The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### What should an influencer brief include? Who you are, what the product does, the one message viewers should remember, must-says and must-not-says, the call to action with a link or code, how the video will be disclosed, the deliverables, the timeline, the review process, usage rights and payment terms. Leave the script and the format to the creator. ### How long should a YouTube sponsorship brief be? A page or two. The creator needs the facts, the limits and the logistics, not your brand book. If a section doesn't answer a question they'd otherwise have to ask you, cut it. ### Should I write a script for the YouTuber? No. Give them the one message and the facts that must be accurate, and let them write the words. Their audience knows how they talk, and a segment in their own voice is the reason to sponsor them rather than run an ad. ### When should I send a sponsorship brief? After the creator has agreed in principle and you've settled the fee and deliverables, and well before the go-live date. Creators plan uploads ahead, so a brief that arrives days before your launch asks them to reshuffle their schedule. ### Is a creator brief the same as a contract? No. The brief describes the work: the message, the facts and the deliverables. Payment, usage rights, exclusivity and disclosure should also be in a written agreement, and you can attach the brief to it so both stay in step. --- # Types of YouTube sponsorships, compared Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats Updated: 2026-10-03 The main types of YouTube sponsorship are an integrated mention or ad read inside a normal video, a dedicated video about your product, Shorts, affiliate links and discount codes, product placement, series or ambassador deals, livestream mentions, and pinned comments or description links. They differ in attention, effort and how easily you can track them. A sensible first deal is an integration with a tracked link and code. ## The formats at a glance Each format buys a different kind of attention and asks a different amount of work from the creator. Prices vary too much between channels to list, so this table compares everything else. For the money side, see [how much to pay YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers). | Format | What the brand gets | Effort for the creator | Suits | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Integrated mention or ad read | A segment inside a normal video, in the creator's own voice | Moderate: writing and filming a segment, with a few product shots | A first deal with a new creator, and products you can explain in a minute | | Dedicated video | A whole video about your product: a review, tutorial or comparison | High: planning, filming and editing a full video | Products with enough depth to fill a video, and channels that already make reviews | | Shorts | A short vertical video, or a mention inside one | Low to moderate | Products that make sense in seconds, when reach matters more than explanation | | Affiliate link or discount code | A link or code that pays the creator per sale | Low; easy to add to another format | Tracking sales, and long-running description links | | Product placement | The product used or visible on screen, without a pitch | Low | Products that belong in the creator's setting, such as kit in a cooking channel's kitchen | | Series or ambassador deal | Several videos over months, sometimes with exclusivity | High, spread over time | Creators you've already tested and want to keep | | Livestream mention | A mention or demo during a stream, and in the replay | Low to moderate | Products that benefit from live questions, on channels whose viewers watch live | | Pinned comment or description link | A link under the video | Very low | An add-on to another format; little on its own | ## Integrations and dedicated videos An [integration](https://nakodo.app/glossary#brand-integration) is a segment inside a video the creator was making anyway. The audience came for the video, not for you, so the segment has to earn their attention in the creator's own style. Ask where it will sit: viewers who leave before it never see it, and the creator can see from their retention graph in YouTube Studio where people tend to drop off. A [dedicated video](https://nakodo.app/glossary#dedicated-video) is about your product from start to finish. You get far more time and detail, and a video that people searching for your product category may find for months. In return it's more work for the creator, and the whole video is advertising, so it needs to be labelled as an ad from the very start. Choose it when the product needs showing properly, or after an integration with the same creator has done well. ## Shorts and livestreams [Shorts](https://nakodo.app/glossary#shorts) are YouTube's short vertical videos. They're quick to make and suit products that make sense at a glance. The catch is links: YouTube says [URLs in Shorts descriptions and comments aren't clickable](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/13748639). For a reported brand deal, the creator can [add a link to your site](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16722303) as a sticker and in the description. Otherwise, rely on a discount code or a short web address said aloud. A livestream mention reaches the people watching live and anyone who watches the replay. It suits products that benefit from questions, such as gear the creator can demonstrate and talk through. Disclosure works differently live: the FTC's [disclosure guide](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) asks for it to be repeated during the stream, so people who join late still hear it. ## Affiliate links, codes and product placement - **Affiliate links:** A tracked link that pays the creator a commission on sales. It can be added to a paid integration, or used alone by creators who already review products with affiliate links. Alone, it puts all the risk on the creator. - **Discount codes:** A code unique to the creator gives viewers a reason to buy now and gives you a way to count sales from people who never clicked. It's the simplest way to track Shorts and spoken mentions. - **Product placement:** Your product appears in use, without a dedicated pitch: the blender on the counter, the backpack on the hike. It's subtle, which is the appeal, but it still needs disclosing. YouTube's paid promotion setting names "product placement" alongside sponsorship and endorsement. - **Pinned comments and description links:** Cheap to add to any deal: ask for your link in the first lines of the description and a pinned comment, and agree how long they stay. On their own they get little attention. ## Series deals, and how to choose A series or ambassador deal covers several videos over months, sometimes with the creator agreeing not to work with competitors. Repetition helps viewers remember you, and one agreement replaces several negotiations. The risk is committing before you know a creator works for you, and [exclusivity](https://nakodo.app/glossary#exclusivity) costs the creator other deals, so it's priced in. - **Start with an integration, plus a tracked link and a code,** with one creator. It's the cheapest way to learn your own numbers. - **Move to a dedicated video** when the product needs explaining, or when the integration did well. - **Use Shorts for reach and long-form for explanation.** If you need clicks, plan for a code or a brand deal link. - **Sign a series only with creators you've tested,** and keep exclusivity narrow. - **Put the format in writing.** Your [creator brief](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-brief) should name the deliverables exactly. ## How Nakodo helps The right format depends on what a channel actually makes. Nakodo flags channels where more than 60% of recent uploads are Shorts, so you know before you pitch an integration. It works out median views from up to 20 recent uploads, preferring long-form over Shorts, and gives every creator a fit score with its reasons in plain sentences. The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### What are the types of YouTube sponsorships? The main types are integrated mentions or ad reads, dedicated videos, Shorts, affiliate links and discount codes, product placement, series or ambassador deals, livestream mentions, and pinned comments or description links. Combine a main format with a tracked link and a code, so you can measure what it did. ### What's the difference between an integration and a dedicated video? An integration is a segment inside a video the creator was making anyway. A dedicated video is about your product from start to finish, so it gives you more time and detail, takes the creator more work and costs more. Both need to be disclosed as advertising. ### Can you put a link in a sponsored YouTube Short? Ordinary web addresses in Shorts descriptions and comments aren't clickable. For a brand deal reported to YouTube, the creator can add a clickable link to the brand's site as a sticker and in the description. Otherwise, use a discount code or a short address the creator says aloud. ### Does product placement need to be disclosed on YouTube? Yes. YouTube's paid promotion setting names product placement alongside sponsorship and endorsement, and US and UK regulators expect any paid relationship to be clearly disclosed. Seeing the product on screen isn't a disclosure in itself. ### What is a YouTube ambassador deal? It's an agreement for several videos or mentions over a period of months, sometimes with exclusivity in your category. It suits brands that have already tested a creator and want repeat exposure without negotiating each video separately. --- # Product seeding: how to send products to YouTubers Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube Updated: 2026-10-03 Product seeding means sending your product to creators for free, with no obligation to post, in the hope they like it enough to feature it. It suits physical products that review channels already cover. Ask before you send anything, say plainly that there's no obligation, and ask that any video be labelled as an ad. Track who received what, and offer paid work to the creators whose videos do well for you. ## What seeding is, and when it fits [Product seeding](https://nakodo.app/glossary#product-seeding) is sending a product to a creator with no fee and no obligation to post. You're betting that a creator who likes it will review it, mention it or use it on camera. It costs product and postage rather than fees, but you can't predict who will post, when, or what they'll say. | Seeding fits when | Pay for a sponsorship instead when | | --- | --- | | Your product is physical and shows well on camera. | It's software or a service. A free account can work the same way, but there's nothing to unbox. | | Channels in your niche already review products like yours. | Nobody in your niche reviews products, so there's no natural place for it. | | You can afford to send many units and hear back about a few. | Each unit is expensive, or you only have a handful. | | Your launch date is flexible. | You need a video live by a set date. | | You want honest reactions from people who know the category. | You need specific facts said in a specific way. | ## Ask before you send Never send a product unannounced. An unexpected parcel goes to an address the creator didn't give you for this, may arrive with charges to pay, and lands as an obligation they never agreed to. A short message first costs you a day and gets you an address they chose, which may be a PO box or their manager's office. Write to the business address they publish; our guide to [outreach email templates](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-outreach-email-templates) has more on the first message. **Can I send you one?** ``` Subject: Can I send you a [product]? Hi [Name], I'm [your name] from [Brand]. We make [product], and after your video on [specific recent video] I think it might suit your [kind of content]. Could I send you one? There's no obligation to post anything and no deadline. If you do mention it, we ask that the video is labelled as an ad, since the product was free. If you'd like one, tell me where to send it. We'll cover shipping[ and any import charges]. If it's not for you, just say so and I won't follow up. Thanks, [Your name] [Brand], [website] ``` ## No obligation, but disclosure if they post "No obligation" has to be true. Don't chase for a video, don't send a script, and don't make the next shipment depend on a post. If you need guaranteed coverage, that's a sponsorship, and you should pay for it. A free product still counts as a paid relationship for disclosure. The UK's [ASA](https://www.asa.org.uk/resource/influencers-guide.html) says it doesn't matter whether there was any obligation to post, and the CMA tells brands sending gifts to [include clear instructions](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reviews-and-social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-businesses-and-brands/social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-brands) that anything posted must be labelled as an ad, even when they ask for nothing in return. In the US, the FTC's [disclosure guide for creators](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) says to disclose free products even when the creator wasn't asked to mention them. Put that line in your message and in the parcel. More in our guide to [disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules). ## Shipping, returns and customs - **Gift or loan.** Say which before you send. If you want it back, include a prepaid return label and a date. - **Pay the shipping both ways.** The creator shouldn't be out of pocket for receiving something they didn't buy. - **Check the rules when sending abroad.** A parcel crossing a border can need customs paperwork and may carry import duties or taxes on delivery. Check the destination's rules, and if your courier lets you pay those charges up front, do. - **Check what can be shipped.** Couriers restrict items such as batteries, liquids and aerosols, and some products can't be sent to some countries. - **Put a note in the box.** Your name, a contact address, what the product is, a reminder that there's no obligation, and the line about labelling any video as an ad. Skip the glossy brochure. - **Look after their address.** Keep it only as long as you need it for delivery, and don't add it to a mailing list. ## Track what happened, then pay the ones that work Seeding without records turns into "we sent some out and a few people posted, we think". A simple sheet is enough: | Column | What to record | | --- | --- | | Creator | Channel name and link, and where you found their contact. | | Asked | Date of your message, and their reply: yes, no or none. | | Shipped | Date, courier, tracking number and whether it arrived. | | Code or link | Their own discount code or tracked link, so any sales are theirs. | | Posted | Link to the video, if any, and whether it was labelled as an ad. | | Results | Sales on their code or link, and views 30 and 90 days after posting. | One check-in after delivery is fine ("Did it arrive in one piece?"). Asking whether they'll post isn't. Our guide to [measuring YouTube sponsorships](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-measure-youtube-sponsorships) covers codes and tracked links in more detail. When a creator posts and the video works, through sales on their code, comments asking where to buy, or simply a review you'd be glad to share, that's the moment to offer paid work. They know the product and you've seen how their audience responds. Thank them first, then offer a paid integration or dedicated video ([what to pay](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers)). If you'd like to reuse their review in your own ads, ask: that's a separate [usage right](https://nakodo.app/glossary#usage-rights) and may cost extra. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo searches YouTube for recent videos that match your brief's keywords, which can include review searches for your category, and scores each creator from 0 to 100, led by an AI check of how well their recent videos match your brief, with reasons such as "A typical video gets 41K views, 12% of subscribers". It finds the business email creators publish and emails the best fits, or only the ones you pick, on your behalf, stating your offer exactly as you set it, so a free product with no obligation is described as exactly that. When a creator says yes, Nakodo introduces you by email, and you ask for a shipping address and agree the details from your own inbox. See [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### What is product seeding? Product seeding is sending your product to creators for free, with no fee and no obligation to post, in the hope they like it and feature it. It suits physical products in niches where channels already review products. Anything they do post should still be labelled as an ad. ### How do I send products to YouTubers? Message the creator first at the business address they publish, say what you'd like to send and that there's no obligation, and ask where to send it. Pay shipping and any import charges, include a short note with your contact details, and record what you sent and when. ### Do YouTubers have to post about free products? No. If you send a product with no obligation, the creator owes you nothing, and you shouldn't chase them for a video. If you need guaranteed coverage by a date, pay for a sponsorship instead. ### Does a gifted product need to be disclosed? Yes. The UK's ASA says a free product counts as payment even with no obligation to post, and the US FTC says to disclose free products even if the creator wasn't asked to mention them. The UK's CMA expects brands to tell creators this when they send gifts. ### Should I send products to YouTubers without asking? No. An unannounced parcel can arrive with charges to pay, goes to an address the creator never offered for this, and feels like an obligation they didn't agree to. A short message first gets you a yes, a no, or the address they'd rather use. --- # How to measure YouTube influencer marketing ROI Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-measure-youtube-sponsorships Updated: 2026-10-03 Give each creator their own tracked link and discount code before the video goes live, add a "how did you hear about us" question after checkout, and ask the creator for their YouTube Studio numbers. Divide the fee by the customers you can attribute to get your cost per acquisition. Then keep counting for months, because YouTube videos go on collecting views long after they're published. ## Set up tracking before the video goes live Once a video is published, the code and web address the creator says aloud can't be changed. Do this before you send the brief: 1. **Decide what counts as a result.** Orders, sign-ups, trials or email subscribers: pick one main number. Note your normal daily figure too, so you can see a change. 2. **Build a tracked link for each creator.** A link with UTM parameters, described below, so your analytics can tell their visitors from everyone else's. Add a short address that redirects to it, for saying aloud. 3. **Create a unique discount code.** One per creator, easy to say and spell, and valid for months rather than days. 4. **Point the link at a page that matches the video.** The product they talk about, with the offer they mention, not your home page. 5. **Add a question after checkout.** "How did you hear about us?", with a free-text answer, so people can name the channel. 6. **Agree what the creator will share, and when.** Screenshots from YouTube Studio, or brand partner access, at 7, 30 and 90 days. Put it in the agreement. 7. **Test it all.** Click the link, place a test order with the code, answer the survey, and check each one shows up in your reports. ## Tracked links with UTM parameters [UTM parameters](https://nakodo.app/glossary#utm-parameters) are tags added to the end of a link. Analytics tools read them and report the visit under the source, medium and campaign you chose. A link for one creator might look like this: https://example.com/grinder?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=spring-launch&utm_content=channel-name | Parameter | Example | What it tells you | | --- | --- | --- | | utm_source | youtube | Where the visit came from. | | utm_medium | sponsorship | What kind of placement it was, so sponsorships don't mix with your own uploads. | | utm_campaign | spring-launch | Which campaign, so you can compare creators within it. | | utm_content | channel-name | Which creator. Use one value per creator, in lower case, and spell it the same way every time. | Links undercount. Some viewers won't click: they'll remember your name and search for it later, perhaps on another device, and that sale shows up as search or direct traffic. That's why you need a code and a survey as well. ## Codes, landing pages and surveys - **Unique discount codes:** A [discount code](https://nakodo.app/glossary#discount-code) counts buyers who typed your address or searched for you instead of clicking. Codes can end up on coupon sites, so some uses won't come from the video; a code with the creator's name in it makes that easier to spot. - **Landing pages:** A page for that creator's viewers, at an address that's easy to say, showing the product and offer they mentioned. It gives you a clean count of visits and a better first impression than a home page. - **Post-purchase surveys:** One question after checkout, "How did you hear about us?", catches buyers who used neither the link nor the code. Answers are self-reported and messy, so treat them as a rough guide and read the free text for channel names. Each method catches buyers the others miss. Add them up, but count a buyer who clicked the link and used the code once, not twice. ## What the creator can share from YouTube Studio You can't see a creator's analytics yourself, but they can share them. Ask for screenshots from YouTube Studio showing: - **Views and watch time** for the video, at 7, 30 and 90 days. - **Average view duration and the audience retention graph,** which show whether people were still watching when your segment came up. - **Audience countries and ages,** to check the viewers are in places you sell to. YouTube also lets a creator give a brand [partner access to a video](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/15672082), which shows the brand that video's performance, including views, watch time, average view duration and audience age, gender and location. Ask whether they'll use it, and agree what you need in writing before the video goes live. ## Cost per acquisition, and the long tail Your [cost per acquisition](https://nakodo.app/glossary#cost-per-acquisition) is the fee divided by the customers you can attribute. Here's a hypothetical $1,200 integration, checked twice: A made-up example to show the arithmetic: | | After 30 days | After 90 days | | --- | --- | --- | | Views | 38,000 | 61,000 | | Orders through the link | 14 | 22 | | Extra orders with the code | 11 | 19 | | Extra survey answers naming the channel | 5 | 7 | | Customers attributed | 30 | 48 | | Cost per acquisition ($1,200 ÷ customers) | $40 | $25 | The same video looks very different at 90 days. YouTube videos don't stop at launch week: one that answers a search, such as a review in your category, can keep getting views for months, and every new viewer can still use the code. So judge at 90 days, keep the code and link working, and ask the creator to leave the link in the description. Compare your cost per acquisition with the profit a customer brings you, not with anyone else's figure. Treat it as a floor, too: some viewers will buy without a link, a code or a survey answer, and you'll never see them. To plan the next deal from these numbers, see [how much to pay YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers). ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo helps before the video, not after it. It shows each creator's median views and engagement rate before you agree a fee, so you can set realistic expectations and check the CPM you'd be paying with the [sponsorship cost calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/sponsorship-cost-calculator). It doesn't track clicks or sales; that happens in your own shop and analytics. It also emails the best fits, or only the creators you pick, on your behalf and shows where each conversation stands, and you keep a shortlist for each campaign. The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do you measure influencer marketing ROI on YouTube? Give each creator a tracked link and a unique discount code, ask buyers how they heard about you, and count the customers you can attribute. Divide the fee by that number for your cost per acquisition, and compare it with the profit a customer brings. Recheck after 90 days, because videos keep getting views. ### How do I track sales from a YouTube sponsorship? Use three things together: a link with UTM parameters in the description, a discount code unique to the creator, and a "how did you hear about us" question after checkout. Each catches buyers the others miss, so remove duplicates before you add them up. ### What is a good cost per acquisition for a YouTube sponsorship? It depends on your margins, not on a benchmark. A sponsorship pays if the cost per acquisition is below the profit a customer brings you, whether you count one order or a year of orders. Compare it with what you pay for a customer through your other channels. ### How long should I wait before judging a sponsored video? Look at 30 days and again at 90. YouTube videos can keep getting views for months, especially ones that answer a search, and each of those viewers can still use the code. Keep the code and link working while they do. ### Can I see a YouTuber's analytics? Not directly. Ask the creator for YouTube Studio screenshots of the video's views, watch time and audience, or ask them to give you brand partner access, a YouTube feature that shares a video's performance with a brand. Agree what you need, and when, before the video goes live. --- # YouTube sponsorship disclosure rules for brands Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules Updated: 2026-10-03 If a brand gives a YouTuber money, free products or an affiliate commission, the video has to say so clearly: US and UK regulators expect it, and YouTube requires its paid promotion setting to be ticked. The [FTC](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) says the disclosure belongs in the video itself, not only the description. The UK's [ASA](https://www.asa.org.uk/resource/influencers-guide.html) and CMA expect a clear "Ad" label upfront. The brand and the creator are both responsible. ## Who sets the rules Three layers apply to a sponsored YouTube video: YouTube's own policies, the advertising and consumer law of the countries involved, and whatever you and the creator agree in writing. The main sources: - **YouTube:** Its [branded content policies](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/17596007) cover content "influenced by a brand partner in exchange for something of value", including payment and free products. Creators must declare it with the [paid promotion setting](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/154235) in YouTube Studio. YouTube adds that creators "and the partners you work with" are responsible for following the law. - **United States:** The Federal Trade Commission's Endorsement Guides, revised in 2023. The FTC's [answers to common questions](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking) cover what brands must do, and its [disclosure guide for social media creators](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) covers the creator's side. - **United Kingdom:** The ASA enforces the advertising code, which says marketing "must be obviously identifiable as such" ([CAP Code rule 2.1](https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/02.html)). The CMA enforces consumer law and has guidance for [creators](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-content-creators/social-media-endorsements-being-transparent-with-your-followers) and for [brands](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reviews-and-social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-businesses-and-brands/social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-brands). The ASA's [guide to making clear that ads are ads](https://www.asa.org.uk/resource/influencers-guide.html) shows the labels both regulators expect. - **European Union:** The network of national consumer authorities has published [five principles for disclosing marketing on social media](https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/6099530c-b21f-4f69-87b3-0681a2a63650_en?filename=5+Key+Principles+clean+for+ILH+web.pdf). Each country's own rules and guidance apply alongside them. > **This isn't legal advice.** This page summarises official guidance as it stood in October 2026. Rules differ by country and change over time, and regulated products such as alcohol, gambling, finance and health can carry extra rules. Read the sources linked here, and ask a lawyer if you're unsure. ## What counts as a paid relationship Money is the obvious case, but the guidance is much wider. Under the ASA's guide, any of these means the video needs a [disclosure](https://nakodo.app/glossary#disclosure): - **Payment** for the video, a segment or a mention. - **Free or discounted products**, even when you didn't ask for a video. The ASA says it doesn't matter if there was no obligation to post. The FTC's answers make the same point: what matters is whether the free product might affect how the audience sees the review. - **Affiliate commission** on links or discount codes that pay the creator for clicks or sales. - **Loans, trips and perks**, such as a product on loan, an event invitation or a hotel stay. - **Ongoing ties**, such as being a brand ambassador, owning shares, or promoting a business the creator's family or friends own. YouTube's policy applies "whether you receive the benefit now or later on", and covers descriptions, comments, live streams and Shorts as well as long-form videos. Sending product with no fee is covered in [product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube); it still needs disclosure. ## The brand is responsible too It's tempting to treat disclosure as the creator's job. None of the sources do: | Source | What it says about brands | | --- | --- | | FTC | "Your company is ultimately responsible for what others do on your behalf." Brands should explain what creators can and can't say, instruct them on disclosure, check what they publish and act on problems. | | CMA | Brands "may be held responsible" for content published on their behalf, should check it themselves, and shouldn't ignore content that isn't labelled. When sending gifts, include clear instructions that any resulting content must be labelled as an ad. | | ASA | The creator, the brand and any agents involved are all responsible for making clear that content is advertising. | | YouTube | "You and the partners you work with are also responsible for understanding and complying with all applicable legal requirements." | ## What a clear disclosure looks like - **Say it at the start.** The FTC says a disclosure has the best chance of being clear if it's in the video itself, and that one at the beginning is better than one at the end. The ASA says disclosing part-way through a YouTube video isn't good enough. For an integration, disclose at the start of the sponsored segment. - **Show it on screen as well.** The FTC's rule: if the endorsement is spoken, disclose at least out loud; if it's visual, at least on screen. A video is both, so do both. - **Tick the paid promotion box.** In YouTube Studio it reads "My video contains paid promotion like a product placement, sponsorship, or endorsement". Viewers then see a [label](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10502576) such as "Includes paid promotion". Don't rely on it alone: the CMA says to add a clear "Ad" label if a platform's tool doesn't make the advertising obvious. - **Put it in the first lines of the description.** It helps, but it doesn't replace the spoken line. The EU principles say a disclosure that needs a click on "read more" isn't adequate. - **Name the affiliate links.** The ASA says a general line that "some" links "might" earn a commission isn't enough. Say which links or products are paid. - **In live streams, repeat it.** The FTC says to repeat it periodically, so people who join late still hear it. | Source | Labels it accepts | Labels it warns against | | --- | --- | --- | | FTC | "Ad", "advertisement", "sponsored", or "Thanks to [brand] for the free product" if it's hard to miss | "Sp", "spon", "collab", and "thanks" or "ambassador" on their own | | ASA and CMA | "Ad", "advert", "advertising", "advertisement", "advertisement feature" | "Sponsored", "gifted", "in partnership with", "thanks to [brand]", "affiliate", "PR" | | EU consumer authorities | "Advertisement", in the language of the video | Abbreviations, and "partnership", "sponsored", "collaboration", "ambassador", "gifting" | The word every source accepts is "advertisement", said in the language of the video. "Sponsored" passes in the US guidance but not in the UK or EU guidance, so avoid it if the audience is international. ## What to put in your agreement - **The disclosure itself:** spoken at the start, shown on screen, in the first lines of the description, and the paid promotion box ticked. Agree the wording. - **Honest opinions:** the creator uses the product before talking about it and says what they actually think. Don't ask for praise. - **Product claims:** you supply the facts, and the creator doesn't make claims you can't back up. - **A check before and after:** you review the draft for disclosure, check the live video, and the creator fixes a missing label promptly. - **How long it lasts:** the ASA expects disclosure throughout an ongoing relationship, and in relevant content for 12 months after it ends. - **Gifts:** if you send product without a fee, a written note asking for any resulting video to be labelled as an ad. The same points belong in your [creator brief](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-brief), so the person making the video sees them before filming. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo finds creators who fit your brand, emails them on your behalf and introduces you to the ones who say yes. It doesn't write agreements or check disclosures. While a first email waits for your approval you can edit it, so you can add a line such as "We ask every partner to label videos as ads", or raise it when you agree the details after the introduction. Setting that expectation early saves an awkward conversation later. The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### Do YouTubers have to disclose sponsorships? Yes, where a brand has given them money, free products, a commission or another benefit. YouTube requires its paid promotion setting to be ticked, and the US FTC and the UK's ASA and CMA expect a clear disclosure in the video itself. The brand shares responsibility for making sure it happens. ### Does a free product count as a sponsorship? For disclosure, yes. The UK's ASA says a free product counts as payment even when there was no obligation to post, and the US FTC says a free product can affect how viewers see a review. YouTube's own policy includes free products in its definition of branded content. ### Is YouTube's "Includes paid promotion" label enough? Tick the box, but don't rely on it alone. The FTC says responsibility rests with the creator and the brand rather than the platform, and the UK's CMA says to add a clear "Ad" label if a platform's tool doesn't make the advertising obvious. A spoken disclosure at the start of the video covers the gap. ### Is the brand responsible if a creator doesn't disclose? It can be. The FTC tells companies they are ultimately responsible for what others do on their behalf, and the UK's CMA says brands may be held responsible for content published for them. Put the disclosure terms in writing, check the published video, and ask for a fix if the label is missing. ### Do affiliate links need to be disclosed? Yes. The FTC says to disclose an affiliate relationship clearly, and the UK's ASA treats links and codes that earn a commission as advertising. Under the ASA's guidance, a general line saying some links might earn a commission isn't enough: say which links or products are paid. ### Is "sponsored" a good enough label? In the US, the FTC lists "sponsored" alongside "ad" and "advertisement" as clear terms. The UK's ASA and CMA and the EU's consumer authorities advise against it and prefer "ad" or "advertisement". If your audience is international, say "advertisement" in the language of the video. --- # How to find TikTok influencers for your brand Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-tiktok-influencers Updated: 2026-10-03 To find TikTok influencers for your brand, describe your customer, then search TikTok the way they do: by keyword, on hashtag pages and through the sounds your niche uses. Judge accounts on the median plays of recent videos, not followers, because the For You feed shows videos to people who don't follow the creator. Skip pinned videos, check posting rhythm and past paid partnerships, and use comments, duets and stitches to find more. ## Turn your customer into TikTok searches Write two lines first: who your customer is, and the problem that sends them looking. "Renters with a dark flat who want plants" suggests searches. "Plant lovers aged 18 to 35" suggests nothing. Then search three ways, because TikTok groups videos by keyword, by hashtag and by sound, and each route turns up different creators. - **Keyword search:** Type what your customer would, problem first: "plants for dark rooms", "sour espresso fix". Switch to the video results and use the date filter, so you see accounts posting now rather than one old hit. - **Hashtag pages:** Broad tags are crowded with the largest accounts. Community tags, many ending in "tok" like BookTok or CleanTok, are where enthusiasts post for each other, and where smaller creators with engaged viewers sit. - **Sounds:** Every sound has a page listing the videos that use it. When a good fit's original sound catches on, its page shows who copied the format: often smaller creators in the same niche. - [problem] hack - [product] honest review - is [product] worth it - what I use for [task] - [activity] routine - day in the life [job or hobby] - [product] haul - [niche]tok > **Search in your customer's language.** If you sell in Spain, search in Spanish: creators found by an English search mostly speak to English speakers. ## Why follower count says less on TikTok TikTok's For You feed shows videos to people who don't follow the creator. TikTok has said that "neither follower count nor whether the account has had previous high-performing videos are direct factors" in what it recommends ([How TikTok recommends videos](https://newsroom.tiktok.com/how-tiktok-recommends-videos-for-you?lang=en)). A follower count records past hits. It doesn't say who will see the next video. So count plays. Say account A has 90,000 followers and a median of 6,000 plays over its last 12 videos: about 7% of its followers. Account B has 8,000 followers and a median of 9,000 plays, more than its whole following. For a paid video, B is likely to deliver more. The [TikTok engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/tiktok-engagement-rate-calculator) works out the medians for you. ## How to read a TikTok profile - **Skip the pinned videos.** They sit first in the grid with a "Pinned" label, and are often the creator's biggest hits from months or years ago. - **Ignore the profile's total likes.** It adds up every video ever posted, viral ones included. - **Read the plays on recent videos.** Each thumbnail shows its play count. Leave out anything under 3 days old, because it's still collecting plays. - **Check the rhythm.** Open a few videos to see their dates. You need steady posting over recent months to plan a video around. - **Look for past branded content.** TikTok labels a post "Paid partnership" when the creator switches on its disclosure setting for a brand ([TikTok's guide to branded content](https://www.tiktok.com/creator-academy/article/create-branded-content)). That, or #ad in a caption, shows they take deals. ## From searches to a shortlist, step by step 1. **Write 10 to 20 searches.** Mix keywords, hashtags and sounds, in your customer's language. 2. **Note accounts, not videos.** For every relevant video, open the profile and add it to a spreadsheet: handle, link, the search that found it, followers. 3. **Check the topic across the grid.** Scan the captions of the last 15 to 20 videos. One video on your subject among twenty on something else is luck, not a fit. 4. **Work out median plays.** Skip pinned videos and anything under 3 days old, write down the plays of the next 10 to 15, and take the middle value. Divide by followers for plays per follower. 5. **Open three recent videos.** Note likes and comments for engagement per view, read the comments for language and real questions, and look for a "Paid partnership" label. 6. **Shortlist, then find the contact they publish.** Creators who take brand work often put a business email in their bio or on a linked page: see [how to find a TikToker's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-tiktokers-email). ## What to note for each account | Signal | Where to find it | Why it matters | | --- | --- | --- | | Topic match | Captions of the last 15 to 20 videos | Whether the account is about your subject or touched it once. | | Median plays | The grid, after pinned videos and anything under 3 days old | The best guess at what a paid video will get. | | Plays per follower | Median plays divided by followers | How far the account reaches beyond, or short of, its following. | | Engagement per view | (Likes + comments) / plays, on 3 recent videos | Whether viewers react or scroll past. | | Hit dependence | The spread of plays across the grid | One video at 400,000 and the rest near 2,000 means a 2,000-play creator. | | Language and region | Speech, captions, place tags, comments | Whether the viewers can buy from you. | | Past branded content | "Paid partnership" labels, #ad | Shows they take deals. A recent competitor may mean exclusivity. | If plays sit far below accounts of the same size, or the comments could sit under any video, our guide to [spotting fake followers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-spot-fake-followers) covers what to check next. ## Where to look besides search - **Comments under similar creators.** Smaller creators comment on bigger accounts in their niche, and their handles link to their profiles. - **Duets and stitches.** Each links back to the video it responds to. Follow those links both ways: to the creators a good fit replies to, and to the creators replying to popular videos in your niche. - **Competitors' paid partnerships.** Search a competitor's name for the "Paid partnership" label or #ad, and see which creators its own account reposts or stitches. A Spark Ad runs from the creator's own post, so it shows their handle: see our guide to [Spark Ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads). Ask about exclusivity. - **Your own customers.** People who already post about your product are often the easiest fits. - **Your For You feed.** TikTok treats finishing a longer video as a strong sign of interest, so watching good fits to the end, on your brand's account, brings similar creators into the feed. ## TikTok's own marketplace: Creator Marketplace in TikTok One TikTok runs its own directory for brands inside TikTok One. Its [help page on finding creators](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/how-to-find-creators-who-work-with-tiktok-one) describes a search by username or keyword, with filters for creator details (country or region, follower count, language), audience details (country, age range, gender ratio) and performance (median video views, engagement rate). Profiles show performance trends, audience demographics, recent organic and sponsored videos, and a collaboration score. You can shortlist creators and invite them to a project, and TikTok sends the invitation. You need a TikTok One account, and the directory covers creators who have joined, which [requires them](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/about-tiktok-one-for-creators) to be 18 or over and in a country or region where TikTok One has launched. Its audience figures come from TikTok itself, which makes it worth using alongside search where it's available. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo reads your website and writes a brief you can edit: what you sell, your markets, the kind of creator and a follower range, and 3 to 6 groups of search keywords. The same keywords are searched on every platform, so there's no separate hashtag list to keep. On TikTok it finds accounts with web searches limited to tiktok.com, then reads each public profile while logged out: followers, bio, bio link, region and language. Private accounts are skipped. It reads recent videos with captions and plays, plus exact plays, likes and comments for 3 recent videos at least 3 days old. Engagement is (likes + comments) / views. Each account gets a score from 0 to 100 with written reasons, on fixed thresholds against its own numbers; region and language count towards audience fit. Comment quality is left out, because comments aren't read on TikTok. Nakodo then emails the best fits that publish an email on your behalf, or only the ones you pick. It never sends DMs. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; see [pricing](https://nakodo.app/pricing), and the full method on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find TikTok influencers for my brand? Describe your customer, then search TikTok by keyword, on hashtag pages and through your niche's sounds, in your customer's language. List the accounts behind relevant videos, then shortlist on topic, median plays, engagement per view, posting rhythm and past paid partnerships. ### How do I find small TikTokers to work with? Search for specific problems rather than broad categories, use community hashtags rather than the biggest ones, and open the sound pages of videos in your niche. Smaller creators also turn up in the comments of bigger accounts and in duets and stitches. ### Is follower count a good way to choose a TikTok influencer? Not on its own. TikTok shows videos to people who don't follow the creator and says follower count isn't a direct factor in what it recommends. The median plays of 10 to 15 recent videos, skipping pinned ones, is a better guide to what a paid video will get. ### What is TikTok Creator Marketplace? TikTok's own directory of creators for brands, now part of TikTok One. You can filter creators by size, country, audience and performance and invite them to a project. It only lists creators who have joined TikTok One. ### How can I find TikTok creators my competitors work with? Search the competitor's brand name for videos labelled "Paid partnership" or tagged #ad, and see which creators the brand reposts or stitches on its own account. Those creators already take deals in your category, so ask about exclusivity first. --- # How to find Instagram influencers for your brand Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-instagram-influencers Updated: 2026-10-03 To find Instagram influencers for your brand, search the way your customer does: keywords, hashtags and places. Follow a few good fits so Explore and Reels suggest more, and check competitors' Tagged tabs and posts labelled "Paid partnership". Instagram hides views on other people's posts, so judge accounts on likes and comments per follower and on the view counts in the Reels tab. Favour professional accounts, which can publish contact details. ## Search Instagram the way your customer does Write two lines first: who your customer is and what sends them looking, such as "new parents furnishing a small nursery". Then search four ways. Instagram's search takes plain keywords, not only hashtags, and each route turns up different accounts. - **Keywords:** Type what your customer would: "small nursery ideas", "sourdough starter", "capsule wardrobe". Look at who made the posts and Reels that come up, not only at accounts with the word in their name. - **Hashtags:** Broad tags are dominated by large accounts and brands. Specific ones find enthusiasts. Note the tags good fits use in their own captions and search those next. - **Places:** For a business tied to a city, search the place or tap a location tag to see posts tagged there. Local creators tag the neighbourhoods, cafés and shops they cover. - **Explore, Reels and suggestions:** Instagram suggests content from what you engage with. Follow 5 to 10 good fits from your brand's account and watch their Reels, and Explore and the Reels feed tend to lean towards similar creators. Tapping Follow on a profile also usually shows a row of suggested similar accounts. - [niche] tips - [niche] for beginners - how I style [product] - [product] review - [activity] routine - [city] [niche] - [product] before and after - [niche] on a budget ## Competitors' tagged posts and paid partnerships Every profile has a Tagged tab showing posts other accounts tagged it in. On a competitor's or a similar brand's profile, that's a list of people already posting about products like yours: customers, creators who were sent products, and paid partners. Accounts can remove tags, so treat it as a sample. Posts made for a brand should carry a "Paid partnership with [brand]" label above them, added with Instagram's [paid partnership tool](https://help.instagram.com/1109894795810258). Search competitors' names and look for that label, #ad in captions, and Collab posts that appear on both the creator's and the brand's profile. Those creators take deals in your category; ask about exclusivity. Our guide to [disclosure on Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules) covers what the label means for you. ## Professional and personal accounts: why it matters Instagram accounts are personal or professional, and professional ones come as Business or Creator ([Instagram's help page](https://help.instagram.com/502981923235522)). Switching is free. A professional account often shows a category such as "Digital creator" under the name. The difference matters to you in three ways: - **Contact details.** Professional accounts can add contact options, including an email address, to the profile. A creator on a personal account has to put an address in the bio or on a linked page. See [how to find an Instagram creator's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-an-instagram-influencers-email). - **Data.** Creator and business accounts have Instagram's insights, including where followers are, their age ranges and gender ([About Instagram insights](https://help.instagram.com/788388387972460)). That's the evidence to ask for before a large deal. - **Tools.** Meta's Business Discovery API, the official way for other apps to read Instagram profiles, works only for professional accounts. Tools that use it, Nakodo included, can't see personal accounts at all. A personal account doesn't rule a creator out, but it's worth asking whether they take brand work. ## Judge accounts on engagement per follower Instagram doesn't show how many people viewed someone else's photo or carousel. So the usual measure is engagement per follower: (likes + comments) / followers for each recent post, then the median. Say an account has 24,000 followers and its last 12 posts have medians of 600 likes and 25 comments: (600 + 25) / 24,000 is 2.6%. Compare that with similar accounts of a similar size in your niche, not with a universal figure. The [Instagram engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator) does the arithmetic. Reels are the exception. A profile's Reels tab shows a view count on each reel, and anyone can see it unless the creator has hidden it. Instagram used to call these plays. Divide the median views of recent Reels by followers to see whether followers still watch. > **Hidden like counts.** Creators can hide like counts on their posts ([Instagram's help page](https://help.instagram.com/113355287252104)). You then see comments but no likes, so per-follower engagement can't be worked out from the profile. Use comments and Reels views, or ask for the post's insights. Plenty of people hide likes for their own peace of mind, so it isn't a warning sign. ## From searches to a shortlist, step by step 1. **Write 10 to 20 searches.** Mix keywords, hashtags and places, in your customer's language. 2. **List accounts, not posts.** For every relevant post, open the profile and note the handle, how you found it, followers and whether it's a professional account. 3. **Scan the grid and the Reels tab.** Check the last 12 posts. One post on your subject among a dozen on something else isn't a fit. 4. **Work out the numbers.** Take the median (likes + comments) / followers over posts at least 3 days old, and the median Reels views divided by followers. 5. **Read the comments on three recent posts.** Questions about the product suggest an audience that acts. Rows of emoji from the same few accounts suggest something else: see [spotting fake followers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-spot-fake-followers). 6. **Check past brand work, then find the contact.** Look for "Paid partnership" labels, #ad and Collab posts. Then find the business email the creator publishes. ## What to note for each account | Signal | Where to find it | Why it matters | | --- | --- | --- | | Topic match | Captions and images of the last 12 posts | Whether the account is about your subject or touched it once. | | Engagement per follower | (Likes + comments) / followers, median of recent posts | Whether followers still react. | | Reels views per follower | Median views on the Reels tab divided by followers | The one reach figure you can see on someone else's profile. | | Format mix | The grid against the Reels tab | Photos, carousels and Reels behave differently. Know which you're buying. | | Posting rhythm | Dates on recent posts | Whether they're active enough to post on your schedule. | | Comment quality | Comments on 3 recent posts | Questions and real discussion beat generic praise. | | Location and language | Captions, place tags, commenters | Instagram doesn't show a creator's audience country on the profile. | | Account type | Category under the name, contact buttons | Professional accounts can publish contact details and have insights. | | Past brand work | "Paid partnership" labels, #ad, Collab posts | Shows they take deals. A recent competitor may mean exclusivity. | ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo reads your website and writes a brief you can edit, with your markets, the kind of creator, a follower range and 3 to 6 groups of search keywords. The same keywords are searched on every platform, with no separate hashtag lists. On Instagram it finds accounts with web searches limited to instagram.com, then reads profiles through Meta's official Business Discovery API. That works only for public professional accounts, so personal accounts are never read. For each account it reads followers, the bio, the website field and the latest 12 posts: captions, likes (unless hidden), comment counts and dates. Instagram doesn't share other accounts' view counts this way, so engagement is (likes + comments) / followers. Every account gets a score from 0 to 100 with written reasons. Comment quality is left out, and because Instagram doesn't share country or language, those count as neutral. Nakodo then emails the best fits that publish an email on your behalf, or only the ones you pick. It doesn't use Instagram's Email button and doesn't send DMs. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; see [pricing](https://nakodo.app/pricing) and [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find Instagram influencers for my brand? Describe your customer, then search Instagram by keyword, hashtag and place, and follow a few good fits so Explore suggests more. Check competitors' Tagged tabs and "Paid partnership" posts. Shortlist on topic, engagement per follower, Reels views, posting rhythm and past brand work. ### How do I find micro influencers on Instagram? Search specific keywords and narrow hashtags rather than broad ones, and look past the first results. The suggested accounts Instagram shows when you follow a good fit, and the people commenting on bigger creators in your niche, often point to smaller accounts with engaged followers. ### How do I find Instagram influencers in my city? Search your city with your niche, such as "[city] food", and open the location pages of the places your customers go to see who posts there. Local creators tag the neighbourhoods, cafés and shops they cover, and their captions usually say where they're based. ### Why can't I see views on someone's Instagram posts? Instagram shows view counts on photos and carousels only to the account that posted them. The exception is the Reels tab on a profile, which shows a view count on each reel unless the creator hides it. For other posts, work out (likes + comments) / followers instead. ### Does it matter if an Instagram influencer has a personal account? It can. Professional accounts can add contact options such as an email to the profile and have insights to share, and only they can be read by tools that use Meta's official API. A personal account doesn't rule a creator out, but ask whether they take brand work. --- # How to find a TikToker's email address Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-tiktokers-email Updated: 2026-10-03 To find a TikToker's email, read the bio first, then open the link on their profile: a link-in-bio page, website or media kit often carries a business address. Check any YouTube channel or Instagram account they link to, and the profile's contact details if they run a Verified Business Account. If a manager is named, write there. Never guess an address or use a finder tool; write only to one the creator published. ## Why it's harder on TikTok than on YouTube On YouTube, creators who take sponsorships usually put a business address in the channel description. A TikTok profile has less room, and two of TikTok's own rules decide what else it can show: - **Contact details need a business account.** TikTok says an account [must be a Verified Business Account](https://www.tiktok.com/support/faq_detail?id=7598614283081030165) to show a business address, email or phone number on its public profile. TikTok recommends its General account for content creators, so many creators have no contact details on the profile at all. - **A profile link needs 1,000 followers.** A General account can [add a website link](https://www.tiktok.com/support/faq_detail?id=7581821550328896012) once it has at least 1,000 followers. Below that, the bio text is often the only place a creator can leave an address. - **Links to other apps are web links.** TikTok no longer supports profile links that open other social media apps, but creators can still link to those platforms' websites, such as their YouTube channel or Instagram profile. So the address is usually in the bio text, or one tap away behind the single link the creator chose. ## Where TikTok creators publish a business address - **The bio:** Look for a line starting with "biz", "collabs", "PR" or a mail emoji. Space is tight, so creators abbreviate and often break the address up to avoid spam bots, as in "name at domain dot com". Rebuild it carefully. - **The bio link:** Usually a [link-in-bio page](https://nakodo.app/glossary#link-in-bio) (Linktree, Beacons, Stan and similar), a personal website or a shop. Link pages often have an email button or a link labelled work with me, brand enquiries or collaborations. Websites have contact, about or press pages. - **A media kit:** Creators who take brand deals often link a media kit from their link page. It usually names the partnerships address, and sometimes a manager. - **A linked YouTube channel or Instagram account:** Creators who post on several platforms often publish the address on only one. A YouTube channel description or an Instagram Contact button may carry it. See [finding a YouTuber's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-youtubers-email) and [finding an Instagram creator's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-an-instagram-influencers-email). - **Business profile contact details:** On a Verified Business Account, an email, phone number or address can appear on the profile itself. It's an address the account holder chose to show for business, so it's a good one to use. - **Captions of pinned videos:** Pinned videos sit first on the profile, and creators sometimes repeat the contact line in their captions. - **A manager or agency:** If the bio or link page says "management", "represented by" or names an agency, deals go through a talent manager. Write to the address they give, put the creator's handle in the subject line and mention a specific video, because a manager may look after many accounts. ## Finding the address, step by step 1. **Read the whole bio.** Open the profile and read every line, including the emoji. Look for spelled-out addresses and the words business, collabs, PR or management. 2. **Check for contact details on the profile.** If the account is a Verified Business Account and the owner chose to show business information, an email may be on the profile itself. 3. **Open the bio link.** On a link-in-bio page, look for an email icon, a contact button, or a link to a media kit or a work with me page. 4. **Check the website's contact pages.** If the link goes to a website, check the pages named contact, about, work with me, collaborations, press or media kit. A contact form reaches the same inbox when no address is printed. 5. **Follow their other platforms.** Open the YouTube channel or Instagram profile they link to and compare any address there with what you've found. 6. **Read the pinned videos' captions.** A contact line in a pinned caption is one the creator wants new visitors to see. 7. **Note where you found it, and when.** Write the source and date next to the address. If you write weeks later, check it again first. ## How to tell a current business address from an old or personal one - **It's labelled for business.** "Business", "collabs" or "brand deals" next to an address is the creator telling you where offers go. An unlabelled address in an old caption is weaker. - **It appears in more than one place.** The same address in the bio, on the link page and on a YouTube channel is almost certainly current. If two places disagree, prefer the one the creator edits most, usually the bio or the link page. - **The domain fits the creator.** An address on the creator's own domain, or one that matches their name, is a deliberate choice. A management company's domain is fine when the creator names that company. - **It doesn't use an old handle.** Creators rename their accounts. An address built on a handle they no longer use may be abandoned. - **It belongs to the creator.** An address from a school, an employer or a relative's website wasn't offered for brand deals, even if it mentions the creator. - **It isn't a placeholder.** Link-page templates and website themes sometimes ship with sample addresses, and some forms show a no-reply address. Skip both. ## What not to do - **Don't guess.** Email-permutation and "finder" tools try name patterns against a domain. For creators that means a bounce or a personal inbox they never offered for business, and bounces hurt your sending reputation. - **Don't buy lists.** Nobody on a bought list agreed to hear from you about your offer. More in [should you buy a creator email list](https://nakodo.app/blog/buying-influencer-email-lists). - **Don't message from fake or borrowed accounts.** Creators check who is writing, and a pitch from an empty profile reads as spam. Use your brand's real account. - **Don't paste one message to everyone.** Write each message for one creator and mention one of their videos. > **Only what they publish.** Write to the address a creator chose to publish for business, or don't write. If there isn't one, ask where to send a proposal, through a channel they opened themselves. ## When there's no email anywhere - **Use the contact form** on their website or link page, if there is one. - **Send one short direct message** from your brand's account: who you are, one line about a video you liked, and a question about where to send a proposal. Our [outreach emails and DMs for Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-outreach-templates) have wording you can adapt. - **Write to the manager** if one is named anywhere, even when the creator gives no address of their own. - **Move on** if they've chosen not to be reachable. Other creators will fit too. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo runs this search for the TikTok creators it finds. It reads the public profile while logged out: the bio, including spellings such as "name [at] domain", the bio link and the captions of recent videos. Private accounts are skipped. If none of those has an email, it follows up to 3 linked pages, link-in-bio pages first and then websites, and on a website checks up to 2 pages that look like contact, about, work with me or collaborations. It respects robots.txt on those sites. It keeps an address only if it's on the creator's own domain, a personal mail provider or a domain that looks like the creator's name, and skips no-reply and placeholder addresses. It never guesses an address and never logs in as anyone. The address isn't shown to you: Nakodo emails the creator on your behalf and, when they say yes, introduces you in the same thread with you in copy. The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find a TikToker's email? Read the bio first, then open the link on the profile: link-in-bio pages, websites and media kits often carry a business address. Verified Business Accounts can also show an email on the profile itself. Check any YouTube channel or Instagram account the creator links to, and write to a manager if one is named. Never guess an address. ### Why don't TikTok creators have an email button? TikTok lets only Verified Business Accounts show a business email, phone number or address on their public profile, and it recommends General accounts for content creators. Creators on General accounts have to put an address in the bio text, or on the page their bio link opens. ### Is there a TikTok influencer email finder that works? Tools that guess addresses from name patterns, or sell lists of creator emails, give you addresses the creators never offered for brand deals. They bounce or reach a personal inbox, and both hurt your sending reputation. The reliable route is the bio, the bio link and the pages the creator links to. ### How do I contact a TikTok creator who has no email? Use the contact form on their website or link page if there is one, or send one short direct message from your brand's real account asking where to send a partnership proposal. If a manager is named anywhere, write to them. If the creator publishes no way to reach them, respect that and move on. ### Should I email a TikTok creator or their manager? Write to whichever address the creator publishes for business. If they name a manager or agency, write there, put the creator's handle in the subject line and mention a specific video, because a manager may represent many creators and needs to know who the offer is for. --- # How to find an Instagram influencer's email Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-an-instagram-influencers-email Updated: 2026-10-03 To find an Instagram influencer's email, open their profile in the Instagram app and tap Contact if the button is there: professional accounts can show a business email behind it. Then read the bio and open the links on the profile, especially link-in-bio pages and websites, which often have a business address or a media kit. If a manager is named, write to them. If nothing is published, send one short DM asking where to send a proposal. ## The Contact button on professional accounts Instagram accounts are either personal or professional, and professional accounts are set to Business or Creator. Only [professional accounts](https://help.instagram.com/138925576505882) can add a Contact button near the top of the profile. Instagram's help says it can hold an email address, a phone number and directions, and that anyone who taps Contact can see them. Two things decide whether you see an email there: - **The account type.** Personal accounts have no Contact button. A category label under the name, such as a creator category, marks a professional account, though owners can hide the label. - **The creator's choice.** Professional accounts decide whether to [display their contact information](https://help.instagram.com/529483457260403), under Profile display in their public business information. Some add only a phone number, and some show nothing. When the button is there and offers an email, that's the address the creator chose to show for business. It's usually the best one to use. ## The bio, the links and link-in-bio pages If there's no Contact button, or it offers no email, look at what the creator wrote themselves: - **The bio:** Look for a line starting with a mail emoji, "collabs", "business", "PR" or "bookings". Addresses are often written out as "name at domain dot com" to avoid spam bots, so rebuild them carefully. - **The profile links:** The links under the bio usually go to a [link-in-bio page](https://nakodo.app/glossary#link-in-bio), a website or a shop. Open each one. - **Link-in-bio pages:** Look for an email icon, a contact button, or a link labelled work with me, brand enquiries, collaborations or media kit. A media kit usually names the partnerships address, and sometimes a manager. - **The creator's website:** Check the pages named contact, about, work with me, collaborations or press. A contact form reaches the same inbox when no address is printed. - **Highlights and pinned posts:** Some creators keep a story highlight called something like "Collabs" or "Work with me", or pin a post about working with brands. These often say how the creator prefers to be contacted. ## Finding the address, step by step 1. **Open the profile in the Instagram app.** Check the account type first. A Contact button or a category label under the name means a professional account. 2. **Tap Contact, if it's there.** If it offers an email, note it. This is the address the creator chose to show for business. 3. **Read the whole bio.** Expand it if it's cut off. Look for spelled-out addresses and the words collabs, business, PR or management. 4. **Open each link on the profile.** On a link-in-bio page, look for an email or contact button and a media kit. On a website, check the contact, about, work with me and collaborations pages. 5. **Check highlights and pinned posts.** A highlight or pinned post about brand work often repeats the address or names a manager. 6. **Look at their other platforms.** If they link a TikTok or YouTube account, the address may be published there. See [finding a TikToker's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-tiktokers-email) and [finding a YouTuber's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-youtubers-email). 7. **Write to the manager if one is named.** Use the manager's address, put the creator's handle in the subject line and mention one of their posts. ## Which address to use when you find several | Where you found it | What it usually is | Use it? | | --- | --- | --- | | Contact button | The address the creator chose to show for business | Yes, first choice | | Bio line marked collabs, business or PR | A business address, kept current because it's on the profile | Yes | | Link-in-bio page or media kit | A business address, sometimes a manager's | Yes | | Website contact page or form | The creator's own inbox, or their business's | Yes, or use the form | | Management or agency address | The person who handles the creator's deals | Yes, if the creator names them | | Only in an old caption | Possibly out of date | Only if nothing newer exists | | From a list, a finder tool or a guess | Not offered for business | No | If two places disagree, prefer the one the creator edits most, usually the Contact button or the bio, and check whether the other is built on an old handle. ## When nothing is published: asking by DM If there's no address anywhere, a direct message is a channel the creator opened, so it's a fair way to ask. Make it a question, not a pitch. - **Send it from your brand's real account,** with a profile that shows what you sell. Creators check who is writing. - **Expect a wait.** Professional accounts have an inbox split into Primary, General and Requests folders, so a first message from an account they don't know is easy to miss. - **Ask one thing:** where to send a partnership proposal. Mention one recent post so it's clearly not a mass message. - **Follow up once at most,** then leave it. **DM asking where to send a proposal** ``` Hi [Name], I'm [Your name] from [Brand]. We make [one-line description] and I liked your post about [specific post]. We'd like to send you a partnership proposal. Is there an email address you'd prefer, or a manager I should write to? Thanks. ``` For the email that follows, see [outreach emails and DMs for Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-outreach-templates). ## What not to do - **Don't use email extractor or finder tools.** Instagram's [Terms of Use](https://help.instagram.com/581066165581870) say you can't collect information in unauthorised ways, including in an automated way without its permission. Tools that pull addresses from profiles in bulk, or guess them from name patterns, give you addresses creators didn't offer you. - **Don't buy lists.** The same terms say you can't buy data obtained from Instagram, and nobody on a bought list agreed to hear from you. More in [should you buy a creator email list](https://nakodo.app/blog/buying-influencer-email-lists). - **Don't message from fake accounts.** Instagram's terms also rule out impersonating someone or creating accounts in unauthorised ways, and a pitch from an empty profile reads as spam. - **Don't put the pitch in a comment.** A public comment asking for an email is awkward to answer and easy to ignore. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo reads Instagram profiles through Meta's official Business Discovery API, which only works for public professional accounts, so personal accounts are never read. For each creator it reads the bio, including spellings such as "name [at] domain", the website field and the captions of the latest 12 posts. If none has an email, it follows up to 3 linked pages, link-in-bio pages first and then websites, and on a website checks up to 2 pages that look like contact, about, work with me or collaborations, respecting robots.txt. Nakodo doesn't use Instagram's Contact button and doesn't send DMs, so a creator whose only address sits behind the button has no email on Nakodo and isn't contacted through it; the steps above still work by hand. It keeps an address only if it's on the creator's own domain, a personal mail provider or a domain that looks like the creator's name. The address is never shown to you: Nakodo emails the creator on your behalf and, when they say yes, introduces you in the same thread. See [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find an Instagram influencer's email? Open the profile in the Instagram app and tap Contact, if there is one: professional accounts can show a business email there. Then read the bio, open the links on the profile, and check link-in-bio pages, websites and media kits. If a manager is named, write to them. If nothing is published, send one short DM asking where to send a proposal. ### Why is there no email button on an Instagram profile? Only professional accounts, set to Business or Creator, can add a Contact button, and each one chooses whether to display its contact details and which ones. A personal account, or a professional account that hides its details or lists only a phone number, shows no email. Check the bio and the profile links instead. ### How do I contact Instagram influencers who don't list an email? Check the links on their profile for a contact form or a manager's address first. If there's nothing, send one short direct message from your brand's real account asking where to send a partnership proposal, mention a recent post, and follow up once at most. ### Is it OK to DM an Instagram creator about a collaboration? Yes, when they publish no email, because a DM is a channel they opened. Keep the first message to a question about where to send a proposal rather than the whole pitch, send it from your brand's real account, and send no more than one follow-up. ### Can I use an Instagram email extractor? No. Instagram's Terms of Use say you can't collect information in unauthorised ways, including automatically without its permission. Extractors and finder tools also give you addresses creators never offered for brand deals, which bounce or go unread. --- # How much to pay TikTok and Instagram influencers Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators Updated: 2026-10-03 There is no standard rate for TikTok or Instagram influencers: each sets their own price. Judge a quote by what it costs per 1,000 plays: fee ÷ median plays × 1,000, using recent TikToks or Reels, not the follower count. Compare that with your break-even CPM, which is profit per sale × sales per 1,000 plays. Then price the extras as separate lines: Spark Ads or partnership ads, other usage rights, exclusivity, extra deliverables and fast turnaround. ## Price on plays, not followers Each creator sets their own price, and any average rate you read mixes countries, niches, formats and account sizes. What you can work out is the CPM, or cost per mille: what a quote costs for every 1,000 people who watch. It puts a large account and a small one on the same scale. Followers are the first number on the profile, and a weak basis for a price: - **Feeds are recommended, not chronological.** TikTok's For You feed and Instagram's Reels show posts to non-followers, and plenty of followers never see a given post, so equal followings can get very different plays. - **Followers pile up.** The count includes people who stopped watching long ago. - **Followers can be bought.** So can likes and views. Our guide to [spotting fake followers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-spot-fake-followers) covers the checks. Median plays on recent posts is the better unit, because it's what the next post is likely to get. Keep followers as a cross-check: median plays ÷ followers shows how much of the following still turns up. ## Get median plays for the format you're buying | Format | Where the plays are | What to use | | --- | --- | --- | | TikTok video | On each thumbnail in the profile grid. | The median of the last 10 to 20 videos, skipping pinned ones and any under 3 days old. | | Instagram Reel | On Reel thumbnails in the Reels tab, where shown. | The median of recent Reels, skipping pinned ones and any under 3 days old. | | Instagram Story | Not public, and gone after 24 hours. | Insights screenshots of the reach of several recent Stories. | | Carousel or single image | Not shown to other accounts. | Insights screenshots of the reach of recent posts in that format. | The [TikTok engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/tiktok-engagement-rate-calculator) and the [Instagram engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator) work out the median for you. Where counts aren't public, ask for screenshots of a run of recent posts, not the best one: Instagram's [post insights](https://help.instagram.com/553860108359435) show accounts reached on each post, for professional accounts. A TikTok play, a Reel view and a YouTube view are counted differently, so compare TikTok quotes with TikTok quotes, and Reels with Reels. ## Two worked examples The numbers below are made up to show the method. **A TikTok video.** A creator's last 12 videos, leaving out 2 pinned ones and one posted yesterday, have a median of 30,000 plays. They quote £600 for one video, an effective CPM of £600 ÷ 30,000 × 1,000 = £20. Each sale leaves you £12 after product, shipping, fees and the discount code. If you expect 1.5 sales per 1,000 plays, your break-even CPM is £12 × 1.5 = £18, and the break-even fee at 30,000 plays is 30 × £18 = £540. The quote is a little over. You could offer £540, offer £450 plus a commission on tracked sales, or accept it as a test that gives you a real sales figure. **An Instagram bundle.** Another creator quotes $1,500 for one Reel, 3 Story frames with a link sticker, and 30 days of partnership ads. You ask them to price each line: $800 for the Reel, $300 for the Stories, $400 for the ads permission. - **The Reel.** The Reels tab shows a median of 25,000 views, so $800 ÷ 25,000 × 1,000 is a $32 CPM. - **The Stories.** Screenshots show recent Stories reaching around 5,000 accounts. The frames are watched in sequence by largely the same people, so count that reach once: $300 ÷ 5,000 × 1,000 is a $60 CPM. - **The ads permission.** This isn't priced on views. It's a licence to run the Reel as an ad from the creator's handle for 30 days, with the ad spend yours on top. Compare it with what it would cost you to make an ad that good. With $20 profit per sale and 1.5 sales per 1,000 views, your break-even CPM is $30. The Reel at $32 is close. The Stories at $60 would need 3 sales per 1,000 people reached, twice what you expect from the Reel. You might take the Reel and the ads permission and drop the Stories. > **Run the sums in one place.** The [sponsorship cost calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/sponsorship-cost-calculator) was built for YouTube, but the arithmetic is the same for TikTok plays and Reel views: the fee from a CPM, the CPM inside a quote, and your break-even. ## What moves the price - **Spark Ads and partnership ads:** Running a creator's post as an ad from their handle needs their permission. On TikTok the creator authorises a [Spark Ad](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/spark-ads) for a period that suits the campaign. On Instagram they give [partnership ad permission](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/442108830566254) for one post or the whole account, and can take it back. Price it as a licence for a set window; a shorter one should cost less. See [Spark Ads and partnership ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads). - **Other usage rights:** Reposting on your account, using the video on product pages, and receiving raw footage to cut your own ads are separate permissions. Raw footage gives you the most freedom, so expect to pay for it. - **Exclusivity:** Asking a creator to turn down your competitors costs them other deals. Keep it narrow: named competitors, one category, a short window. - **Deliverables:** A TikTok video, a Reel, Story frames and a carousel are different jobs. A carousel needs photos and layout, a video needs filming and editing, and Stories vanish after 24 hours unless saved to a highlight. A link in bio for a month, or pinning the post, are extras. - **Revisions:** One round of feedback on a draft is reasonable. Concept and script approval plus two rounds of edits is a bigger job. - **Turnaround:** A fixed date or a short deadline may mean moving other work, so it can fairly cost more. ## Gifting and affiliate instead of a fee - **Gifting.** You send the product with no obligation to post. It buys no guaranteed post, so work out the cost per post that appears: send 20 products at £30 each, all in, and if 4 creators post, each post cost £150. - **Affiliate.** The creator earns a commission on sales through their code or link, and nothing else. It suits creators who already post about products like yours, and puts the risk on them. Check it leaves you a profit: with £25 profit per sale before commission, 20% of a £60 order is £12, which leaves £13. - **A lower fee plus commission.** This shares the risk, and it's a fair counter-offer when a quote is above your break-even. Gifts and commissions still count as a paid relationship. The FTC says free or discounted products are a [material connection](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) to disclose, even when you didn't ask for a post. See [disclosing paid posts on Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). ## How to compare quotes 1. **Send everyone the same package, and ask for itemised prices.** Describe the deliverables, usage rights, exclusivity and dates in writing, and ask for one price per line. A bundle price hides which part is expensive. 2. **Get median plays or reach for each format.** From the profile for TikToks and Reels, and from insights screenshots for Stories and carousels. 3. **Turn each content line into a CPM.** Fee ÷ median plays × 1,000. Leave licences such as Spark Ads out of this sum: they buy permission, not plays, so compare them by length of window. 4. **Check each CPM against your break-even.** Profit per sale × sales per 1,000 plays. If a quote is above it, negotiate scope before price: drop exclusivity, shorten the usage window or loosen the date. 5. **Check the audience before you sign.** A low CPM on the wrong audience is still expensive. Check where the followers are and read the comments. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo doesn't quote or predict anyone's rates. For each TikTok account it finds, it reads the plays on recent videos and works out the median. On Instagram, the official API it reads doesn't share other accounts' views, so it reports likes and comments per follower instead. When it emails creators for you, it answers what it can from your offer and passes the rest to you. ## Questions ### How much do Instagram influencers charge? There's no standard rate: each creator sets their own, and prices vary with the format, niche, audience and the rights you ask for. To judge a quote for a Reel, divide the fee by the median views of the creator's recent Reels and multiply by 1,000, then compare that with your break-even. ### How much should I pay a TikTok influencer? Work it out from the creator's median plays and the CPM you can afford: fee = median plays ÷ 1,000 × CPM. Your break-even CPM is your profit per sale times the sales you expect per 1,000 plays. Price Spark Ads, exclusivity and fixed dates as separate lines. ### Should I pay influencers per follower? No. Follower counts include people who stopped watching and accounts that were bought, and both platforms show posts to non-followers. Price on the median plays of recent posts in the format you're buying, and use followers only as a cross-check. ### Do I need to pay extra for Spark Ads or partnership ads? Expect to. Running a creator's post as an ad from their handle needs their permission, which is a separate licence from the post. Agree the length of the window in writing. The ad spend is yours, on top of what the creator charges for the permission. --- # How to disclose sponsored posts on Instagram and TikTok Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules Updated: 2026-10-03 To disclose a sponsored post on Instagram, the creator adds the paid partnership label and tags your brand. On TikTok, they turn on the content disclosure setting, which labels the post "Paid partnership". The US FTC and the UK's ASA both say the label may not be enough on its own, so add a clear "Ad" at the start of the post or video too. Gifts and affiliate links count, and the brand shares responsibility with the creator. ## What Instagram and TikTok require Both platforms have their own rules for paid content, separate from the law, and both have a built-in label: - **Instagram:** Meta's [Branded Content Policies](https://help.instagram.com/1695974997209192) cover content that "features or is influenced by a business partner for an exchange of value, such as monetary payment or free gifts". Creators must post it with the branded content tool and tag the partner, with the partner's permission. Viewers then see ["Paid partnership with"](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/213764212711862) and your account's name. Meta adds that content with an affiliate link should carry the label too, even with no partner tagged. - **Your side on Instagram:** If you approve branded content creators manually, add the creator to your [approved list](https://help.instagram.com/758915201440087) before they post. - **TikTok:** TikTok's [Branded Content Policy](https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/global/bc-policy/en) covers content that promotes a third-party brand "in exchange for payment or any other incentive" and requires the content disclosure setting. In the app it's [Disclose commercial content](https://www.tiktok.com/support/faq_detail?id=7636670088170904085), under Content disclosure and ads. Choosing Branded content labels the post "Paid partnership"; Your brand labels it "Promotional content". It can be turned on before or after posting, but once the post is published the label can't be changed, and TikTok may remove or restrict posts without the proper disclosure. - **Brand partner tag on TikTok:** In the same setting, the creator can tag you as the brand partner, which gives you the post's insights and can grant ad authorisation for it. See [Spark Ads and partnership ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads). ## Why the label alone may not be enough Advertising law asks whether a viewer can tell at a glance that a post is an ad. The regulators have looked at the platform labels directly: | Source | On the platform label | Where the disclosure goes | | --- | --- | --- | | US FTC | [Don't assume](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers) a platform's tool is good enough; use it alongside your own disclosure. Responsibility rests with the creator and the brand, not the platform. | With the endorsement itself, not only on a profile, at the end or behind "more". On TikTok, the FTC's [answers](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking) call a disclosure only in the caption "very unlikely" to be clear. | | UK ASA | The Paid partnership tool [may be sufficient](https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/recognising-ads-social-media.html) if it's upfront, clear and prominent, but the ASA's 2026 research found it may not be enough on its own. If in doubt, add "Ad". | At the start, before people engage, and never only after "See more". Videos should be clearly ads before the click, or from the first moment. | | UK CMA | Platform tools are fine [if the label is clear](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-content-creators/social-media-endorsements-being-transparent-with-your-followers) and easy to see. If the tool doesn't make clear it's an ad, add "#Ad" upfront. | Clear, upfront and prominent. Tagging the brand, a discount code or an affiliate link isn't enough. | The practical answer is the same everywhere: turn the label on, and put "Ad" where the viewer looks first. For a UK audience, use "Ad" or "Advert": the ASA and CMA advise against "sponsored", "gifted" and "collab". The ASA has also ruled that an Instagram collaborative post, shown under both the creator's and the brand's names, wasn't identifiable as an ad by that alone. For YouTube's own setting and the labels each regulator accepts, see [YouTube sponsorship disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules). ## Format by format - **Feed posts and carousels:** Label on, and "Ad" at the start of the caption so it shows before "more". The FTC says that if the picture itself makes the endorsement, the disclosure may need to go on the image. - **Reels and TikTok videos:** Label or disclosure setting on, "Ad" on screen from the start, and said out loud if the creator talks about the product. The FTC's rule: a spoken endorsement needs at least a spoken disclosure, a visual one at least a visual disclosure. - **Stories:** "Ad" on each frame, readable in the time it's on screen. The ASA's [guide for creators](https://www.asa.org.uk/resource/influencers-guide.html) says to label every Story in a series, and each format the content is reposted to. Because Stories disappear, the FTC suggests approving paid ones in advance. - **Lives:** TikTok's disclosure setting has a LIVE version. The FTC says to repeat the disclosure, so late joiners see it. ## Gifted products and affiliate links Neither needs a fee to count as advertising. - **Gifts.** The ASA treats a free product as payment even when there's no obligation to post, and the FTC says to disclose even if the creator wasn't asked to mention it. Meta's definition names free gifts, and TikTok's covers any incentive. The CMA tells brands that send gifts to include clear instructions that any resulting post must be labelled as an ad. See [product seeding](https://nakodo.app/glossary#product-seeding). - **Affiliate links and codes.** Meta says content with an [affiliate link](https://nakodo.app/glossary#affiliate-link) should carry the Paid partnership label. The ASA says a general line that "some" links "might" earn a commission isn't enough: say which parts are advertising. It has also ruled that a personalised discount code doesn't make a post recognisable as an ad, and the FTC recommends erring on the side of disclosure. ## Who is responsible The brand and the creator, together. The FTC's answers tell companies: "Your company is ultimately responsible for what others do on your behalf." Brands are expected to train and check the creators they pay. The ASA says the creator, the brand and any agency involved are all responsible. The CMA's [guidance for brands](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reviews-and-social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-businesses-and-brands/social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-brands) says to check posts about you yourself and get unlabelled ones fixed promptly. Keep checking for the length of the deal and a while after: the FTC suggests a few months after a contract ends, and the ASA expects disclosure in relevant content for 12 months after a relationship ends. ## What to put in the brief Put the disclosure in the brief and the agreement, so the creator sees it before filming: - **The platform label:** Instagram's paid partnership label tagging your account, or TikTok's disclosure setting set to Branded content with you tagged as brand partner. - **The word:** "Ad" at the start of the caption, on screen from the start of any video, and spoken if the creator talks about the product. Agree the wording, in the audience's language. - **Every Story frame,** and every format the content is reposted to. - **Affiliate links and codes** named as paid, not covered by a general line. - **Your checks:** a draft review for the label, a look at the live post, and a prompt fix if the label is missing. Approve paid Stories before they go up. - **Gifts:** a written note with any free product asking for any resulting post to be labelled as an ad. - **Honest claims:** only about a product they've tried, and nothing you can't back up. Our [sponsorship brief guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-brief) is written for YouTube, but its structure works on any platform. > **Check the current rules.** This page summarises official guidance as published in October 2026. Rules differ by country and change over time, and products such as alcohol, gambling, finance and health carry extra rules. Check the current rules on the pages linked here before you rely on them. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo finds creators on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube who fit your brand, emails them on your behalf and introduces you to the ones who say yes. It doesn't write agreements or check disclosures. Each first email waits for your approval by default, so you can add a line such as "We ask every partner to label posts as ads" before it goes, or raise it when you agree the details after the introduction. See [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I disclose a sponsored post on Instagram and TikTok? Turn on the platform label: Instagram's paid partnership label with the brand tagged, or TikTok's content disclosure setting set to Branded content. Then add a clear "Ad" at the start of the caption and on screen from the start of any video, because the label may not be enough on its own. ### Is Instagram's paid partnership label enough? Not always. The UK's ASA says it may be sufficient if it's upfront, clear and prominent, but may not be enough on its own, so add "Ad" if in doubt. The US FTC says not to assume a platform's tool is good enough. Use both. ### What is TikTok's branded content toggle? It's TikTok's content disclosure setting, called Disclose commercial content in the app. Creators turn it on when posting, or later from the post's Ad settings, and choose Branded content for a brand deal, which labels the post "Paid partnership". TikTok's Branded Content Policy requires it. ### Do gifted posts need #ad? Yes, when the creator features a product they were given. The UK's ASA counts a free product as payment even with no obligation to post, and the US FTC says to disclose even when the creator wasn't asked to mention it. ### What are the influencer disclosure rules in the UK? The ASA enforces the advertising code and the CMA enforces consumer law. Both expect paid, gifted and affiliate content to be labelled clearly and upfront, preferably with "Ad" or "Advert", and advise against "sponsored", "gifted" and "collab". The creator, the brand and any agency involved are all responsible. ### What do the FTC influencer guidelines say about Instagram and TikTok? The FTC's Endorsement Guides apply on every platform. Disclose any payment, free product or other relationship with the endorsement itself, not only behind "more" or in a TikTok caption; put it in the video for video posts; and don't rely on a platform's tool alone. --- # Influencer outreach email and DM templates for Instagram and TikTok Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-outreach-templates Updated: 2026-10-03 A good influencer outreach email names a specific Reel or TikTok and what you noticed in it, states the offer and the exact deliverable (one Reel, three Story frames with a link sticker, one TikTok video), makes one ask, and makes no an easy answer. Email when the creator publishes a business address. Send a DM only when they don't, and use it to ask for the best contact. Templates for paid, gifted and affiliate offers follow. ## Email or DM? Email when the creator publishes a business address: in the bio, on a link-in-bio page or website, or behind the Email button on an Instagram professional profile. That's where they've chosen to handle brand work, and an email can hold the detail a deal needs. Our guides to finding an [Instagram creator's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-an-instagram-influencers-email) and a [TikToker's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-tiktokers-email) show where to look. Send a DM only when there's no address anywhere, and keep it brief: say who you are and ask where to send details, rather than pitching in full. On Instagram, a message from an account the creator doesn't follow arrives as a [message request](https://help.instagram.com/585369912141614), and TikTok lets people limit who can message them at all, so a DM may sit unread. Send it from your brand's account, with a profile that shows what you sell, so the creator can check you're real. ## What to put in the first message - **One specific post.** Name a Reel, carousel or TikTok and what you noticed: the hook, a tip, how they used a product. "Love your content" fits anyone. - **The offer.** A fee, a product, a commission or a mix, with a budget or range if you have one. Our guide to [paying TikTok and Instagram creators](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators) helps you set it. - **The deliverable, in the platform's own terms.** "One Reel and three Story frames with a link sticker" can be priced. "Some content" can't. - **Anything beyond their own post.** Running their video as an ad or reposting it is a separate permission. Name it now, not after they've quoted. - **One ask, and an easy no.** "Could you send your rates?" is easy to answer. A closing line saying you won't chase them makes any reply easier to send. ## Name the format Each format is a different amount of work, so the first message should say which ones you want. | Format | What to specify | Worth knowing | | --- | --- | --- | | Instagram Reel | A length range, what the product does in it, a posting window | Ask whether it will be a Collab post, which appears on both your profiles. | | Instagram Story frames | How many frames, the link sticker's address, the posting day | Stories disappear after 24 hours unless saved to a Highlight. Ask if they'll save them. | | Instagram carousel | How many slides and what they show | Suits step-by-steps, comparisons and before and after. | | TikTok video | A length range, when the product appears, a posting window | Ordinary captions don't carry clickable links, so plan a code on screen or a link in the bio. | | Spark Ads code | How many days you want to run the post as an ad | The creator generates the code and picks its duration. See [Spark Ads and partnership ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads). | | Instagram partnership ads | How long you'll run the ad, and on which posts | Your ad shows the creator's handle in its header, with their permission. | ## Templates to copy Replace everything in [brackets] and delete any sentence that isn't true for you. **Email for a paid Reel or TikTok video** ``` Subject: Paid [Reel or TikTok] for [Brand] Hi [Creator first name], I'm [Your name], [role] at [Brand]. We make [product], [one line on what it does]. Your [Reel or TikTok] on [topic] stayed with me, especially [specific moment]. That's close to how we'd want [product] shown. We'd like to pay for [deliverable, e.g. one Reel and three Story frames with a link sticker, or one TikTok video], posted [timing]. Our budget is [amount or range]. [If you want ad use: We'd also like a Spark Ads code for (number) days, or to run it as a partnership ad, priced separately.] Could you send your rates for that? If it's not a fit, just say so and I won't follow up. [Your name] [Brand], [website] ``` **Gifting email, with no obligation to post** ``` Subject: [Product] for you, no post needed Hi [Creator first name], I'm [Your name] from [Brand]. We make [product]. I saw your [carousel or video] on [topic], and [specific observation]. [Product] might fit into [their routine, setup or kitchen]. We'd like to send you one, in [size, colour or flavour]. There's no obligation to post, tag us or put it in a Story. If you ever do, please mention that we sent it. If you'd like one, reply with a postal address. If it's not a fit, just say so and I won't follow up. [Your name] [Brand] ``` **Affiliate code and link** ``` Subject: A code for your followers from [Brand] Hi [Creator first name], I'm [Your name] at [Brand]. We make [product]. Your [Reel or TikTok] about [topic] answered [question] better than most, especially [detail]. We'd like to give you a personal code for [discount] off and a link paying you [commission] on every order. It works in your link-in-bio page, a Story link sticker, or a code on screen in a video. There's no minimum and no schedule, and we'll send [product] first so you can try it. Would you like the code and link? If it's not a fit, just say so and I won't follow up. [Your name] [Brand] ``` **Short DM asking for the best contact** ``` Hi [Creator first name], I'm [Your name] from [Brand] ([product]). Your [Reel or video] on [topic] is why I'm writing. We'd like to talk about [a paid post, or sending you product to try], and I couldn't find a business email. Where's the best place to send details? If it's not for you, no need to reply. ``` **Follow-up when there's no reply** ``` Subject: Re: [your first subject line] Hi [Creator first name], One more note, then I'll leave it. [Something new: when the campaign runs, a detail you left out, or a recent post of theirs that fits.] The offer is the same: [one line on the offer and deliverable]. If the timing's wrong or it's not a fit, a one-word reply is fine and I won't write again. [Your name] [Brand] ``` > **How many follow-ups.** One or two, each adding something new, spaced a week or more apart. Then stop. Don't send a string of DMs. ## Mistakes that get Instagram and TikTok outreach ignored - **Pitching in the comments.** It's public, and easy to miss. - **"Collab?" with no offer.** The creator has to reply just to find out whether you're paying. - **A free post called a partnership.** If you're offering product only, say so, and don't ask for a guaranteed Reel in return. - **The same DM to dozens of accounts.** Identical messages read as spam, and a creator can tell. - **Forgetting disclosure.** Agree the "Paid partnership" label at the start; see [disclosure on Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). ## How Nakodo handles outreach on Instagram and TikTok Nakodo emails creators on your behalf and never sends DMs. It writes only to Instagram and TikTok creators who publish an email in their bio, captions, website or bio link, and doesn't use Instagram's in-app Email button. Each conversation has its own address on Nakodo's sending domain, with your brand's name as the sender. First emails wait for your approval by default, or go out automatically after a 60-minute window in which you can still edit or stop them. Emails go out Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 19:30 in the creator's local time. With no reply, Nakodo follows up twice by default, or 0 to 3 times if you choose, on days 4, 11 and 21 after the first email, and pauses for out-of-office replies. It answers what it can from your offer and passes the rest to you. When a creator says yes, it sends one introduction in the same thread with you in Cc, then steps out. Creators' addresses are never shown to you, sold or exported, and every email has a one-click way to stop. Creators without a published email aren't contacted, so the DM above is one to send yourself. See [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### What is a good influencer outreach email template? One that names a specific Reel or TikTok and what you noticed, states the offer and the exact deliverable, such as one Reel and three Story frames, asks one thing, usually their rates, and ends by saying you won't follow up if it's not a fit. ### How do I DM an influencer on Instagram? Only DM when the creator publishes no business email. From your brand's account, say who you are and what you're offering in two or three sentences, and ask where to send details. It may arrive as a message request, so don't read silence as a no. ### Should I email or DM a TikTok creator? Email, if they publish a business address in their bio or on a linked page: that's where they handle brand work. Send a short DM only when there's no address anywhere, and use it to ask for the best contact rather than to pitch. ### What should a TikTok creator outreach message say about the video? Name the deliverable in TikTok's terms: one video, a length range, when the product appears and a posting window. If you want to run it as an ad, ask for a Spark Ads code and say for how many days, because it's a separate permission to agree and price. ### How long should I wait before following up with a creator? About a week, and send one or two follow-ups at most, each adding something new, such as dates or a detail you left out. If there's still no reply, stop. --- # Spark Ads and partnership ads: a guide to influencer whitelisting Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads Updated: 2026-10-03 Spark Ads are TikTok ads that run a creator's own post from their account, usually once the creator sends you an authorisation code. Meta's partnership ads do the same on Instagram and Facebook with the creator's permission, and show both accounts in the ad. Together they're what people call influencer whitelisting. Before anyone generates a code, agree which posts, for how long, who handles comments, what you'll share about spend, and a separate fee for paid usage. ## What Spark Ads and partnership ads are Both run a creator's post as a paid ad from the creator's own account, so people see the creator's post rather than a brand ad. The industry calls this whitelisting. Each platform has its own permission step and its own rules. - **TikTok Spark Ads:** TikTok's [Spark Ads](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/spark-ads) use organic posts, from your own account or from creators' accounts with their authorisation. The views, comments, shares, likes and follows the ad earns are credited to the original post. The ad's display name and text come from the post and can't be edited in TikTok Ads Manager. - **Meta partnership ads:** Formerly called branded content ads, [partnership ads](https://help.instagram.com/1022082264667994) run on Instagram and Facebook with both accounts in the ad's header. With permission, a brand can boost a creator's post, story or reel, or create partnership ads from the creator's handle in Ads Manager. - **What neither one covers:** Platform permission covers running the post as an ad on that platform. Using the video on your website, in emails or in ads from your own account is [usage rights](https://nakodo.app/glossary#usage-rights), agreed separately. ## How creators give permission | | TikTok Spark Ads | Meta partnership ads | | --- | --- | --- | | How it's given | The creator taps the three dots on the video, then Ad settings, then Generate, and sends you the code for TikTok Ads Manager. Tagging you as brand partner in the disclosure settings also grants ads authorisation, 60 days by default. | A partnership ad code, or the Allow brand partner to boost toggle when you're tagged in the paid partnership label, covers one post. An account-level request, accepted in Partnership Ads Hub or the app, covers the account. | | How long | An authorisation period, shown beneath each post in Ads Manager. | Until the creator revokes it, which they can do at any time. On new branded content the boost toggle turns on automatically for 28 days after their last branded post. | | Editing | The caption can't be edited once the post is authorised. | The creator can't edit the post while it runs. Your edits change the ad, not the original post. | | Comments | Engagement on the ad counts on the creator's post. | You can hide comments on the ad and on the original post; the creator can unhide them. | | Deleting | The video must be un-authorised before it's deleted. A private video becomes public once it's used in a campaign. | Deleting the post stops the ad. Archiving it doesn't. | Sources: TikTok's [Spark Ads creation guide](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/spark-ads-creation-guide) and [commercial content disclosure](https://www.tiktok.com/support/faq_detail?id=7636670088170904085) help, and Meta's pages on [partnership ad permissions](https://help.instagram.com/442108830566254) and [stopping partnership ads](https://help.instagram.com/1159476377787773). These screens change often, so check them before you brief a creator. ## Why brands run creators' posts as ads - **It looks like the creator's post.** It carries their name, so it reads as a recommendation rather than a brand ad. - **You can back posts that already worked.** Let a post run for the creator's own followers first, then put spend behind the ones that drew comments and clicks. - **It reaches beyond their followers.** Your budget decides who sees it, so a smaller creator with a strong post can be worth licensing. - **Engagement stays with the creator.** On TikTok the ad's likes, comments and follows count on their post, and Meta says their profile may get more visits while the ad runs. - **Meta says the ads rank on signals from both accounts.** Check that against your own cost per sale. Creators have reasons to be careful too. Their name sits on an ad they don't control, strangers comment on their post, and heavy spend can show their followers the same video again and again. Clear terms answer most of that. ## What to agree: the checklist - **Which posts:** The post made for this deal, or named existing posts. Meta's account-level permission reaches far more than one post, so write down which you'll use. - **How long:** Start and end dates, with the TikTok authorisation period set to match. Agree the price of an extension now, so a post that works doesn't become a new negotiation. - **Spend and results:** Your ad account is yours, so say what you'll share with the creator: the dates the ad ran, rough spend, and how it did. - **Comments:** Who watches them and what may be hidden: spam and abuse, say, but not fair questions about the product. On Meta you can hide comments on the creator's own post, so settle this first. - **Edits:** Any link, button, text change or cut you'll make. The TikTok caption is fixed once authorised, so agree it before the code is generated. - **Audience:** The countries, and on Meta whether you'll include or exclude the creator's custom audience, which account-level permission allows. - **Keeping the post live:** The post stays up, public and unedited for the whole period. - **Other brands:** Whether the creator may authorise the same post for anyone else, and whether they'll avoid your competitors. [Exclusivity](https://nakodo.app/glossary#exclusivity) costs them income, so price it separately. - **Disclosure:** Meta adds an [Ad label](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/213764212711862) when a branded post is boosted, but the original post still needs its own. See [Instagram and TikTok disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). **Price paid usage as its own line,** not as a percentage of the posting fee that you read somewhere. What it's worth depends on how many posts, for how long, one post or the whole account, your planned spend and any exclusivity. Ask for the post, the usage and an extension to be quoted separately, so you can drop or extend the usage without reopening the rest. See [how much to pay TikTok and Instagram creators](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators). ## Putting it in the deal and the brief Write the terms down before the post goes live, in the contract or in an email you both confirm. Then put the practical parts in your [sponsorship brief](https://nakodo.app/glossary#sponsorship-brief): that you plan to run the post as an ad, the final caption, any link or button, the disclosure, and when to send the code or accept the permission request. **Plain-words clause for paid usage (a starting point, not legal advice)** ``` 1. Posts: [link or description] on [platform]. 2. Use: as [TikTok Spark Ads / Meta partnership ads] only. 3. Period: [start date] to [end date]. [Creator] will set the authorisation to match and send the code by [date]. 4. Fee: [amount] for this usage, separate from the content fee. A further [period] costs [amount] if [Brand] asks before [end date]. 5. Results: [Brand] will share the dates the ads ran and [views, clicks] within [number] days of the end date. 6. Comments: [Brand] may hide spam and abuse only. 7. Edits: [Brand] may add [a link, a button] and won't otherwise change the video or caption. 8. Countries: [countries]. 9. [Creator] will keep the posts public and unedited until [end date]. 10. Any other use, including [Brand]'s own accounts, website or emails, needs separate written agreement. 11. The original posts will carry [the platform's label and "Ad" at the start of the caption]. ``` ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo doesn't run ads. It finds Instagram, TikTok and YouTube creators who fit your brand, emails them on your behalf and introduces you to the ones who say yes. The deal, including any paid usage, is between you and the creator. If you'll want to run their posts as ads, say so in your offer. See [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### What are Spark Ads? Spark Ads are TikTok ads that use organic posts, from your own account or from a creator's with their authorisation. The ad runs from the creator's account, and its views, likes, comments, shares and follows count on their post. The creator usually authorises it with a code generated on the video. ### What is influencer whitelisting? It's the common name for a brand running a creator's post as a paid ad from the creator's own account, with their permission. On TikTok that's a Spark Ad; on Instagram and Facebook it's a Meta partnership ad. It's priced separately from the fee for making and posting the content. ### How do I get a TikTok Spark Ads code from a creator? Ask the creator to tap the three dots on the video, then Ad settings, then Generate, and send you the code to add in TikTok Ads Manager. Agree the period, caption and fee first, because the caption can't be edited once the post is authorised. ### How do Meta partnership ads work on Instagram? The creator gives you permission for one post, with a partnership ad code or the Allow brand partner to boost toggle, or for their whole account through Partnership Ads Hub. The ad shows both accounts in its header, and the creator can revoke permission at any time. ### How much should I pay a creator for whitelisting? There's no standard rate or percentage to apply. Price it as its own line, separate from the posting fee, based on the posts, the period, whether it's one post or the whole account, and any exclusivity. Ask for an extension price at the same time. ### Can a creator stop a Spark Ad or partnership ad? On Instagram and Facebook, yes: creators can revoke permission at any time, and deleting the post stops the ad. On TikTok the authorisation runs for a set period, and the video must be un-authorised before it's deleted. Agree in the deal that posts stay up for the period. --- # How to spot fake followers on Instagram and TikTok Source: https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-spot-fake-followers Updated: 2026-10-03 To spot fake followers, compare an account's views and likes per follower with similar accounts, read the comments for generic or repeated praise, and check that commenters' languages match the creator's. Use medians of recent posts so one viral video can't hide a weak audience. Public profiles don't show follower history, so ask the creator for screenshots of their Instagram or TikTok audience insights. No outside tool can tell bought followers from real ones for certain. ## What fake followers and bought engagement are - **Bought followers:** Accounts sold in bulk, mostly inactive or automated. They raise the follower count and nothing else, so views and likes per follower fall. - **Bought likes, views and comments:** Engagement bought for single posts. It makes a post look busy, but the numbers rarely fit together: views with no likes, or likes with no conversation. - **Comment pods:** Groups of creators who agree to like and comment on each other's posts as soon as they go up, to push them in the feed. The people are real; their interest in your product isn't. - **Giveaway followers:** People who followed to enter a prize draw. Real people, but many followed for the prize and never watch again, so the count overstates the audience. > **Low engagement isn't proof.** Followers drift away over the years, and a creator who changed topic keeps followers from the old one. A weak ratio is a reason to ask questions, not to accuse anyone. ## Signals you can check by hand | Signal | How to check | What it can mean | | --- | --- | --- | | Views or likes per follower far below similar accounts | Median views (TikTok grid, Instagram Reels tab) or likes per follower, against 3 to 5 accounts of a similar size in the same niche | Followers who don't watch: bought, inactive or left over from an old topic. | | Generic or emoji-only comments | Read the comments on 3 recent posts | "Great post" and rows of emoji could sit under anything. Real viewers mention what's in the video. | | The same commenters every time | Compare who comments across those 3 posts | A comment pod, especially if they're creators in unrelated niches commenting within minutes. | | Engagement that doesn't match views | Compare likes and comments with plays, video by video | Bought views add plays without reactions; bought likes add likes without comments. Watch for posts far off the creator's own pattern. | | Audience in the wrong place | The languages of comments, and the profiles of a few commenters | A creator speaking English to a UK audience whose commenters mostly write in other languages has an audience that may not be able to buy from you. | | Empty follower accounts | Scroll a screen or two of the followers list, where it's visible | Many accounts with no posts, no photo and generated names. | Sudden follower jumps are the classic sign, but they're hard to see from outside: neither Instagram nor TikTok shows past follower counts on a public profile. Note the count when you first find an account and again a few weeks later, and ask the creator for the growth chart in their insights. A jump with no viral post to explain it is worth a question. A sharp fall can mean a clean-up: TikTok says that when it detects inauthentic metrics, it removes "fake likes, followers, or other inflated signals" ([TikTok's integrity guidelines](https://www.tiktok.com/safety/en/policies-and-engagement/integrity-authenticity)). On Instagram, if a profile offers an "About this account" panel, it shows when the account joined, the country it's based in and its former usernames. Many past usernames can mean an account was bought or repurposed. ## Why the median beats the average Say a TikTok account with 50,000 followers has these plays on its last 9 videos: 1,200, 1,300, 1,400, 1,500, 1,600, 1,700, 1,800, 2,100 and 240,000. The average is about 28,000 plays, or 56% of followers, which looks healthy. The median, the middle value once they're sorted, is 1,600, or 3.2% of followers. The viral video hides the fact that a typical video reaches 1,600 people. Bought engagement is bought post by post, and if it lands on a few posts, the median sets those aside too. A big gap between the average and the median is itself worth noticing. Use posts at least 3 days old, since newer ones are still collecting views. The [TikTok engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/tiktok-engagement-rate-calculator) and the [Instagram engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator) take the medians for you. ## A quick check, step by step 1. **Pick a yardstick.** Find 3 to 5 accounts in the same niche with a similar follower count. Ratios only mean something next to accounts like it. 2. **Work out the medians.** Views per follower and engagement for the creator and the yardstick accounts, from posts at least 3 days old. 3. **Read the comments.** Three recent posts: are they about the content, in the right languages, from different people each time? 4. **Sample the followers.** Scroll a screen or two of the followers list, if it's visible. 5. **Note the follower count and date.** Check again before you pay. A jump in between, with no viral post to explain it, is a question to ask. 6. **Ask for insights.** For anything beyond a free product, ask the creator for their audience figures, as below. ## What to ask the creator for The best evidence is the platform's own data, which only the creator can see. Ask for screenshots of their audience insights, or for a larger deal, a short screen recording scrolling through them: - **Instagram:** insights show where followers are, their age ranges and gender, and follower growth, for creator and business accounts ([About Instagram insights](https://help.instagram.com/788388387972460)). - **TikTok:** Analytics has a Followers tab with gender, age and top locations, and a Viewers page; TikTok says the viewer figures come from predictive models rather than confirmed data ([TikTok's guide to analytics](https://www.tiktok.com/creator-academy/en/article/tool-analytics-intro)). - **A past brand post:** its reach or views and link clicks, which show what a paid post did rather than what an account looks like. Explain why: you're checking the audience is in your markets, not accusing anyone. If you pay per result, the question matters less; our guide to [paying TikTok and Instagram creators](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators) covers the options. ## What tools and the rules can tell you Third-party "fake follower" checkers estimate from public numbers and their own models. Unless the creator connects their account, none sees the platform's own audience data, so treat any score as a prompt to look closer, not a verdict. Both platforms ban buying engagement. Instagram warns against [apps that offer likes and followers](https://help.instagram.com/263751177667145), and TikTok's guidelines don't allow "buying or selling followers or engagement for financial gain". In the US, the FTC's 2024 rule on fake reviews and testimonials prohibits buying or selling fake indicators of social media influence, such as followers or views from bots or hijacked accounts, where the buyer knew or should have known they were fake and uses them for a commercial purpose ([FTC announcement](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/08/federal-trade-commission-announces-final-rule-banning-fake-reviews-testimonials)). The rule applies to anyone, brands included. This isn't legal advice. ## How Nakodo's score handles it Nakodo doesn't detect fake followers or label anyone as having them. Its engagement part measures what an audience does, so an account whose followers don't watch or react scores low, whatever the reason: - **TikTok:** (likes + comments) / views. 1% gives 30 points, 3% gives 60, 6% gives 90, 10% or more gives 100. - **Instagram:** (likes + comments) / followers, because Instagram doesn't share other accounts' views. 0.5% gives 30, 2% gives 60, 5% gives 90, 8% or more gives 100. - **Views per follower,** averaged in where views are available, as on TikTok: 2% gives 25, 10% gives 65, 30% or more gives 100. Points run on straight lines in between, and medians use posts at least 3 days old when there are at least 3. These are Nakodo's own thresholds, not an industry benchmark. Comments aren't read on Instagram or TikTok, so reading them stays with you. The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I spot fake followers? Compare the account's median views and likes per follower with 3 to 5 similar accounts, read the comments on recent posts for generic or repeated praise, and check that commenters write in the creator's language. Then ask the creator for screenshots of their audience insights, which show where followers are. ### How can I check if an influencer has fake followers? Start with what's public: views or likes per follower against similar accounts, the comments, and a sample of the followers list. Then ask the creator for their Instagram insights or TikTok analytics. Only the platform's own data shows the audience's location and age, and only the creator can see it. ### Can a tool detect fake followers reliably? No outside tool can be certain. Third-party checkers estimate from public numbers, and unless the creator connects their account, they don't see the platform's own audience data. Use any score as a reason to look closer, then check the comments and ask the creator for their insights. ### Is buying followers illegal? It breaks Instagram's and TikTok's rules everywhere. In the US, the FTC's 2024 rule prohibits buying or selling fake followers or views where the buyer knew or should have known they were fake and uses them commercially. Rules elsewhere differ, so check locally. ### Why does a creator have lots of followers but few views? Bought followers are one reason, but not the only one. Followers drift away over time, viral videos bring followers who never return, and a creator who changed topic keeps the old audience. Ask about it, and judge the account on recent median views. --- # YouTube engagement rate calculator Source: https://nakodo.app/tools/engagement-rate-calculator Updated: 2026-10-03 Enter the views, likes and comments of a channel's recent videos and the calculator gives each video's engagement rate, (likes + comments) / views, and the median across them. Add the subscriber count to see median views as a share of subscribers. Use at least three recent videos that are a few days old, all long-form or all Shorts, and read the result alongside the comments, not on its own. ## How to collect the numbers Everything the calculator needs is public on YouTube. It starts with three rows and takes up to ten videos. 1. **Open the channel's Videos tab.** Use the Videos tab rather than the Shorts or Live tabs, and leave out live stream replays. 2. **Skip the newest uploads.** Leave out anything posted in the last few days, because it's still collecting views. Then take videos in order, not your favourites. 3. **Copy views, likes and comments for each video.** The view count is under the video (open the description for the exact figure), the like count is on the like button, and the comment count sits above the comments. Like counts are rounded, which is close enough. 4. **Add the subscriber count, if you want it.** It's under the channel name, also rounded. With it, the calculator also shows median views as a share of subscribers. 5. **Don't mix Shorts and long-form.** Use long-form videos only, or Shorts only. The two are watched in different ways, and mixing them makes the median meaningless. ## Why it uses the median, not the average One viral video can make an average meaningless. Say a creator's last five videos got 8,000, 9,500, 10,000, 11,000 and 120,000 views. The average is 31,700, which no ordinary video comes near. The median, the middle value once they're sorted, is 10,000: a much fairer guess at what the next video will get. With an even number of videos, the median is halfway between the two middle values. Engagement rate works the same way: a video that spread far beyond the usual viewers may have an unusually low rate, and the median sets it aside. ## How to read the result Engagement rate here is (likes + comments) / views. Some sites divide by subscribers instead, so only compare figures worked out the same way. There's no universal good number: compare a channel with its own past videos, and with similar channels measured the same way. Median views as a share of subscribers, or [views per subscriber](https://nakodo.app/glossary#views-per-subscriber), shows how much of the audience still turns up. A low share means the subscriber count overstates today's reach. The calculator also shows the points each figure would earn in Nakodo's fit score. These are thresholds Nakodo chose to judge one channel on its own numbers, not industry benchmarks: Nakodo's own thresholds, not industry benchmarks: | Measure | Value | Points out of 100 | | --- | --- | --- | | Engagement rate | 1% | 30 | | Engagement rate | 3% | 60 | | Engagement rate | 6% | 90 | | Engagement rate | 10% or more | 100 | | Views per subscriber | 2% | 25 | | Views per subscriber | 10% | 65 | | Views per subscriber | 30% or more | 100 | The score follows straight lines between these points, and from the first point down to 0 at zero. Nakodo averages the two into the engagement part of its score; the rest of the method is on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## What the numbers can't tell you - **Likes can be hidden.** A creator can choose not to show a video's like count. Leave those videos out rather than entering zero, which would drag the rate down. - **Numbers can be bought.** Views, likes and comments can all be inflated, so read the comments too. Generic praise and repeated phrases are a warning; questions about the topic are a good sign. - **Counts are rounded.** Like and subscriber counts are shortened on YouTube, so treat the result as approximate. - **Engagement isn't sales.** Whether viewers buy depends on fit with your product. See [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). For the reasoning behind the formula and what else to weigh, read our [guide to YouTube engagement rate](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-engagement-rate). ## Doing this for many channels Nakodo works these numbers out for every channel it finds, from up to 20 recent uploads at least 3 days old, preferring long-form over Shorts. It also samples comments from 3 recent videos and sorts them into questions, discussion, praise, spam and self-promotion: the part a calculator can't do. ## Questions ### How do you calculate engagement rate on YouTube? Add a video's likes and comments, divide by its views, and multiply by 100 for a percentage. Do it for several recent videos and take the median, so one viral upload doesn't skew the result. Some formulas divide by subscribers instead, which measures something different. ### What is a good engagement rate on YouTube? There's no single good number, because rates vary with niche, format and channel size. Compare a channel against its own past videos and against similar channels measured the same way. Nakodo's fit score gives 60 points at 3% and 90 at 6%, but those are Nakodo's own thresholds, not industry benchmarks. ### Should I include Shorts when calculating engagement rate? Not mixed with long-form videos. Shorts and long-form videos are watched in different ways, so their numbers don't belong in the same median. Calculate them separately if the channel makes both, and use the format you would sponsor. ### Can YouTube engagement be faked? Yes. Views, likes and comments can all be bought, so a high rate alone proves little. Read a sample of comments: real viewers ask questions, disagree and mention details from the video, while bought comments tend to be generic and repetitive. --- # YouTube sponsorship cost calculator Source: https://nakodo.app/tools/sponsorship-cost-calculator Updated: 2026-10-03 This calculator does the arithmetic of pricing a YouTube sponsorship. Turn a CPM into a fee (views / 1,000 x CPM), turn a creator's quote into an effective CPM (fee / views x 1,000), and work out your break-even CPM and fee from your profit per sale and expected sales per 1,000 views. It shows no going rate, because there isn't one: it puts quotes on one scale and shows your own ceiling. ## Why there's no going rate here This page publishes no typical price per view or per subscriber. Prices depend on things one number can't hold: the niche, the format (an integration, a dedicated video or a Short), the [usage rights](https://nakodo.app/glossary#usage-rights) and exclusivity you ask for, timing, and the creator. What you can do is put every quote on the same scale and know the most you can afford. That's what the three parts of the calculator are for. Pick $, £ or € in the calculator; the arithmetic is the same in any currency. ## What each part works out - **1. Fee from a CPM:** Enter the views you expect and a CPM you choose. It gives fee = views / 1,000 x CPM. For expected views, use the median views of the creator's recent videos. The CPM is up to you: what you've paid before, or the break-even from part three. - **2. Check a quote:** Enter the creator's quoted fee and the expected views. It gives the effective CPM = fee / views x 1,000, putting large and small channels on one scale. - **3. Break-even:** Enter your profit per sale and the sales you expect per 1,000 views, from your own past campaigns or a cautious guess. It gives the break-even CPM (profit per sale x sales per 1,000 views) and the break-even fee at your expected views. Pay more than that and the sponsorship loses money on tracked sales. ## A worked example These numbers are made up to show the method. Say a creator's last 12 long-form videos have a median of 40,000 views, and they quote £1,200 for an integration. 1. **Check the quote.** £1,200 / 40,000 x 1,000 gives an effective CPM of £30. 2. **Work out your break-even.** You make £25 profit per sale, and a past campaign brought about 1.5 sales per 1,000 views. The break-even CPM is £25 x 1.5 = £37.50, so at 40,000 views the break-even fee is 40 x £37.50 = £1,500. 3. **Compare.** The £1,200 quote is below the £1,500 break-even, so it pays for itself if the video does as well as a typical one. 4. **Counter-offer, if you want to.** If you'd rather pay a CPM of £25, part one gives 40,000 / 1,000 x £25 = £1,000. If your sales figure is a guess, run it again at half. At 0.75 sales per 1,000 views the break-even fee falls to £750, and the same quote looks expensive. ## Getting the inputs right - **Expected views: median, recent, same format.** Use the median of the last 10 to 20 long-form videos, leaving out any from the last few days. For a Short, use Shorts only. - **Profit per sale, not price.** Take off product cost, shipping, payment fees and the discount the creator's viewers get. - **Sales per 1,000 views from your own data.** Use past sponsorships if you have them. If not, make a cautious guess and treat the first sponsorship as the way to get a real figure. See [how to measure YouTube sponsorships](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-measure-youtube-sponsorships). - **Count the whole cost.** Add free product, shipping and any usage rights to the fee before comparing. Break-even on tracked sales is a cautious test, since some buyers never use a code or link. For what goes into a fair offer, read [how much to pay YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers), and for the term itself see [CPM](https://nakodo.app/glossary#cpm). ## Where Nakodo fits Nakodo works out median views for every creator it finds, from up to 20 recent uploads at least 3 days old, preferring long-form over Shorts. That gives you the expected views without counting by hand. It doesn't suggest fees or negotiate; the method is on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How much should I pay a YouTuber for a sponsorship? There's no standard rate: it depends on the niche, format, usage rights and the creator. Work out your break-even fee from your profit per sale and expected sales per 1,000 views, and compare each quote as a cost per 1,000 views based on the creator's median views. ### How do I calculate a YouTube sponsorship CPM? Divide the fee by the expected views and multiply by 1,000. For a hypothetical £1,200 quote on a channel whose recent videos get a median of 40,000 views, that's £30 per 1,000 views. Use the median views of recent videos, not subscribers or the best video. ### Why doesn't the calculator show average YouTuber rates? Because there's no reliable going rate to show. Prices vary with niche, format, usage rights, timing and the creator, and a single average would hide all of that. Comparing quotes on one scale against your own break-even is a sounder way to decide. ### What is a break-even CPM? It's the most you can pay per 1,000 views before a sponsorship loses money on tracked sales. Multiply your profit per sale by the sales you expect per 1,000 views. If you make £25 per sale and expect 1.5 sales per 1,000 views, your break-even CPM is £37.50. ### Should I use subscriber count to price a sponsorship? No. Subscriber counts include people who stopped watching long ago, so they overstate what a new video will get. Use the median views of the creator's recent videos in the format you're sponsoring. --- # TikTok engagement rate calculator Source: https://nakodo.app/tools/tiktok-engagement-rate-calculator Updated: 2026-10-03 Enter the views, likes and comments from a TikTok account's recent videos and this calculator gives each video's engagement rate, (likes + comments) ÷ views, and the median across them. Add the follower count to see views per follower: median views ÷ followers. Skip pinned videos and anything under 3 days old. There's no universal good rate, so compare the result with similar creators measured the same way. ## How to collect the numbers Everything the calculator needs is on the public profile. It starts with 3 rows and takes up to 10 videos. 1. **Skip pinned videos.** Pinned videos sit at the top of the grid, labelled Pinned. They're often older hits and say little about a typical video. 2. **Skip videos under 3 days old.** A new video is still collecting views, so its numbers will change. Start from the first video at least 3 days old. 3. **Take the next videos in order.** Use 3 to 10 consecutive videos, not the ones that look best. 4. **Copy views, likes and comments.** Views are on each thumbnail in the profile grid; likes and comments are beside the video when you open it. TikTok rounds large counts, such as 12.3K, which is close enough. 5. **Add the follower count, if you want it.** It's at the top of the profile. With it, the calculator adds views per follower. A row counts once it has views, and empty likes or comments count as zero. To leave a video out, remove its row. Everything runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere. ## What the calculator works out - **Median engagement rate:** (Likes + comments) ÷ views for each video, shown beside its row, and the median across them. - **Views per follower:** Median views ÷ followers: how far a typical video travels compared with the size of the following. - **Nakodo engagement points:** Out of 100: the points for the rate, averaged with the points for views per follower when you give followers. Nakodo's fit score uses the same thresholds. Nakodo's own thresholds, not industry benchmarks: | Measure | Value | Points out of 100 | | --- | --- | --- | | Engagement rate per view | 1% | 30 | | Engagement rate per view | 3% | 60 | | Engagement rate per view | 6% | 90 | | Engagement rate per view | 10% or more | 100 | | Views per follower | 2% | 25 | | Views per follower | 10% | 65 | | Views per follower | 30% or more | 100 | Straight lines join the points, starting from 0 at zero. With made-up numbers: a median rate of 4.5% sits halfway between 3% and 6%, so it earns 75 points. Views at 18% of followers sit two fifths of the way from 10% to 30%, so they earn 79. The engagement points are the average, 77. ## Why per view, not per follower TikTok's For You feed shows videos to people who don't follow the account, so a video's audience can be far larger or smaller than the following. Dividing by followers mixes how many people saw a video with how they responded. Per view measures the response; views per follower measures the reach. Say two made-up accounts each have 100,000 followers and get 1,500 likes and comments on a typical video. One gets 20,000 views a video, a 7.5% rate per view; the other gets 150,000, a 1% rate. Per follower, both come out at 1.5%, and the difference disappears. The [YouTube engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/engagement-rate-calculator) uses the same per-view formula. Instagram mostly hides other accounts' views, so the [Instagram engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator) works per follower. ## Why the median Say an account's last five videos got 9,000, 12,000, 14,000, 15,000 and 400,000 views. The average is 90,000, which no ordinary video comes near. The median, the middle value once they're sorted, is 14,000: a fairer guess at what the next video gets, and a sounder base for [what to pay](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators). The same goes for the rate. ## Shares, saves and what the rate leaves out TikTok shows shares and saves on every video, and some formulas add them: (likes + comments + shares + saves) ÷ views. This calculator and Nakodo's fit score use likes and comments only, the same formula as on YouTube, so one set of thresholds works on both. Don't compare figures worked out different ways, but do note shares and saves by hand. - **Numbers can be bought.** Views, likes and comments can all be inflated, so read the comments too. See [spotting fake followers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-spot-fake-followers). - **Counts are rounded,** so treat the result as approximate. - **The creator sees more.** Their own analytics show figures such as [average watch time](https://newsroom.tiktok.com/product-tutorial-tiktok-analytics?lang=en). Ask for screenshots before a paid deal. ## What counts as a good TikTok engagement rate There's no universal good number. Rates vary with niche, account size and what the videos ask viewers to do, and an average quoted elsewhere may use a different formula. Compare the account with its own recent videos, and with similar accounts in the same niche and size, measured the same way. Nakodo's thresholds are its own, made to judge one account on its own numbers, not an industry standard. A low score doesn't make a creator bad: fewer viewers respond in public. ## Doing this for many accounts Nakodo works these numbers out for every TikTok account it finds, from exact views, likes and comments on 3 recent videos at least 3 days old, on these thresholds. It counts comments on TikTok but doesn't read them, so its score leaves comment quality out and reweights the other parts. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works) has the full method. ## Questions ### How does this TikTok engagement rate calculator work? Enter views, likes and comments for 3 to 10 recent videos. It works out each video's rate, (likes + comments) ÷ views, and the median. Add followers to get views per follower. It also shows the points Nakodo's fit score would give. It runs in your browser and sends nothing anywhere. ### How do you calculate engagement rate on TikTok? Add a video's likes and comments, divide by its views and multiply by 100 for a percentage. Do it for several recent videos, skipping pinned ones and any under 3 days old, and take the median so one viral video doesn't skew the result. ### What is a good engagement rate on TikTok? There's no single good number: rates vary with niche, account size and video style. Compare an account with its own recent videos and with similar accounts measured the same way. Nakodo gives 60 points at 3% per view and 90 at 6%, but those are its own thresholds, not a benchmark. ### Should TikTok engagement rate include shares and saves? It can, if you use the same formula for every account you compare. This calculator and Nakodo's score use likes and comments only, as on YouTube, so a rate that adds shares and saves isn't comparable with theirs. --- # Instagram engagement rate calculator Source: https://nakodo.app/tools/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator Updated: 2026-10-03 Enter an Instagram account's followers and the likes and comments on its recent posts, and this calculator gives each post's engagement rate, (likes + comments) ÷ followers, and the median. Add view counts where Reels show them to get views per follower. Per follower is what anyone can work out from outside, because other accounts' reach isn't public. For engagement by reach, ask the creator for insights screenshots. ## How to collect the numbers The calculator starts with 3 rows and takes up to 10 posts. 1. **Note the follower count.** It's required, and it's at the top of the profile. Rounded counts are close enough. 2. **Skip pinned posts and anything under 3 days old.** Creators can [pin posts](https://help.instagram.com/318456537074409) to the top of their grid, often older favourites. Newer posts are still collecting likes. 3. **Take the next posts in order.** Use 3 to 10 consecutive posts, not the best-looking ones, in the format you'd pay for. 4. **Copy likes and comments.** Both are under each post. If the like count is hidden, leave Likes blank: a post without likes is left out of the rate rather than counted as zero. 5. **Add views where a Reel shows them.** Instagram doesn't show other accounts' views on most posts. Where a Reel shows a view count, usually on its thumbnail in the Reels tab, add it. Everything runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere. ## What the calculator works out - **Median engagement rate:** (Likes + comments) ÷ followers for each post, shown beside its row, and the median across the posts with likes. - **Views per follower:** The median views of the posts that have a view count, ÷ followers. It appears only when at least 3 posts have views, because fewer say little. - **Nakodo engagement points:** Out of 100: the rate's points, averaged with the views per follower points when there are enough views. Nakodo's fit score uses the same thresholds. Nakodo's own thresholds, not industry benchmarks: | Measure | Points out of 100 | | --- | --- | | Engagement rate per follower | 0.5% gives 30, 2% gives 60, 5% gives 90, 8% or more gives 100 | | Views per follower | 2% gives 25, 10% gives 65, 30% or more gives 100 | Straight lines join the points, starting from 0 at zero. Per follower has its own scale, so never compare an Instagram rate with a per-view rate from [TikTok](https://nakodo.app/tools/tiktok-engagement-rate-calculator) or YouTube. ## Why Instagram engagement is per follower On TikTok and YouTube every video shows its views, so engagement can be divided by the people who watched. Instagram doesn't show other accounts' views on most posts, so the only audience figure visible from outside is followers. Nakodo has the same limit: Meta's official Business Discovery API, which it reads, doesn't share other accounts' view counts. Remember what the rate measures: response for the account's size, not per person who saw the post. Followers include people who've stopped looking and accounts that were bought. ## Engagement by reach is in the creator's insights Engagement per account reached exists only in the creator's insights. Professional accounts can see accounts reached and interactions for each [post](https://help.instagram.com/553860108359435) and [Reel](https://help.instagram.com/323823612324730). Before a paid deal, ask for screenshots of: - **A run of recent posts,** not the best one. - **Stories,** if you're paying for them, since their reach is never public. - **The audience:** top countries and age ranges, to check they match your customers. Engagement by reach is interactions ÷ accounts reached; compare it only with other reach-based figures. Reach is also the base for [pricing Stories and carousels](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators). ## Hidden likes, Reels and carousels Creators can [hide like and view counts](https://help.instagram.com/113355287252104) on their posts. Leave those likes blank so they don't pull the rate down. If most posts hide likes, rely on insights screenshots instead. A Reel can be recommended to people who don't follow the account, so one that travels can earn likes from well beyond the following and push its per-follower rate up. A median across Reels, carousels and single images describes none of them well, so measure the format you're paying for. ## Why the median Say an account has 20,000 followers and its last five posts got 300, 350, 380, 420 and 2,900 likes and comments. Per follower that's 1.5%, 1.75%, 1.9%, 2.1% and 14.5%. The average is 4.35%, which no ordinary post comes near. The median, 1.9%, is what a typical post gets. On Nakodo's scale, 1.9% per follower earns 58 points. If 3 Reels have a median of 3,000 views, that's 15% views per follower, worth about 74 points, and the engagement points are their average, 66. ## What counts as a good Instagram engagement rate There's no universal number. Rates vary with account size, niche and format mix, and figures quoted elsewhere may divide by reach instead. Compare an account with its own history and with similar accounts measured the same way. Nakodo's thresholds are its own, not a benchmark. A high rate can be bought too, so read the comments and see [spotting fake followers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-spot-fake-followers). ## Doing this for many accounts Nakodo reads public professional accounts through the Business Discovery API: followers, bio, website and the latest 12 posts, with likes (unless hidden), comment counts and dates. Personal accounts are never read. Medians use posts at least 3 days old when there are at least 3, scored on these thresholds. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; see [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works), or [how to find Instagram creators](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-instagram-influencers) by hand. ## Questions ### How does the Instagram engagement rate calculator work? Enter the account's followers, then likes and comments for 3 to 10 recent posts, and views for Reels that show them. It gives each post's rate, (likes + comments) ÷ followers, the median, views per follower when at least 3 posts have views, and Nakodo's engagement points. It runs in your browser. ### How do you calculate engagement rate on Instagram? Add a post's likes and comments, divide by the account's followers and multiply by 100. Do it for several recent posts, skipping pinned ones and any under 3 days old, and take the median. With the creator's insights you can divide by accounts reached instead, but don't mix the two. ### What is engagement rate by followers? It's likes plus comments divided by the account's follower count. On Instagram it's the figure anyone can work out from outside, because other accounts' views and reach aren't generally public. It shows how much response an account gets for its size, not how many people saw each post. ### What is a good engagement rate on Instagram? There's no single good number: rates vary with account size, niche and the mix of Reels, carousels and images. Compare an account with its own history and with similar accounts measured the same way. Nakodo gives 60 points at 2% per follower and 90 at 5%, but those are its own thresholds. --- # How to find tech YouTubers to sponsor Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/tech Updated: 2026-10-03 To find tech YouTubers to sponsor, search YouTube the way your buyers do before they buy, with comparisons, "best X for Y" and problem searches in your category, and look at the channels behind the videos. Favour reviewers whose recent uploads stay in your sub-niche, whose comments ask buying questions, and who are clear about how they handle review units. Match the sub-niche before you look at subscriber counts. ## What tech looks like on YouTube Tech is not one audience. Someone watching a PC build guide and someone watching a smart doorbell review may never overlap, so pick the corner your buyer lives in first. - **Smartphones and mobile:** Launch reviews, long-term reviews and camera comparisons. Suits phone makers, cases, chargers and mobile apps. - **PC building and components:** Build guides, benchmarks and part-picking advice. Suits components, cooling, peripherals and PC software. Viewers notice a vague spec claim. - **Smart home:** Installation walkthroughs and ecosystem comparisons. Suits devices, hubs, security cameras and their apps. - **Productivity and desk setups:** Desk tours, workflow videos and app roundups. Suits monitors, desks, chairs, keyboards and productivity software. - **Audio:** Headphone, earbud and speaker reviews, sometimes with measurements. Suits audio hardware and music services. - **Cameras and creator gear:** Cameras, microphones and lights, reviewed for people who make videos. Suits creator tools and editing software. - **Budget tech:** Cheap alternatives, "is it worth it" tests and value roundups. Suits challenger brands and products that compete on price. ## Searches that turn up tech reviewers Search for what your buyer types before they buy, not for "tech YouTuber". Swap in your own category: - best wireless earbuds under 100 - phone camera comparison - budget gaming pc build - how to set up a smart home - minimal desk setup tour - best laptop for students - mechanical keyboard for typing - mesh wifi vs extender - long term review - fix laptop overheating - best monitor for working from home - noise cancelling headphones comparison - smart doorbell without subscription - usb c hub for macbook These searches return videos made for someone in the middle of a decision, so the results are mostly independent reviewers and explainers. A brand or model name returns the maker's own channel and retailers instead. Then check each channel's recent uploads stay on the same ground: one that grew on phones may now cover cars or money. ## Formats that work for tech sponsorships | Format | Suits | Watch for | | --- | --- | --- | | Dedicated review | Hardware with something to show and test | The creator keeps the verdict. Agree that in writing. | | Comparison or roundup | Products in a crowded category | Your product sits next to rivals, and may not win every test. | | Integrated segment | Software, apps and services | A short read in the creator's voice inside a video on another subject. | | Setup or desk tour | Peripherals, furniture, accessories | The product appears in daily use. | | Tutorial | Smart home, software | Shows the product solving a real problem. | | Unboxing and first impressions | Launches | Light on verdict. Best paired with a later review. | Tech viewers care about the line between a paid review and an independent one, so be clear which you are buying: a sponsored segment buys your message, a review buys an honest opinion. The [sponsorship formats guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats) covers how to brief each. ## What to check before you send a review unit - **Review independence.** Some reviewers publish a policy: no previews for brands, or no paid reviews at all, only sponsored segments. Read it, and don't ask to approve an opinion. - **What happens to the unit.** Some channels return units, some keep them, some give them away. Say in your first message whether you want it back. [Product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube) covers sending kit with no strings. - **Launch-day timing.** Agree any embargo in writing and send the unit early enough for real testing. Launch coverage arrives in a crowd; a review a few weeks later still reaches people deciding. - **What the comments ask.** Viewers asking which version to buy are a buying audience. A comment section of jokes is a fan audience: good for awareness, weaker for sales. - **Region.** Prices, models and plugs differ by country. Check your product is sold where the creator's viewers live. For the checks that aren't specific to tech, such as engagement and sponsor history, see [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). ## Timing around launches and sales Tech runs on launches and sales events. Check the dates of the big launches in your category, and when searches for your kind of product rise on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/). Ask creators when they plan gift guides and deal videos, and contact them before then. If your product isn't tied to a launch, avoid the busy weeks around the big ones. ## How Nakodo helps with tech campaigns Nakodo starts from your website, not from the word "tech". It reads your site and writes a brief with 3 to 6 groups of YouTube search keywords taken from what you actually sell, such as "usb c hub for macbook" rather than "gadgets", and you can edit them before it searches. Each creator's recent videos are checked by AI against your brief, and the fit score is never higher than that check, so a channel that has drifted from your category scores low at once. [How it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works) explains the method. ## Questions ### How do I find tech YouTubers to sponsor? Search YouTube for the comparison, "best X for Y" and problem searches your buyers run, then look at the channels behind the videos that answer them well. Before you write, check their recent uploads stay in your sub-niche and their comments ask buying questions. ### How much do tech YouTubers charge for a sponsored video? There's no standard rate: a quote depends on the creator's views, the format and how much testing the video takes. Start from their median views on recent long-form videos and a cost per thousand views you can justify, then compare that with what they ask. The [sponsorship cost calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/sponsorship-cost-calculator) does the arithmetic. ### Can I pay a tech reviewer for a positive review? No. Payment buys the video, not the verdict, and a paid video has to be disclosed, including with YouTube's paid promotion label. If you want your message delivered as written, buy a clearly marked sponsored segment rather than a review. ### Should I send tech influencers a free product instead of paying? A unit with no strings suits smaller channels and products worth testing, and it keeps the creator's verdict free. Say whether you want it back and that there's no obligation to cover it. If you need a video on a set date, pay for one. ### When should I contact tech YouTubers about a product launch? Several weeks before launch day, so the reviewer can use the product properly before the embargo lifts, and agree that date in writing. If you miss the launch window, a later review still reaches buyers who are researching. --- # Finding gaming YouTubers for brand deals Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/gaming Updated: 2026-10-03 Gaming YouTubers are best found by game and genre, not by the word "gaming". Search for the guides, tier lists and settings videos your buyers watch, then look at the channels behind them. Before you sponsor one, check whether the channel is mostly live or edited, how old its audience is likely to be, and whether your product makes sense to someone who plays those games. ## How gaming splits up on YouTube Gaming viewers follow games and genres more than gaming as a whole. A strategy audience and a horror let's-play audience share little beyond a controller, so start from the corner your product belongs in. - **Let's plays and playthroughs:** Long sessions of one game with commentary. Suits chairs, headsets, drinks and games looking for players. - **Competitive and esports:** Ranked play, match analysis and tips. Suits peripherals where performance matters, such as mice and fast monitors. - **Guides and walkthroughs:** Boss guides, builds and beginner tips. Viewers arrive with a problem, which suits companion apps and games in the same genre. - **Indie and game discovery:** Reviews and roundups of smaller games. Suits indie studios and publishers. - **Retro and collecting:** Old consoles, repairs and restorations. Suits accessories, modding parts and displays. Audiences here often skew older. - **Mobile gaming:** Tier lists and beginner tips for phone games. Suits other mobile games and controllers. - **Cosy and simulation:** Farming, life-sim and building games, with a calmer tone. Suits similar games and lifestyle products. ## Searches that find gaming creators Use the words players use, and put a game or genre in most searches. Replace these with games your buyers play: - best settings for low end pc - beginner guide roguelike - mobile rpg tier list - relaxing games to play after work - best gaming headset under 100 - how to start streaming with obs - retro console restoration - underrated indie games - how to reduce input lag - controller vs mouse and keyboard - budget gaming monitor review - handheld gaming pc comparison - best strategy games on pc - is it worth playing now Guide and problem searches return creators who teach, and their viewers are actively playing. A game's title on its own mostly returns trailers and the publisher's channel. ## Live, edited and the formats that fit Gaming creators work in two modes. Edited videos are planned and found through search for months. Live streams are long, unscripted and driven by the chat. Many creators do both. - **Integrated read in an edited video.** A short segment in the creator's voice at a planned point. The easiest format to brief, check and measure. - **Live mention.** A read during a stream, with a link in the chat. It varies with the session, so agree how many mentions and roughly when. - **Sponsored playthrough.** For games, the creator plays yours. Let them react honestly; viewers can tell a forced reaction. - **Setup tour or hardware review.** Peripherals, chairs and lighting shown in daily use. - **Shorts and clips.** Useful as an add-on to a deal rather than the whole of it. More on each is in [YouTube sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats). For live work, ask for the recording afterwards and judge it on that recording's views, not on how many people were watching at the peak. ## What to check before you sponsor a gaming channel - **Audience age.** Many gaming audiences include under-18s. You can't see a channel's age data, but you can read the signs: the games, the tone of the comments, and whether videos are set as made for kids, which turns comments off. Advertising rules are stricter where children watch, and some products don't belong there at all; see the [disclosure rules guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules). - **Language and unplanned moments.** Watch a full stream recording, not only the highlights. Decide where your [brand safety](https://nakodo.app/glossary#brand-safety) line is before you watch. - **Like-for-like numbers.** Edited videos and stream recordings on the same channel get very different views. Look at median views for the format you're buying. - **One game or many.** A single-game channel can have a loyal audience, and it rises and falls with that game. Ask what they plan to cover next. - **Sponsor history.** Read recent descriptions for competing sponsors, and raise exclusivity early if it matters to you. [How to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator) has the rest of the checklist, for any channel. ## Release dates and the gaming calendar Gaming runs on release dates. Look up a few titles in your genre on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/) to see how interest moves around launches and big updates, and check the release dates of the big games coming up. If your product isn't a game, a week without a major release gives your sponsorship more room. ## How Nakodo helps with gaming campaigns Nakodo builds its searches from your website, so a headset brand gets keywords about headsets and settings rather than "gaming" in general, and you can edit them before it searches. Each channel's numbers come from its recent uploads, preferring long-form over Shorts. It flags channels that are mostly Shorts, have comments turned off or have too few comments to judge; a channel with comments off across its videos is worth a closer look at who watches. The method is on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find gaming YouTubers for brand deals? Search YouTube by game and genre for the guides, tier lists and settings videos your buyers watch, then look at the channels behind the results. Check whether each is mostly live or edited, how old its audience is likely to be, and its recent sponsors. ### How much should I pay a gaming YouTuber? Price the format you're buying. For an edited video, start from median views on recent long-form uploads and a cost per thousand views you can justify; for a live mention, use the views of recent stream recordings instead. The [pay guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) shows the arithmetic. ### Are gaming influencers a good fit for products aimed at adults? Some are. Channels on mature games, strategy, hardware and retro systems often skew older, but there's no public age data for a channel. Read the comments, look at the games covered, and ask the creator for the age breakdown in their YouTube Studio analytics before you agree a deal. ### Should I sponsor a live stream or an edited video? Edited videos are easier to brief and check, and they keep getting found in search. Live mentions reach the most engaged viewers but vary with the session. Start with an edited integration and add live mentions once you trust the creator. ### What does it mean if a gaming channel has comments turned off? Often that its videos are set as made for kids, which turns comments off on YouTube, though it can also be the creator's own choice. Either way you lose a useful signal about the audience, so ask the creator directly who watches. --- # Finding beauty YouTubers who suit your brand Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/beauty Updated: 2026-10-03 To find beauty YouTubers who suit your brand, start from your category and the skin types, hair types or shades it serves, then search for the tutorials, routines and reviews those buyers watch. Open the channels behind the results and check the creator could use your product themselves, how honestly they review, and what their sponsored videos sound like. Agree claims before anyone films. ## The corners of beauty on YouTube Beauty is several audiences that share a vocabulary. A viewer learning a cut crease and a viewer reading up on retinol want different things, and trust different kinds of creator. - **Makeup tutorials and looks:** Step-by-step looks, technique videos and "get ready with me". Suits colour cosmetics and tools, where seeing the product applied matters. - **Skincare and routines:** Routines, ingredient explainers and reviews. Suits skincare, especially where the creator's skin type matches your buyer's. - **Hair:** Styling, colour and care for a particular hair type. Suits hair care and heated tools; hair type matters as much as shade does in makeup. - **Nails:** Nail art, at-home gel and press-on tutorials. Suits polish, lamps, tools and kits. - **Affordable beauty and dupes:** Budget routines, cheaper alternatives and "is it worth the hype" tests. Suits brands that compete on value. - **Sensitive skin and minimal routines:** Short routines, fragrance-free products, reactions. Suits brands with a clear ingredient story they can support. - **Men's grooming:** Shaving, beard care and simple routines. Suits grooming brands and skincare sold to men. - **Fragrance:** Reviews, collections and blind-buy advice. Suits perfume houses and discovery sets; viewers want to hear how a scent smells and lasts. ## Searches that bring up beauty creators Search in the words of a buyer with a particular face, skin or hair in mind. Mix in your own product type: - foundation for oily skin - makeup for hooded eyes - skincare routine for acne prone skin - spf with no white cast - curly hair routine - concealer for dark circles - retinol for beginners - fragrance free moisturiser - gel nails at home - makeup for mature skin - everyday makeup tutorial - affordable dupes - foundation shade match deep skin - is it worth the hype Searches that name a skin type, hair type or concern return creators who share it or teach to it, with viewers asking whether something would work for them. Brand and product names return brand channels and retailers instead. ## Formats that suit beauty sponsorships | Format | What it shows | Suits | | --- | --- | --- | | Tutorial using the product | The product applied, in context | Colour cosmetics, tools, hair styling | | Routine or "get ready with me" | The product as one step among several | Skincare, hair care, fragrance | | Review or wear test | An honest verdict, sometimes after a full day's wear | New formulas, launches | | Dedicated video | One product or range in depth | Larger launches and shade ranges | | Integrated segment | A short read inside an unrelated video | Apps, subscriptions, services | Monthly favourites and empties videos (products the creator used up) carry weight because the creator chose them. [Product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube) is how a brand ends up in one. Wear tests and skincare reviews need time, so send product weeks before you need the video. [YouTube sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats) compares them in more depth. ## What to check before you contact a beauty creator - **Shade range.** If you sell base makeup, check your range includes the creator's shade, and send the right one. A creator who can't wear the product can't show it. - **Skin and hair type.** A creator with dry skin reviewing a mattifying primer is a mismatch for both of you. Watch a few routines to see what they're working with. - **Claims.** A sponsored video is your advertising, so the creator should only say what your own ads could say about wrinkles, spots or hair growth. Give them claims you can support, and check the brief with whoever signs off your marketing. The [disclosure rules guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules) covers labelling. - **Filters and editing.** Ask that results shown on camera aren't filtered or retouched. A filtered result misleads viewers about what the product does. - **Reactions.** For skincare, mention ingredients and patch testing up front, and accept that an honest negative review is possible. - **Past sponsored videos.** Does the creator keep their usual critical voice, or switch to reading a script? Beauty viewers notice the difference. Run the usual checks as well, from engagement to past sponsors: they're in [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). ## When to book beauty videos Check when your products sell before you book: your own sales history, and [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/) for when searches for a phrase such as "heat-proof foundation" rise and fall in each country. Ask each creator when they film seasonal videos, which can be weeks before they go live, and pitch before then. ## How Nakodo helps with beauty campaigns Nakodo reads your website and writes a brief with search keywords drawn from your products, so a fragrance-free skincare brand searches for sensitive-skin routines rather than "beauty". You can edit the keywords, markets and subscriber range first. For each creator it samples recent comments and sorts them into questions, discussion, praise, spam and self-promotion. In beauty, questions such as "would this work on oily skin" show that viewers come to the creator for buying advice. [How it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works) explains the scores. ## Questions ### How do I find beauty influencers on YouTube? Search YouTube for the tutorials, routines and reviews your buyers watch, naming a skin type, hair type or concern rather than "beauty". Open the channels behind the results, then check the creator's own skin, hair or shade, how they handle sponsored videos and what their viewers ask in the comments. ### How much do beauty YouTubers charge for a sponsored video? It depends on views, format and how much work the video takes. Ask for the creator's rate, then divide it by their median views on recent long-form videos and multiply by 1,000: that's the cost per thousand views you'd be paying, which you can compare across creators. The [pay guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) has the method. ### Should I send PR packages to beauty YouTubers? Sending product with no conditions may earn a mention in a favourites video or a review, but it guarantees nothing. Send only what suits the creator's skin, hair or shade, with a short note, and don't chase for coverage. If you need a video on a set date, pay for one. ### Can a beauty YouTuber make claims about my product in a sponsored video? Only claims you could make in your own advertising, because a sponsored video is an ad. Give the creator the claims you can support, let them describe their own experience honestly, and keep any results unfiltered. ### Does the creator need to match my customer's skin type? For skincare, hair care and base makeup it helps a great deal, because viewers watch to see the product on someone like them. For tools, fragrance and nails it matters less, though the creator should still be able to use the product. --- # How to find fitness YouTubers for sponsorships Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/fitness Updated: 2026-10-03 To find fitness YouTubers for your brand, search for the workouts, plans and problems your buyers look up, such as home workouts with no equipment, and look at the channels behind the results. Check that the creator's training style would use your product, what qualifications they claim, and that your health claims sit comfortably with them. Plan early for January, when many viewers start new routines. ## Training styles and the brands that fit Fitness viewers follow a way of training more than fitness in general. A marathon runner and a powerlifter buy different things, and trust different people. - **Home workouts:** Follow-along sessions with little or no equipment. Suits mats, bands, apps and activewear. Viewers come back to these videos to use them. - **Strength and bodybuilding:** Programmes, form checks and gym vlogs. Suits lifting gear, gym clothing, training apps and supplements. - **Running and endurance:** Training plans, race vlogs and shoe reviews. Suits shoes, watches, fuel and recovery products. Viewers expect real mileage before a verdict. - **Yoga, pilates and mobility:** Classes, flexibility routines and posture work. Suits mats, props, clothing and class apps. - **Calisthenics:** Bodyweight skills such as pull-ups and handstands. Suits bars, rings, grips and compact equipment. - **Nutrition and meal prep:** High-protein recipes and "what I eat" videos. Suits food, supplements and kitchen kit. Qualifications matter most here. - **Beginners and later life:** Low-impact, joint-friendly and getting-started videos. Suits accessible equipment and services; anything about pain or recovery needs careful wording. ## Searches that turn up fitness creators Search the way someone about to train does. Put your own equipment, sport or goal in place of these: - 20 minute home workout no equipment - beginner strength training plan - couch to 5k tips - running shoes for flat feet - high protein meal prep - resistance band full body workout - pilates for beginners at home - how to do your first pull up - marathon training week - running watch comparison - creatine explained - low impact workout for knees - gym routine for beginners - kettlebell workout for beginners These searches return coaches, follow-along channels and people documenting their own training. "Fitness" or a supplement name returns brand channels instead. Check each channel's recent videos keep to the same style: fitness creators move between programmes, bulks, cuts and race seasons. ## Workout, review and programme formats - **Follow-along workout with the product in use.** A band, mat or app used through a whole session. It shows the product working, and the video keeps being used. - **Segment in a training vlog.** A read inside a "week of training" or "what I eat" video. Suits nutrition, apparel, wearables and recovery products. - **Long-term review.** Shoes, watches and equipment after weeks of real use. Slower to arrive, and the kind of detail running and cycling viewers ask for. - **Challenge or programme.** A multi-week plan the creator runs with their audience, with the product built in. Needs the most notice. - **Shorts.** Quick form tips and exercise demos. Good for showing equipment, with little room to explain. Briefing notes for each are in [YouTube sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats). ## What to check before you sponsor a fitness channel - **Health claims.** Supplements and anything about weight loss, pain or recovery are tightly regulated in many countries. A sponsored video is your advertising, so the creator should only say what you could say in your own ad. Labelling is covered in the [disclosure rules guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules); take the claims themselves to whoever signs off your marketing. - **Qualifications.** Ask what the creator holds and who issued it, especially if they give nutrition or injury advice. Teaching a squat and advising on a diet are different jobs, and titles mean different things in different countries. - **Safety on camera.** Watch for warm-ups, form and whether they tell beginners how to scale a session. Your product inherits the risk of the video it appears in. - **Body-image tone.** Some channels lean on dramatic before-and-after shots or shaming language. Decide whether that fits your brand before you look at the numbers. - **Real use.** A runner with no strength content is a poor home for a kettlebell. Check they train in a way that would use your product. - **Competing sponsors.** Supplement and apparel deals often come with exclusivity. Look for rivals' discount codes in recent descriptions. The general checklist is in [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). ## When to book fitness videos Check when people search for what you sell: your own sales, and [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/) for a phrase such as "home workout for beginners" in each country. For running and cycling products, a creator's race sets the dates: they train towards it for weeks, so agree kit before the training block starts. Ask when the creator films seasonal videos, and book before then. ## How Nakodo helps with fitness campaigns Because Nakodo takes its keywords from your website, a pilates equipment brand gets searches about reformer and mat workouts, not "fitness". You can edit the brief's keywords and subscriber range before it searches. Its recency score looks at days since the last upload and how many videos went up in the last 90 days, which matters in a niche where creators pause for injuries or between training blocks. Every score comes with its reasons; [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works) explains them. ## Questions ### How do I find fitness influencers on YouTube? Search YouTube for the workouts, plans and problems your buyers look up, then open the channels behind the videos that answer them well. Check that the creator's training style would use your product, what qualifications they claim, and how they talk about health and bodies. ### How much do fitness YouTubers charge for a sponsorship? It depends on the format as much as the audience: a spoken segment, a follow-along workout and a multi-week programme are very different jobs. Price each from the creator's typical views and the work involved, and use the [sponsorship cost calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/sponsorship-cost-calculator) to check the sums. ### Do fitness YouTubers need qualifications to promote my product? It depends on the product and what the creator says about it. Showing a mat in a workout needs no credentials, but advice on nutrition, supplements or injuries carries more weight, and more risk, from someone qualified. Ask what they hold, and keep claims to ones your brand can support. ### When is the best time to sponsor fitness YouTubers? Before the creator films, which for a seasonal video can be weeks before it goes live, so ask. Check when searches for your product rise on Google Trends, and for running kit, work back from the creator's race. Tutorials that keep getting found in search work at any time. ### Can a fitness influencer promote supplements in a sponsored video? Yes, but supplement claims are tightly regulated in many countries and the video counts as your advertising. Give the creator approved wording, make sure the video is labelled as paid promotion, and leave out anything about weight loss or health you couldn't say in your own ad. --- # Finding food and cooking YouTubers to sponsor Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/cooking Updated: 2026-10-03 To find cooking YouTubers to sponsor, search for the dishes, diets and kitchen problems your customers look up, then look at the channels behind the videos that teach them well. Check that the creator cooks the way your buyer does, from weeknight dinners to baking or barbecue, that their recipes work for viewers, and that their audience's diet fits your product. Agree seasonal recipes months ahead. ## The kinds of cooking channel Food on YouTube splits by how people cook, what they eat and why they watch. A sourdough baker and a weeknight family cook rarely share an audience, even though both are "cooking". - **Weeknight and budget cooking:** Quick dinners, batch cooking and cheap meals. Suits everyday ingredients, meal kits, cookware and storage. Viewers cook along, so the product has to be easy to buy. - **Baking and pastry:** Bread, cakes, sourdough and decorating. Suits flour, mixers, ovens, tins and specialist ingredients. Bakers notice method and measurement details. - **Diet-focused cooking:** Vegan, gluten-free, high-protein and low-sugar channels. Suits brands whose product meets that diet exactly; the audience reads labels. - **World and regional cuisines:** Dishes from a particular country or region, often cooked by someone who grew up with them. Suits specialist ingredients and cookware, where authenticity matters. - **Barbecue and fire cooking:** Smokers, grills and cooking over fire. Suits grills, fuel, thermometers, rubs and sauces. - **Kitchen gear and technique:** Knife skills, equipment tests and "is this gadget worth it" videos. Suits cookware and appliances, reviewed much as tech is. - **Food science and chef technique:** Why recipes work, restaurant methods at home. Suits premium ingredients and serious equipment. ## Searches that find cooking creators Search for dishes and problems, the way a hungry person does. Change these to suit what you sell: - easy weeknight dinners - sourdough for beginners - budget meal prep for the week - vegan high protein recipes - gluten free bread recipe - air fryer recipes - how to sharpen a kitchen knife - non stick pan test - cast iron care - how to smoke brisket - authentic ramen at home - one pot pasta - christmas dinner plan - kitchen gadgets worth buying A recipe video has to show the method, so dish and problem searches return people who teach cooking. A food category such as "olive oil" returns brands, recipe sites and supermarket channels instead. Notice the units creators use, too: a channel in grams and Celsius and one in cups and Fahrenheit are usually cooking for different countries. ## Formats that work for food brands | Format | Suits | Note | | --- | --- | --- | | Recipe built around the product | Ingredients, sauces, appliances | The product has to earn its place in the dish. A forced ingredient shows. | | Segment in a regular recipe video | Meal kits, apps, kitchen tools | A short read in the creator's voice, before or after the cooking. | | Equipment test or comparison | Cookware, knives, appliances | The creator keeps the verdict, including notes on cleaning and wear. | | Series or meal plan | Ingredients with many uses, subscriptions | Several videos over weeks. Plan the recipes together. | | Shorts recipe | Snacks, simple ingredients | Fast and visual, with little room for method. | Agree in writing whether you can reuse a recipe the creator develops on your own site or packaging; that's a question of [usage rights](https://nakodo.app/glossary#usage-rights). Each format is set out in more depth in [the formats guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats). ## What to check before you pitch a cooking channel - **Recipe testing.** Read the comments under past recipes. Viewers saying they made it and it worked, or asking about a swap, show the recipes are tested. Repeated "mine came out flat" comments are a warning. - **Dietary audience.** A vegan audience will spot an ingredient that isn't, and a gluten-free audience reads labels for cross-contamination. Check your product fits the channel's diet exactly, and say what's in it. - **Allergens and claims.** Give the creator the exact allergen and nutrition wording. Health claims on food are tightly regulated in many markets, and a sponsored recipe is your advertising. - **Availability.** A recipe built around something viewers can't buy where they live frustrates them. Check where the audience is against where you sell. - **Kitchen fit.** A creator cooking on two rings in a small flat isn't the person for a range cooker, and the reverse. Look at what their kitchen actually has. - **Cooking or styling.** Some channels are about beautiful food more than repeatable recipes. Both reach people, but an ingredient brand wants viewers who cook. Then run the checks every creator gets, set out in [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). ## Timing around holidays Holiday recipes follow the holidays your customers celebrate, so work from their calendar and check when searches for a dish rise in each country on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/). Ask each creator when they film seasonal recipes, which can be weeks before they publish, and agree the sponsorship before then. ## How Nakodo helps with food campaigns Nakodo reads your website and writes a brief with keywords based on what you sell, so a gluten-free flour brand searches for gluten-free bread and baking, not "cooking". The brief also records the countries and languages you sell in, and Nakodo flags creators outside them, which matters when viewers need your product to make the recipe. You can edit the brief before it searches. [How it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works) explains the scores and flags. ## Questions ### How do I find cooking YouTubers to sponsor? Search YouTube for the dishes, diets and kitchen problems your customers look up, then open the channels behind the videos that teach them well. Check that the creator cooks the way your buyer does, that commenters say the recipes work, and that the audience's diet fits your product. ### How much should I pay a food YouTuber for a sponsored recipe? A recipe built around your product takes development and testing as well as filming, so expect it to cost more than a spoken segment. Begin with the creator's typical views on recent videos and what each thousand views is worth to you, then add for the extra work. The [pay guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) has the method. ### Should I ask a cooking creator to develop a recipe with my product? Yes, if the product really belongs in the dish. Let the creator develop and test it in their own style, send enough product to test more than once, and agree beforehand whether you can reuse the recipe yourself. ### Are food influencers on YouTube a good fit for kitchenware brands? Yes, especially channels that test equipment or cook with a consistent set of tools on camera. Look for creators who already explain why they use a particular pan or knife, and expect them to mention drawbacks. ### When should I contact food YouTubers about holiday recipes? Early. Ask each creator when they film seasonal recipes, because it can be weeks or months before they publish, and agree the sponsorship before then. Google Trends shows when searches for a dish rise in each country. --- # How to find coffee YouTubers for your brand Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/coffee Updated: 2026-10-03 To find coffee YouTubers to sponsor, decide which coffee drinker you sell to, from someone buying a first grinder to a home espresso enthusiast or a café owner, and search for the brew guides, grinder comparisons and machine reviews that person watches. Then check the creator's own kit sits at the same price tier as your product, and that their audience brews at home or works in cafés, whichever you need. ## Who's who in coffee on YouTube Coffee is a small niche on YouTube with deep corners. Audiences split by how they brew and how much they've spent on it, and those splits matter more than subscriber count. - **Home espresso:** Machine and grinder reviews, dialling in, workflow tools. Suits machines, grinders, tampers, scales and accessories. Viewers know the kit well and compare closely. - **Pour-over and filter:** Brew guides, recipes and dripper comparisons. Suits drippers, kettles, scales, filter papers and roasters. - **Getting started:** Better coffee at home on a budget, with a cafetière, moka pot or first burr grinder. Suits starter kits, subscriptions and affordable equipment. - **Beans and roasting:** Tasting notes, subscription reviews and home roasting. Suits roasters, subscriptions and green coffee suppliers. - **Café and barista trade:** Latte art, café workflow and running a coffee shop. Suits commercial equipment, milk and plant milks, cups and café software. Part of this audience buys for a business. - **Repairs and restorations:** Descaling, servicing and bringing old espresso machines back to life. Suits parts, cleaning products and tools. - **Cold brew and coffee drinks:** Iced drinks, cold brew and café-style recipes at home. Suits syrups, ready-to-drink coffee and glassware. ## Searches for finding coffee creators Coffee searches name a method or a piece of kit. Use your own product's equivalents: - how to dial in espresso - espresso grinder for beginners - pour over technique - v60 vs chemex - aeropress recipe - moka pot tips - home espresso setup tour - cheap espresso machine worth it - how to steam milk for latte art - coffee subscription review - cold brew at home - hand grinder vs electric grinder - light roast vs dark roast - how to descale an espresso machine - opening a coffee shop Method and equipment searches surface people who brew on camera, while "coffee" on its own returns cafés, chains and brand channels. Look at the kit in the background of a creator's videos: it tells you their tier faster than the titles do. ## Formats coffee channels do well - **Equipment review or comparison.** The core of the niche. Grinders and machines are tested against rivals, with taste and workflow notes. The creator keeps the verdict. - **Brew guide using your product.** A recipe for your dripper, beans or kettle, useful to viewers long after it goes up. - **Setup tour.** The creator's station, with your product in daily use. Suits accessories and smaller kit. - **Tasting or subscription unboxing.** Roasters and subscriptions tasted on camera. Agree beforehand that the tasting notes are the creator's own. - **Integrated segment.** A short read for things a coffee drinker uses but doesn't brew with, such as mugs, apps or travel gear. For timing, check when searches for what you sell rise and fall on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/): a cold brew kit and a gift set won't peak at the same time. [YouTube sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats) explains each one in more depth. ## Kit tiers, audiences and other checks Match the kit on camera to your product: | Tier | Kit you'll see on camera | Suits | | --- | --- | --- | | Starter | Cafetière, moka pot, blade or entry burr grinder | Beans, subscriptions, starter kits, simple accessories | | Enthusiast | Burr grinder, pour-over kit, scale, entry espresso machine | Mid-range grinders, drippers, kettles, speciality beans | | High end | Dual-boiler or lever machine, flat-burr grinder, a shelf of tools | Premium machines and grinders, workflow tools | | Trade | Commercial machine, café counter | Commercial equipment, milk, cups, café services | - **Tier match.** A creator who uses a high-end machine every day may struggle to recommend a budget one, and their viewers may not be shopping for one. The reverse is true too. - **Home or café audience.** Café channels reach owners and staff who buy for a business; home channels reach hobbyists. The comments usually tell you which, from questions about volume and staff training or about kitchen counters. - **Taste honesty.** A creator who praises every coffee is less useful to you. Check a few reviews for real criticism. - **Long-term use.** Viewers ask how a grinder or machine holds up after months, so ask whether the creator would do a follow-up. - **Region and voltage.** Machines differ by market. Check your product is sold, in the right voltage, where the creator's viewers live. Everything else on the list is the same as in any niche: see [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). ## How Nakodo helps with coffee campaigns Nakodo writes its search keywords from your website, so a roaster gets searches about beans, brew methods and subscriptions, and a grinder brand gets grinder comparisons, not "coffee". You can edit them, and the brief's subscriber range, before it searches, which helps in a niche where small channels can have very focused audiences. Each creator's score shows how much of their recent output matches your topics and what their comments are like. [How it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works) has the detail. ## Questions ### How do I find coffee YouTubers to sponsor? Decide which coffee drinker you sell to, then search YouTube for the brew guides, grinder comparisons and machine reviews that person watches. Open the channels behind the results and check that the creator's kit sits at your product's tier and that their audience is home brewers or café staff, whichever you need. ### Are small coffee YouTubers worth sponsoring? Often, yes. A small channel that reviews grinders may reach exactly the people who buy one. Judge it on median views, comments that ask about kit, and how closely its videos match your product, rather than on subscriber count alone. See [small creators on YouTube](https://nakodo.app/guides/micro-influencers-on-youtube) for more. ### How much do coffee YouTubers charge for a review? An equipment review has two parts to price: the fee and the kit. Work out the fee from typical views on recent long-form videos and what a thousand views is worth to you, and if the creator keeps an expensive machine or grinder, count its value too. The [sponsorship cost calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/sponsorship-cost-calculator) does the arithmetic. ### Should I sponsor a home coffee channel or a café channel? It depends on who buys your product. Home channels reach hobbyists choosing kit for their kitchen, while café and barista channels reach people who buy for a business. A milk or cup brand might want both, in separate campaigns. ### Do coffee YouTubers keep the equipment they review? It varies by creator and by brand: some return units, some keep them as part of the deal, and some give them away to viewers. Say what you expect in your first message. [Product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube) covers sending kit with no strings. --- # How to find outdoor and gear YouTubers to sponsor Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/outdoor Updated: 2026-10-03 To find outdoor YouTubers to sponsor, start with the sub-niche your product is used in: hiking, camping, climbing, fishing and overlanding audiences overlap less than you'd think. Search YouTube for the gear questions your buyers ask, such as "best tent for wind", and look at who answers them. Favour creators who test gear over months and show safe practice, and allow for the seasons when you plan. ## What outdoor YouTube looks like "Outdoor" is a set of separate audiences that share a few brands and not much else. A climber and a carp angler rarely watch the same channels. Choose the sub-niche your product is really used in, then look for creators inside it. - **Hiking and backpacking:** Day walks, multi-day trips and long-distance trail series. Fits footwear, packs, navigation apps, water filters, trail food and travel insurance. - **Ultralight gear:** Base-weight spreadsheets and small cottage makers. A demanding audience that rewards a real weight advantage and picks apart vague claims. - **Camping and car camping:** Family campsites, camp cooking and rooftop tents. Broad and practical: suits stoves, cool boxes, lighting and portable power. - **Bushcraft and wild camping:** Tarps and hammocks, fire-lighting, knives and solo nights in woodland. Suits shelters, blades, axes and cookware, provided the creator respects local rules on fires and camping. - **Climbing and mountaineering:** Technique, training and gear explainers. Fits shoes, harnesses, ropes and training boards, for an audience that judges safety claims closely. - **Fishing:** Split by method: fly, carp, sea and kayak angling each have their own channels. A tackle brand needs creators who fish the way its product is used, not just "fishing". - **Overlanding and van life:** Vehicle builds, long expeditions and off-grid living. Suits recovery gear, solar and battery systems, roof racks, fridges and connectivity. ## Searches that surface outdoor creators Search the way your customers do before they buy, mixing problems, comparisons and long-term reviews: - best ultralight tent - budget backpacking gear list - how to choose hiking boots - tent condensation fix - tarp setup for wild camping - winter camping sleep system - car camping setup - rooftop tent review - water filter comparison - first multi-day hike - beginner fly fishing setup - bouldering shoes for beginners - overland fridge review - gear I regret buying - tent review after one season Problem and "after one season" searches are the most useful: brands rarely make those videos, and the creators who do usually use the gear. Read a channel's other uploads too, because one gear review doesn't make a gear channel. ## Sponsorship formats that suit outdoor channels | Format | Works for | Watch for | | --- | --- | --- | | Long-term gear review | Packs, footwear, shelters, filters | It takes time. Send gear months before you want the video. | | Trip video integration | Apps, trail food, insurance, power | Keep it short. Viewers came for the trip. | | "What's in my pack" list | Lighting, cookware, first aid, small items | Your item is one of many, so ask for a description link. | | Skills tutorial | Navigation, stoves, knots, water treatment | The product should be part of the skill, not a banner over it. | | Build or setup video | Van and overland fit-outs, camp kitchens | Check the installation is done safely on camera. | Outdoor viewers trust "I've used this for a season" more than an unboxing, so the long-term review is the strongest format and the slowest. See [sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats) for the trade-offs, or [product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube) if you'd rather send kit with no promise of a video. ## What to check on an outdoor channel - **Safe practice on camera.** Watch how the creator handles river crossings, weather, fire or boats. Viewers copy what they see, and a brand shown next to careless practice shares the criticism. - **Long-term testing or first impressions.** Check whether the channel returns to gear after months of use or mostly opens new arrivals. Only the first suits a durability claim. - **Access and leave-no-trace habits.** Wild camping, fires and drones are restricted in many places. A creator who camps where it's allowed, and says so, is a safer partner than one who doesn't. - **Existing gear partners.** Outdoor creators often stay with one pack or footwear maker for years. Check recent descriptions for a competitor before you pitch. - **Where the viewers are.** Check comment language and the creator's home region against the places you ship to. The general checklist, including engagement and comments, is in [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). ## Seasons and timing Outdoor content follows the weather, and the weather differs by hemisphere and country. Check when searches for your kind of gear rise in each of your markets on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/), and plan around that. Creators also film ahead. A long-term review meant for spring needs the gear in their hands the autumn before, and a trip integration has to be agreed before the trip. Work back from the date you want the video live. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo starts from your website, not from the word "outdoor". It reads what you sell and writes a brief with 3 to 6 groups of YouTube search keywords, so a maker of trekking poles gets searches about poles and long walks rather than camping in general. You can edit the brief first. It then scores the channels behind matching videos from the last 12 months from 0 to 100, with the reasons written out. It finds the business email each creator publishes and emails the best fits, or only the ones you pick, on your behalf, mentioning a specific recent video. When a creator says yes, it introduces you by email and you agree the details from your own inbox. The full method is on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find outdoor YouTubers to sponsor? Start with the sub-niche your product belongs in, such as backpacking, climbing or fishing. Search YouTube for the questions your customers ask before buying, like "best tent for wind", and note the creators answering them. Then check each channel's recent uploads, safety habits and existing gear partners before you write. ### How much do outdoor YouTubers charge for a sponsorship? There's no fixed rate, so work from each creator's own numbers. Take the median views of their recent long-form videos, apply a cost per thousand views you're comfortable with, and adjust for format: a long-term review takes far more time than a short mention. The [sponsorship cost calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/sponsorship-cost-calculator) does the arithmetic. ### Should I send outdoor gear for free or pay for a review? Both are common. Free gear with no obligation lets a creator test it honestly; paying buys a guaranteed video with agreed timing. If gifted gear does appear in a video, it still needs disclosing. ### When should outdoor brands contact YouTubers? Several months before you want the video live. Gear needs time in the field before a creator can say anything useful, and trips are planned well ahead, so for a spring launch start talking in autumn. --- # How to find and vet personal finance YouTubers Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/personal-finance Updated: 2026-10-03 Personal finance YouTubers split into budgeting, debt payoff, investing, frugal living, side income and financial independence. Find them by searching the money questions your customers ask, then vet harder than in most niches: check what they've promoted before, how they talk about risk, and which country they explain. If your product is a regulated financial product, extra promotion rules apply, so take advice before you brief anyone. ## The kinds of finance channel Money content on YouTube runs from cautious budgeting to speculative trading, and the audience, tone and rules differ between them. Decide which corner your product belongs in before you search. - **Budgeting and saving:** Budget walk-throughs, cash envelopes, savings challenges and money diaries. Fits budgeting apps, banking apps and money-management tools. - **Debt payoff:** Creators documenting paying off cards, loans or student debt. A trusting, often anxious audience: fits tools that help them manage, and never anything that adds debt. - **Investing for beginners:** How to start, index funds, pensions and tax-free accounts. Fits investment platforms and courses, and is the corner where regulated-product rules matter most. - **Frugal living:** Cheap meals, no-spend months, second-hand finds and cutting bills. Fits cashback, price comparison, refurbished goods and household brands with a value angle. - **Side income and self-employment:** Freelancing, small online businesses and filing as self-employed. Fits invoicing and accounting software, business banking and course platforms. - **Financial independence:** Long-horizon saving, early retirement and net worth updates. A numerate audience that reads the small print and notices fees. - **Trading and crypto:** Charts, speculation and fast-moving markets. The riskiest corner for a brand: check each market's rules first and expect viewers to scrutinise past promotions. ## Searches to run Use the questions people type when money is on their mind: - how to make a budget - zero-based budget - how to pay off credit card debt - emergency fund explained - index funds for beginners - how to start investing with little money - frugal living tips - money diary - side hustle ideas - self-employed taxes explained - best budgeting app - saving for a house deposit - renting vs buying - net worth update The answers come mostly from individual creators, because banks and apps rarely show a real household budget or compare themselves with rivals. Watch a little of each result: the same search returns careful educators and get-rich-quick course sellers. ## Formats that work for money content - **Tool walk-through.** The creator uses your app on screen with their own figures or a labelled example. - **Integration in an explainer.** A short segment inside a video on budgeting or saving, where your product is one way to do the thing being taught. - **Challenge or series.** A no-spend month or debt-payoff tracker where your tool appears in each instalment. - **Budget breakdown.** The creator shows what they actually spend in a month. Suits subscriptions and household products that would genuinely be on the list. - **Comparison video.** Only if the creator keeps editorial control and includes rivals. A sponsored comparison needs especially clear disclosure, and viewers notice if it isn't fair. See [sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats) for how each one is usually briefed and paid. ## What to check before you reach out > **Regulated products need advice first.** Investments, credit, insurance and pensions are regulated in most countries, and promoting them carries rules beyond ordinary advertising disclosure. Take advice from someone qualified before you brief a creator. In the UK, for example, the Financial Conduct Authority's [guidance on financial promotions on social media](https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/finalised-guidance/fg24-1-finalised-guidance-financial-promotions-social-media) covers creators and affiliates as well as firms. - **Past sponsors.** Scroll back through a year of video descriptions. A creator who has promoted speculative trading apps or get-rich-quick courses brings that history to your brand, and some of their viewers may have lost money on it. - **How they talk about risk.** Good finance educators say what can go wrong, mention fees and don't promise returns. If a channel's titles promise specific earnings, keep looking. - **Disclosure habits.** Check that earlier sponsored videos used YouTube's paid promotion label and said so out loud, and that affiliate links were declared. The [disclosure rules guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules) covers the basics. - **Qualifications claimed.** Some creators are qualified advisers or accountants; most share their own experience and say so. Either is fine. A qualification you can't verify is not. - **Country.** A creator explaining one country's tax-free accounts is no use to a product that only exists in another, however good the fit looks. The rest of the checklist is in [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). ## When money content comes round Personal finance has fixed dates: tax deadlines, and the end of the tax year, which in the UK is 5 April. Check when searches for your kind of product rise on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/), and pitch a month or two ahead, so a creator who plans videos as a series can fit yours in. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo reads your website and writes a brief with your product, your markets and 3 to 6 groups of search keywords, so a budgeting app searches for budgeting and saving rather than "finance" in general. You can edit it before it searches. The audience-fit part of its score checks channel country and the language of comments, which matters when a product only exists in one country. Every score comes with reasons in plain sentences, and Nakodo writes only to the business email a creator published. Its first email states your offer exactly as you set it and waits for your approval unless you let it go out on its own. Questions it can't answer from your offer and notes, such as rates, come to you. Checking past sponsors and getting compliance advice stays with you. See [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find personal finance YouTubers to sponsor? Decide which corner your product sits in, such as budgeting, debt payoff, investing or frugal living, then search YouTube for the questions your customers ask, like "how to pay off credit card debt". Shortlist creators who answer carefully and mention risks. Check their past sponsors and their country before you write. ### Can finance influencers promote investment products? It depends on the product and the country. Regulated financial products have promotion rules that go well beyond ordinary sponsorship disclosure, and in some countries promoting them without the right approval can be an offence. Take advice from someone qualified before you agree anything. ### How much do personal finance YouTubers charge? Work from each creator's own numbers rather than a published rate. Take median views on recent videos, choose a cost per thousand views you can justify, and adjust for format and preparation. The [pay guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) shows the method. ### What are the red flags in a finance YouTuber? Titles promising specific returns, a history of promoting high-risk schemes, undeclared affiliate links and pressure to buy before a countdown ends. Viewers who lost money often say so in the comments, so read them. One flag isn't always disqualifying, but ask about it before you go further. --- # How to find parenting YouTubers to work with Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/parenting Updated: 2026-10-03 Parenting YouTubers are best found by stage: pregnancy and newborns, toddlers, school age and teenagers, plus family vlogs, home education and channels about additional needs. Search the questions parents ask at each stage, such as "newborn essentials", and note who answers. Before you approach anyone, look at how the channel treats its children's privacy and whether content is set as made for kids, and address the sponsorship to the parent, not the child. ## Parenting channels by stage and style Parents look for different things at each stage, and most parenting channels follow their own children through them. A product for toddlers needs a creator whose children are toddlers now, not three years ago. - **Pregnancy and newborn:** Pregnancy updates, birth stories, newborn essentials and sleep. Fits prams, car seats, feeding and baby care, provided safety claims are exact. - **Toddlers and early years:** Routines, play ideas, weaning and potty training. Fits toys, books, food, nursery products and learning apps. - **Family vlogs:** Daily life with several children, days out and household routines. Broad reach for household brands, and the format where children's privacy needs the most thought. - **Home education:** Curricula, learning activities and resource reviews. A practical audience that compares products closely before buying. - **Additional needs:** Parents of disabled children or children with additional needs, sharing routines, equipment and advocacy. A close community that values accuracy and dislikes anything sold as a cure. - **Parenting advice:** Behaviour, sleep, screen time and emotional development, often from qualified practitioners. Fits books, courses and apps, and the practitioner's credentials matter. - **Tweens and teens:** Phones, money, exams and independence from the parent's side. Fits parental controls, tutoring and banking for young people. ## Searches parents type - newborn essentials - what I'd buy again for baby - baby registry must haves - best travel stroller - pram review - baby sleep schedule - weaning first foods - potty training tips - toddler morning routine - toy rotation - homeschool curriculum review - school lunch ideas - screen time rules for kids - parenting a teenager "What I'd buy again" and "regret buying" searches work well because they surface parents speaking from experience rather than shops. Phrase searches the way your customers do: a UK parent searches for a pram, a US parent for a stroller, and different creators answer each. ## Formats that suit family content - **Essentials or "what I'd buy again" lists.** Your product is one recommendation among several, for a stage. Parents preparing for that stage watch these closely. - **Routine videos.** Morning, bedtime or school-run routines where the product has a real place in the day. - **Parent-facing review.** The parent explains the product to other parents, which keeps the pitch with the person who buys. - **Tutorial.** Fitting a car seat, setting up parental controls, batch-cooking for a family. Searchable for years, and easy to fit a product into. - **Day in the life.** Shows the whole household. The least focused format, so keep the integration short. For how each format is usually briefed and paid, see [sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats). ## Children on camera: what to check Parenting channels often feature children too young to agree to being filmed. A brand that sponsors the channel becomes part of that, so look closely. - **How children are shown.** Note whether faces, names, schools and locations appear, and whether children are filmed while ill, upset or in the bath. Channels that blur faces or keep children off camera have made a deliberate choice. Don't ask them to change it for you. - **Who the content is for.** YouTube requires creators to say whether their channel or videos are made for kids, and content set that way has [comments and several other features turned off](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9527654). A parenting channel is usually made for parents, and you can only judge its audience where comments are on. - **Sponsorship aimed at children.** YouTube [removes videos with disclosed paid promotions from the YouTube Kids app](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10938174), and advertising to children carries extra rules in many countries. Address your segment to the parent, and take advice if children are the ones who'd use your product. - **Safety claims.** Sleep, car seats and feeding are areas where guidance changes and mistakes matter. Brief creators with your product's actual certifications and don't let a script stretch them. The general checks are in [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). ## The parenting calendar School dates set much of the family year, and they differ by country, so check your markets' term dates and when searches for what you sell rise on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/). Baby products are less tied to dates, because babies arrive all year. Ask when the creator films seasonal videos, and get in touch before then. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo builds its searches from your website. It writes a brief with what you sell, your markets and 3 to 6 groups of YouTube keywords, so a baby-sleep product gets sleep-routine searches rather than general family vlogs, and you can edit it first. Each creator gets a fit score with written reasons. Channels with comments turned off are flagged, which on family channels can mean content set as made for kids. Nakodo writes only to the business email a creator publishes. Each first email mentions a recent video and your offer as you set it, and waits for your team's approval unless you let it go out on its own. The scoring method is on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find parenting influencers on YouTube? Pick the stage your product fits, such as pregnancy, toddlers or school age, and search YouTube for the questions parents at that stage ask, like "newborn essentials" or "toddler morning routine". Shortlist creators whose recent videos are about that stage. Then check how each channel handles its children's privacy before you get in touch. ### Can I sponsor a made for kids video on YouTube? Videos set as made for kids have comments and several features turned off, and YouTube removes videos with a disclosed paid promotion from the YouTube Kids app. Advertising to children is also restricted in many countries. Most brands are better served by content made for parents, and should take advice before sponsoring anything aimed at children. ### How much do parenting YouTubers charge? There's no standard rate, so work from the creator's median views on recent videos and a cost per thousand views you can justify, then adjust for the format and any usage rights. The [pay guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) walks through the method. ### Should children appear in sponsored family videos? That's the parent's decision, and many careful channels keep children off camera or unidentifiable. Don't make it a condition of a deal. A segment addressed to the parent usually works as well and avoids the questions that come with children in an advert. --- # How to find pet YouTubers for brand deals Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/pets Updated: 2026-10-03 Pet YouTubers are organised by species first and topic second: dog training, cat behaviour, aquariums, reptiles and small animals have separate audiences. Search the problems owners type, such as "puppy biting" or "nano aquarium setup", and note who answers with their own animals. Check how animals are treated on camera and how health claims are made, and send products early enough for a real trial. ## Pet channels by species and topic A dog owner and a reef-tank keeper have almost nothing in common as buyers. Pick the species your product is for, then the topic within it. - **Dog training and behaviour:** Recall, reactivity, puppy training and loose-lead walking. Fits treats, harnesses, enrichment toys and training apps, depending on the methods the creator teaches. - **Dog care and lifestyle:** Grooming, feeding, breed-specific channels and days out with dogs. Fits food, grooming products, beds, insurance and dog-friendly travel. - **Cats:** Behaviour, indoor enrichment, multi-cat homes and senior cats. Fits litter, scratchers, food, water fountains and climbing furniture. - **Aquariums and fishkeeping:** Tank builds, aquascaping, water chemistry and species care. A technical audience: fits filtration, lighting, plants, test kits and livestock suppliers. - **Reptiles and exotics:** Enclosure builds and husbandry for reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Fits heating, lighting, substrates and enclosures, and husbandry accuracy is watched closely. - **Small animals and birds:** Rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and parrots. Fits housing, bedding, food and enrichment, for viewers who care a great deal about space and welfare. - **Rescue and fostering:** Rehabilitation stories and adoption updates. Fits food, care and insurance brands, and works best when the sponsor supports the care rather than the drama. ## Searches pet owners make - puppy biting how to stop - loose lead walking - reactive dog training - dog food for sensitive stomach - dog harness review - new puppy checklist - what I feed my dog - cat enrichment ideas - cat not using litter tray - best cat water fountain - planted tank for beginners - nano aquarium setup - leopard gecko enclosure setup - indoor rabbit setup Problem searches surface trainers and experienced owners who explain, and "what I feed" or "setup" searches surface creators showing their real routines. Pet brands make few videos like these, so the results are mostly creators. ## Sponsorship formats that work with animals | Format | Fits | Note | | --- | --- | --- | | Trial over several weeks | Food, supplements, litter, grooming | Animals need time to adjust. Agree the trial period before asking for a verdict. | | Training tutorial | Treats, harnesses, clickers, apps | The product supports the method, not the other way round. | | Setup or build video | Tanks, enclosures, cat trees, crates | Watched for years by owners building their own. | | "What I feed" or daily routine | Food, bowls, fountains, toys | Only works if the animal really eats or uses it. | | First reaction | Toys, treats, subscription boxes | The animal can't be scripted. Accept what happens. | For food and health products the trial is worth the wait: a pet that turns its nose up on camera is honest, and viewers trust the channel more for showing it. [Sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats) covers how each is briefed. ## Welfare and health claims - **Animal welfare on camera.** Look at how animals are handled, whether they look stressed in staged shots, and whether "funny" content depends on the animal's discomfort. Owners notice, and they name the sponsor in the comments. - **Training methods.** Dog training has strong camps, especially about aversive tools. Know which approach a creator teaches before your product appears in it. - **Health and vet claims.** Supplements, food and parasite treatments sit close to veterinary territory. Don't let a script claim what your product can't support, and prefer creators who send viewers to their vet over ones who replace the vet. - **Husbandry accuracy.** Fish, reptiles and small animals have specific needs, and the community is quick to point out an undersized tank or wrong temperature. Your product shown in a poor setup reflects on you. - **Real routines.** Products shown once and never again suggest a channel built around sponsorships. Look for items that recur in older videos. Use the general [vetting checklist](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator) for audience and engagement. ## Timing in the pet year Some pet products are tied to a time of year, such as calming products around fireworks or cooling mats in hot weather, and the dates differ by country. Check when searches for what you sell rise in your markets on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/). Leave time for a trial on top of the creator's filming schedule. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo writes its search keywords from your website, so an aquarium plant shop gets searches about planted tanks and aquascaping, not pets in general. You can edit the brief before it searches. Each channel gets a score from 0 to 100 across relevance, audience fit, engagement, comment quality and recency, with each part explained in a sentence. It sorts sampled comments into questions, discussion, praise, spam and self-promotion, which helps on pet channels where most comments can be praise for the animal. Nakodo writes only to the business email the creator publishes, and each first email it sends on your behalf mentions a specific recent video. The method is on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find pet YouTubers to sponsor? Choose the species and topic your product fits, such as dog training or aquariums, then search YouTube for the problems owners type, like "loose lead walking" or "nano aquarium setup". Shortlist creators who answer with their own animals. Check animal welfare and how they handle health claims before you get in touch. ### How much do pet influencers charge on YouTube? It depends on the creator's views, the format and how long a trial takes. Start from median views on recent videos and a cost per thousand views you can justify, then adjust for longer formats such as a food trial. The [sponsorship cost calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/sponsorship-cost-calculator) shows the arithmetic. ### Can pet YouTubers make health claims about a product? Only claims your product can support, and claims about treating or preventing illness may fall under veterinary medicine rules where you sell. Brief creators with approved wording and ask them to point viewers to a vet for health questions. Take advice if your product makes any health claim. ### Is gifting pet products enough, or should I pay? Gifting suits low-cost items like toys and treats, where a creator may feature something their animal genuinely likes. A guaranteed video or a long trial is work and should be paid. Either way, a video that features it needs disclosing; see [product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube). ### What should I look for in a pet channel's comments? Look past praise for the animal to questions about care, products and setups. Comments asking where something is from, or how to solve the same problem, suggest viewers act on what they watch. A channel full of hearts and no questions may be entertaining without selling much. --- # How to find travel YouTubers and vloggers to sponsor Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/travel Updated: 2026-10-03 Find travel YouTubers to sponsor by matching their kind of travel to your product: budget backpacking, luxury, family travel, digital nomads, van life and destination guides attract different viewers. Search the planning questions travellers type, like "Japan itinerary" or "carry-on packing list". Check where the audience lives, not just where the creator goes, plan around destination seasons, and make sure any free trip or stay is disclosed. ## The kinds of travel channel "Travel" covers people with very different budgets and reasons to travel. A hotel that suits a luxury reviewer means little to a backpacker's viewers, and the reverse is true too. - **Budget and backpacking:** Hostels, overland routes and what the trip cost. Fits booking platforms, travel insurance, eSIMs, packs and low-fee money cards. - **Luxury and hotel reviews:** Room tours, premium cabins and resorts. Fits hotels, airlines, luggage and premium services, for viewers who expect polished production. - **Family travel:** Trips with children, theme parks and holiday logistics. Fits family-friendly stays, car hire, travel gear for children and insurance. - **Destination guides:** Itineraries and things to do in one city or country, often from people who live there. Fits tourism boards, tours, local experiences and transport passes. - **Digital nomads and slow travel:** Working remotely abroad, visas and coworking. Fits laptops, connectivity, banking, insurance and productivity tools. - **Van life and road trips:** Life on the road, campsites and vehicle builds. Overlaps with [outdoor creators](https://nakodo.app/youtubers/outdoor) and fits vehicle gear, power and campsite apps. - **Points and travel hacking:** Loyalty schemes, upgrades and travel credit cards. A detail-checking audience, and card products bring financial promotion rules with them. ## Searches travellers type - 10 day Japan itinerary - things to do in Lisbon - first time in Iceland - budget travel Europe - carry-on only packing list - what I pack for 2 weeks - travel mistakes to avoid - best travel backpack - eSIM vs local SIM - travel insurance explained - digital nomad visa - solo travel tips - flying with a toddler - is Bali worth visiting Destination searches surface creators who have been there recently, and packing or "mistakes" searches surface creators who travel often enough to have opinions. Tourism boards and hotels post videos too, but they seldom make comparisons or list mistakes, which is where independent creators sit. ## Formats that work for travel - **Trip video integration.** A short segment inside an itinerary or vlog, for something used throughout the trip: an eSIM, insurance, a booking app. - **Hosted trip.** A destination, hotel or tour operator hosts the creator and the video covers the stay. The core format for tourism and hospitality, and the one that most needs clear disclosure. - **Packing video.** Luggage, clothing, adapters and toiletries. Watched before every trip, so it isn't tied to one season. - **Budget breakdown.** What the trip really cost, line by line. Fits money cards, booking platforms and anything that saves the viewer money, provided the numbers stay honest. - **Destination guide.** Searchable for years, which suits local tours, passes and tourism boards. See [sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats) for how to brief and price each one. ## What to check on a travel channel - **Where the audience lives.** A creator filming in Thailand may be watched mostly from Germany. If you sell to travellers from one country, check comment language and the creator's home market, not the destination. - **Comped stays and free trips.** A free stay, flight or tour given for coverage is a commercial relationship and needs disclosing like a payment. Check whether past hosted videos said so, and read the [disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules). - **Editorial independence.** Ask whether the creator will mention downsides. Viewers trust a guide that warns about the rainy season or the noisy room, and stop trusting one that only praises. - **Destination seasons.** A beach integration filmed in the wet season, or a ski resort in thin snow, hurts you both. Match the trip to the season the video will be watched for. - **Where they're going next.** A good fit on the wrong continent, or at the wrong time of year, can wait for the next trip. For engagement, comments and audience, use [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). ## Seasons and booking windows Travel content follows planning more than travel dates: a destination video helps most while people are deciding where to go, not while they're there. Check when searches for your destination or kind of trip rise on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/), and aim for the video to be live by then. Creators also film in one season and publish in the next, so hosted trips need agreeing early, along with the date the video goes live. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo reads your website and writes a brief with your product, your markets and 3 to 6 groups of keywords, so a luggage brand gets packing and carry-on searches rather than "travel" in general. You can edit it first. The audience-fit part of the score compares the language of comments or audio and the channel's country with your markets, and flags creators outside them. In travel, where filming location says little about viewers, that check matters. Nakodo finds the business email creators publish and emails the best fits, or only the ones you pick, on your behalf, naming a recent video and stating your offer as you set it, without inventing payment amounts. See [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find travel YouTubers to sponsor? Match the kind of travel to your product first: budget, luxury, family, nomad or van life. Search YouTube for the planning questions your customers type, such as itineraries and packing lists, and note who answers them well. Then check where each creator's audience lives and how they disclosed past hosted trips. ### How much do travel YouTubers charge? There is no standard rate, so work from each creator's numbers. Use median views of recent long-form videos and a cost per thousand views you can justify, then add the real costs of a hosted trip or a dedicated video. The [pay guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) explains the method. ### Do travel influencers have to disclose free trips? Yes. A free stay, flight or tour given in exchange for coverage is a commercial relationship, and advertising rules in many countries treat it like payment. The creator should say so in the video and description and use YouTube's paid promotion label. ### Is a hosted trip better than paying a travel creator? They suit different goals. A hosted trip gives a destination or hotel full coverage but costs both sides time and travel, while a paid integration suits products used on any trip, like insurance or an eSIM. Many creators expect a fee on top of a hosted trip, so ask rather than assume. --- # How to find DIY and home improvement YouTubers Source: https://nakodo.app/youtubers/home-improvement Updated: 2026-10-03 Home improvement YouTube splits into whole-house renovation, renter-friendly DIY, woodworking, trades explainers, tool reviews, decor and gardens. Find creators by searching the jobs your customers are about to do, like "how to tile a bathroom floor", and watch who explains them properly. Check safe practice and qualifications, whether viewers own or rent, and whether your product is sold where they live. Spring is the busiest season. ## Home improvement channels by kind of work The people who watch someone rewire a house are not the people who watch a rented flat get a weekend makeover. Start from the job your product is used for. - **Whole-house renovation:** Long series following one house from wreck to finished. Fits materials, flooring, kitchens, bathrooms, insulation and heating, often as a running integration across episodes. - **Renter-friendly DIY:** Removable wallpaper, no-drill storage and changes that come out when the tenancy ends. Fits decor, storage and adhesive products, never anything permanent. - **Woodworking and making:** Furniture builds, workshop projects and techniques. Fits hand and power tools, finishes, timber suppliers, dust extraction and design software. - **Trades explained:** Electricians, plumbers and builders explaining jobs and showing others' mistakes. A credible voice for tools and materials, watched by professionals as well as homeowners. - **Tool reviews:** Head-to-head tests of drills, saws and battery platforms. Rigorous and comparison-led, so a tool brand needs real confidence in its product. - **Decor and makeovers:** Room makeovers, paint and small-budget refreshes. Fits paint, furniture, lighting, textiles and decor retailers. - **Gardens and outdoor spaces:** Landscaping, decking, sheds and growing. Fits garden tools, materials and outdoor furniture, and follows the seasons closely. ## Searches for the job at hand - how to tile a bathroom floor - how to plaster a wall - laying laminate flooring - how to paint kitchen cabinets - fixing a dripping tap - renter friendly kitchen makeover - best cordless drill - battery platform comparison - beginner woodworking projects - kitchen renovation on a budget - garden makeover on a budget - insulating an old house - loft conversion - DIY mistakes to avoid Job-shaped searches return people doing the job on camera, which is what viewers want before starting their own. Retailers tend to post product films; the step-by-step videos come mostly from creators and tradespeople. Use your buyers' words: "tap" and "plasterboard" in the UK, "faucet" and "drywall" in the US. ## Formats that work for DIY and renovation - **Tutorial with the product in use.** The creator does a real job with your tool or material. Searchable for years, because people look up a job when they come to do it. - **Before and after.** A room or project transformation. Strong for paint, flooring, decor and anything with a visible result. - **Renovation series integration.** Your product appears across several episodes of one house. Slow, but viewers follow the project to the end. - **Long-term review.** A tool or material revisited after months of use, or after its first winter. - **Comparison test.** Your tool against others. Agree only if the creator keeps editorial control, and accept the result. [Sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats) covers briefing each one. For tools, sending a unit with no obligation first is common; see [product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube). ## Safety, qualifications and region - **Safe practice on camera.** Look for eye and ear protection, guards left on, dust control and sensible ladder work. Viewers copy what they see, and if your product appears beside unsafe practice, the comments will say so. - **Qualifications for regulated work.** Gas, mains electrics and structural work are restricted to qualified people in many countries. A creator who tells viewers when to call a professional is a safer partner, and if your product is used for that kind of work, check what the creator is qualified to do. - **Renters or owners.** Renters can't knock through walls, so renovation products suit owner audiences and peel-and-stick products suit renters. The comments usually show which a channel attracts. - **Regional products.** Building standards, sockets, timber sizes and product ranges differ between countries. A creator whose viewers can't buy or legally fit your product is the wrong choice, however good the video. - **Tool loyalty.** Many DIY creators have committed to one battery platform. Check what they use before pitching a rival tool. The rest of the checklist is in [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). ## The DIY calendar Outdoor jobs depend on the weather, so check when searches for the jobs your product is for rise in each country on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/), and book a few weeks before. Renovation series are filmed over months, so a product meant for one needs agreeing before the work reaches that stage. Ask what the creator is working on next. ## How Nakodo helps Nakodo reads your website and turns what you sell into 3 to 6 groups of YouTube search keywords, so a flooring brand gets searches about laying floors rather than "DIY" in general. You can edit the brief, including the markets you sell in, before it searches. Audience fit compares channel country and language with those markets, which helps when a product only suits one country's homes. Every creator gets a score from 0 to 100 with reasons in plain sentences. Nakodo finds the business email each creator publishes and emails the best fits, or only the ones you pick, on your behalf, starting with a first email that mentions a specific recent video. It follows up when there's no reply and introduces the creators who say yes. The method is on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find home improvement YouTubers to sponsor? Search YouTube for the jobs your customers are about to do, such as tiling, flooring or painting cabinets, and note who explains them properly. Shortlist creators whose recent videos are mostly about that kind of work. Check safety on camera, whether viewers own or rent, and whether your product is sold where they live. ### How much do DIY YouTubers charge for a sponsorship? Work from each creator's numbers rather than a published rate. Take median views on recent long-form videos, apply a cost per thousand views you can justify, and allow more for formats that take real work, such as a renovation series. The [sponsorship cost calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/sponsorship-cost-calculator) does the sums. ### Should DIY influencers be qualified tradespeople? Not for most DIY. For work restricted to qualified people where your viewers live, such as gas or mains electrics in many countries, choose a qualified creator or one who clearly says when to call a professional. Check before your product appears in that kind of work. ### Do renter-friendly DIY channels work for home brands? Yes, for products that come out when the tenancy ends: removable wallpaper, freestanding storage, lighting and decor. They're the wrong place for anything permanent, because the audience can't use it. --- # How to find BookTok influencers for your book or brand Source: https://nakodo.app/tiktokers/books Updated: 2026-10-03 To find BookTok influencers for your book or brand, search TikTok for the tropes, genres and comparisons your readers use, such as "enemies to lovers" or "books like" a title they loved. Open the accounts behind the videos and check that the creator reads your genre, posts steadily and gets comments from readers. Send advance copies early, agree any embargo in writing, and ask for posts about free books to be labelled as ads. ## The corners of BookTok BookTok is TikTok's community of readers, and it sorts itself by genre and trope rather than by author or publisher. TikTok treats it as a market of its own: in March 2026 it extended its monthly #BookTok Bestseller List, built from TikTok's data and book sales, to the UK, Italy and Spain ([TikTok's announcement](https://newsroom.tiktok.com/booktok-community-50-million-books?lang=en-150)). - **Romance and romantasy:** Trope-led recommendations, special editions and favourite-scene reactions. Suits romance publishers and indie authors. Check how the creator handles explicit books against your readership. - **Fantasy and science fiction:** Reading orders, maps and series reviews. Suits series launches, where a creator who read the earlier books beats a bigger account. - **Thriller, crime and horror:** Twist reactions without spoilers. Suits thrillers and horror, with a peak in October. - **Literary fiction and non-fiction:** Annotating, book club picks and "books that changed how I think". Suits literary and non-fiction publishers, annotation kits and stationery. - **Young adult and new adult:** TikTok's bestseller list now has separate YA and NA lists. Suits YA publishers, with care over the creator's age. - **Shelves, shops and reading corners:** Shelf tours, bookshop visits, hauls and e-reader set-ups. Suits bookshops, subscriptions, shelving, lights and e-readers. ## Searches that bring up BookTok creators Readers on TikTok describe books by how they feel and what happens in them. Search that way, in your genre: - enemies to lovers books - books like [comp title] - romantasy recommendations - slow burn romance - found family fantasy - dark academia books - thriller with a twist - books that made me cry - cosy mystery - annotating my book - indie bookshop - book subscription unboxing Comp titles do most of the work: search the novels your book is pitched against, because their fans already read for you. By hand, trope hashtags such as #romantasy narrow the crowd under #BookTok. A translated edition needs creators who read in that language, so search in it. ## Formats that suit book partnerships on TikTok | Format | What it shows | Suits | | --- | --- | --- | | Recommendation list | Your book among others the creator loves | New releases, backlist, series starts | | Reading reaction | The creator reading the final chapters, and reacting | Thrillers, romance, emotional fiction | | Review after finishing | A verdict on the whole book | Any book, given time to read it | | Unboxing | The parcel, edition and extras | Special editions, subscription boxes | | Shelf tour or reading corner | Your product in the creator's own space | Bookshops, shelving, lights, e-readers | Reading takes days, so book deals need more notice than most TikTok work. Running a creator's video as an ad from their handle needs their authorisation: see [Spark Ads and partnership ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads). ## What to check before you send a book - **The genre they actually read.** Scroll back through 20 or so videos. A thriller reader won't help a romance, however large the following. - **Their review policy.** Check the bio for whether they take review copies or self-published books, and respect a "no requests" line. You approve each first email Nakodo writes by default, so you can skip them there. - **Free copies count as payment.** The ASA's [guide for creators](https://www.asa.org.uk/resource/influencers-guide.html) says free products, requested or not, count as payment even with no obligation to post, and advises against labels such as "gifted" and "PR". The FTC tells creators to disclose free products from a brand when they mention them ([Disclosures 101](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers)). Ask for "Ad"; see [disclosure on Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). - **Honest reviews.** The FTC says creators can't describe a product they haven't tried, and paid creators can't call a product terrific if they thought it terrible. Don't ask for a review of an unfinished book. - **Embargoes and spoilers.** Agree in writing the earliest posting date and whether the ending is off limits. If you send proofs, say the text may change. - **Age.** BookTok includes teenage readers and creators. Check a creator is an adult before offering a paid deal; TikTok's own marketplace, TikTok One, only accepts creators aged 18 or over ([TikTok One for creators](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/about-tiktok-one-for-creators)). ## How BookTok numbers behave A book video's real result, someone buying the book, happens later and away from TikTok. Read the numbers for readers, not reach: - **Median plays.** One list can travel far beyond the following. Skip pinned videos and anything under 3 days old, then take the middle of the next 10 to 15; the [TikTok engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/tiktok-engagement-rate-calculator) does the sums. - **Saves.** TikTok shows how many people saved each video, and on a recommendation a save is a reader keeping the title. Nakodo's score counts likes and comments only, so note saves by hand. - **Comments.** "Adding this to my TBR" is a reader deciding. A thread arguing about a trope is reach, not intent. - **Pace.** A creator who reads every book they review can't post one a day. Judge their rhythm over months, not weeks. ## Timing around publication day Publication day anchors everything: send advance copies early enough to be read, and agree whether posts go up before, on or after it. For a backlist title, check when searches for your genre or comparable titles rise on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/) and plan around that. In the UK, TikTok has partnered with the National Literacy Trust for the National Year of Reading 2026, with BookTok events it calls the World's Biggest Book Club ([TikTok](https://newsroom.tiktok.com/tiktok-joins-the-national-year-of-reading-and-invites-teens-to-join-the-worlds-biggest-book-club?lang=en-GB)). ## How Nakodo handles BookTok Nakodo reads your website and writes an editable brief with 3 to 6 groups of search keywords: for a romantasy debut, tropes and comp titles rather than "books", run on every platform in the campaign. On TikTok, relevance comes from the first line of captions and from hashtags, so an account that names books only in on-screen text can score lower than it deserves. Look at those yourself. Accounts below half the bottom of your follower range or above twice the top are set aside, as are accounts where more than half of at least 5 captions match your off-topic words: add "manga" or "audiobook" if they aren't for you. TikTok's region and language count towards fit, which matters when your rights cover only some countries. It emails creators who publish a business email, under your name, and the first email says where it found the address. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok: see [pricing](https://nakodo.app/pricing) and [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find BookTok influencers? Search TikTok for the tropes, genres and comp titles your readers use, then open the accounts behind the videos. Shortlist creators who read your genre, post steadily, accept review copies and get comments from readers. Judge them on median plays, not one viral video. ### Should I send advance copies to BookTok creators? Yes, if the creator reads your genre and accepts review copies. Send early, because reading takes days, agree the earliest posting date in writing, and accept an honest verdict. UK guidance counts a free copy as payment, so ask for any resulting post to be labelled as an ad. ### Do BookTok influencers have to label a free book as an ad? In the UK, yes: the ASA counts free products as payment even when there's no obligation to post, and wants a clear label such as "Ad" rather than "gifted". In the US, the FTC tells creators to disclose free products from a brand whenever they mention them. ### Can self-published authors work with BookTok creators? Yes, but read each creator's bio first: some say they don't take self-published books or any review requests. Pitch creators who read your genre and accept requests, and name your comp titles in the first line. ### How much do BookTok influencers charge? Each creator sets their own rate. For a paid video, divide the quote by the creator's median plays and multiply by 1,000 to compare cost per thousand plays. The [pay guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators) has the method. --- # How to find TikTok beauty influencers for your brand Source: https://nakodo.app/tiktokers/beauty Updated: 2026-10-03 To find TikTok beauty influencers for your brand, search for the concern, shade or technique your buyer types, such as "lip combo for deep skin" or "heatless curls", then open the accounts behind the videos. Check the creator can wear your product, that comments ask where to buy it, and that past paid videos still sound like them. Agree in writing that results are unfiltered and claims match what your own ads could say. ## How beauty splits on TikTok TikTok's beauty communities have their own names, MakeupTok, SkinTok, HairTok and NailTok, and each rewards a different video. The creator explaining retinoids rarely posts the 20-second lip combo. - **GRWM storytellers:** "Get ready with me": makeup done while talking to camera, often about something else entirely. Suits everyday products, where the routine is the demonstration. The story holds viewers, so the product needs a clear moment. - **Quick tutorials and lip combos:** Short technique videos with the result in seconds. Suits colour cosmetics and tools. - **SkinTok:** Routines, ingredient explainers and texture shots, some from qualified professionals who will question your claims. Suits skincare with evidence behind it. - **HairTok and NailTok:** Curl routines, heatless styles, press-ons and at-home gel. Hair type matters as much as shade, and nails reward close-ups. - **Dupes and de-influencing:** Cheaper alternatives, and videos telling viewers what not to buy. Suits value brands that can take a frank comparison. - **TikTok Shop sellers:** Creators who sell through shoppable videos and LIVEs on commission. Suits brands already selling on TikTok Shop. ## Searches that find TikTok beauty creators Beauty searches on TikTok are short and specific, often naming an undertone, a hair pattern or a result. Try: - lip combo for deep skin - grwm for work - 5 minute makeup - makeup that lasts in heat - olive undertone foundation - foundation for mature skin - skin cycling - texture test - heatless curls overnight - 4c hair wash day - press on nails - chrome nails at home - dupe for [product] - tiktok made me buy it beauty Shade and undertone words bring up creators who share them, with viewers asking whether a product would work on them too. When searching by hand, the community tags (#makeuptok, #skintok, #hairtok, #nailtok) are crowded, so pair them with a concern. ## Formats that suit beauty partnerships on TikTok | Format | Why it works on TikTok | Watch for | | --- | --- | --- | | GRWM with the product | Viewers stay for the story and see everyday use | Agree one clear product moment | | Wear test | "8 hours later" proof, filmed in real light | No cuts that hide the wear | | Half-face or side-by-side | A direct comparison in one frame | Comparisons naming another brand (below) | | Swatches and texture close-ups | Shade range and formula in seconds | Lighting shifts colour, so ask for daylight | | Shoppable video or LIVE | Viewers buy without leaving TikTok | Commission terms, and only where TikTok Shop runs | Where TikTok Shop runs, a seller sets a commission rate on a product ([how commission works](https://seller-us.tiktok.com/university/essay?knowledge_id=6077860360177451&lang=en)), and creators earn it on sales from shoppable videos, LIVEs and [affiliate links](https://seller-us.tiktok.com/university/essay?knowledge_id=4308436637255466&lang=en). That's a sales deal, not a sponsorship, and suits creators who already sell. To run a creator's video as an ad from their handle, see [Spark Ads and partnership ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads). ## Filters, claims and dupes: the rules that matter - **Filters on results.** In 2021 the UK's ASA ruled against two tanning brands whose creators' Stories used filters that made their skin look darker. It said responsibility lies with the advertiser, and suggested brands advise creators against such filters in their agreements ([ASA](https://www.asa.org.uk/news/the-mis-use-of-social-media-beauty-filters-when-advertising-cosmetic-products.html)). A label on a video won't tell you about every edit, so put a no-filter rule in the agreement and ask what was used. - **Before and after.** The ASA treats before-and-after images as objective claims: the after should show what buyers can generally get, and in a mascara ad, lash inserts mustn't add more than the mascara could ([ASA](https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/cosmetics-the-use-of-production-techniques.html)). - **Cosmetic or medicine.** TikTok's [Branded Content Policy](https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/global/bc-policy/en) prohibits branded content for cosmetics making medicinal claims, and content that exploits "insecurities to conform to certain beauty ideals or standards". In the US, the FDA judges a product's intended use partly from claims in advertising and online, and "restore hair growth" makes it a drug ([FDA](https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/it-cosmetic-drug-or-both-or-it-soap)). Keep scripts to look, feel and the creator's own experience. - **Dupes that name a brand.** A paid video calling your product a dupe of a named brand is a comparative ad. The UK code says ads must not present a product as an imitation or replica of one with a protected trade mark ([ASA](https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/imitation.html)). Don't script "dupe for" a competitor. - **Shade and skin.** Send the creator's own shade, and mention patch testing for skincare. - **Labels.** Paid and gifted posts both need one: see [Instagram and TikTok disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). ## How beauty numbers behave on TikTok A beauty video can travel far and sell nothing, or reach few and sell well. Read past the plays: - **Product questions.** "Shade?", "link?" and "does it transfer?" are buyers talking. Comments about the GRWM story aren't. - **Trend lift.** A sound or effect can carry one video far past the creator's usual reach. Use the median of recent videos, skipping pinned ones; the [TikTok engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/tiktok-engagement-rate-calculator) works it out. - **Past paid videos.** Find their "Paid partnership" labels. Does the creator keep their usual voice, and do comments still ask about the product? - **Sales.** Sales from a creator's videos and LIVEs aren't on their profile, so ask for screenshots. If plays look high for the comments a video gets, check for [bought engagement](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-spot-fake-followers) before you pay. ## When to book beauty videos on TikTok Check when your products sell before you book videos: your own sales history, and [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/) for when searches for a phrase such as "SPF for oily skin" rise and fall in each country. Book seasonal videos a few weeks before the rise. Trends turn over fast, so build a deal around the creator's usual format, not a sound that may be gone by posting day. ## How Nakodo handles beauty on TikTok Nakodo reads your website and writes an editable brief, so a curl cream brand's keywords cover curl routines and wash days rather than "beauty", and run on every platform in the campaign. On TikTok it reads each public profile while logged out, including plays, likes and comments for 3 recent videos at least 3 days old, and works out engagement as (likes + comments) ÷ views. Off-topic words set an account aside when they match more than half of at least 5 captions: add "fillers" or "lash tech" to set aside clinics and salons promoting their own services. TikTok's region and language count towards fit, which helps when your shade range or shipping covers only some countries. [How it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works) explains the scores. ## Questions ### How do I find beauty influencers on TikTok? Search TikTok for the concern, shade or technique your buyer types, and community tags such as SkinTok or HairTok, then open the accounts behind the videos. Shortlist creators who can wear your product, whose comments ask where to buy, and whose median plays hold up. ### Can TikTok beauty creators use filters in a sponsored video? Not on anything that shows the product working. The UK's ASA says filters that exaggerate a product's effect mislead, and holds the brand responsible. Put a no-filter rule for results in your agreement, and ask the creator what was used. ### Can I pay a TikTok creator to call my product a dupe? Be careful. A paid dupe video is your advertising, and the UK advertising code says ads must not present a product as an imitation or replica of a trade-marked one. Let the creator compare honestly in their own words rather than scripting "dupe for" a named brand. ### Should beauty brands pay TikTok creators or use TikTok Shop commission? They do different jobs. A TikTok Shop commission pays only for sales and suits creators who already sell there. A fee buys a video on an agreed date in the creator's own style. You can run both, and compare fees on cost per thousand plays. ### Is TikTok or YouTube better for beauty brands? TikTok suits quick demonstrations, swatches and shoppable videos. YouTube suits long reviews and tutorials that people look up when deciding what to buy. Our page on [beauty YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/youtubers/beauty) covers the YouTube side. --- # How to find CleanTok influencers for your cleaning brand Source: https://nakodo.app/tiktokers/cleaning Updated: 2026-10-03 To find CleanTok influencers, search TikTok for the mess your product fixes, such as "limescale on taps" or "how to strip towels", and open the accounts behind the videos that show it working. Check they clean the kind of home your buyer has and film results without flattering edits. Never let a video mix products, and give creators approved wording for germ-kill, "non-toxic" and eco claims, which have their own rules. ## The corners of CleanTok CleanTok is TikTok's cleaning community, and it splits by what viewers come for: motivation, method, or the satisfaction of watching dirt disappear. Those audiences buy differently. - **Clean with me and resets:** Real-time or sped-up cleans of a room or a whole home, often a weekly reset. Suits sprays, cloths, mops and vacuums used every week. - **Deep cleans and transformations:** A neglected oven, grout or carpet brought back. Suits specialist products with a dramatic result, which also makes the result a claim. - **Restock and organising:** Refilling, decanting and arranging cupboards, pantries and fridges, often with no speech. Suits refills, containers and storage. - **Laundry:** Stain removal, laundry stripping, folding and drying. Suits detergents, stain removers, machines and airers. - **Product testers:** "Does it actually work" tests and side-by-sides. Suits brands confident of a fair comparison. - **Eco and refill cleaning:** Refills, concentrates and plastic-free swaps. Suits refill brands, whose green claims viewers and regulators will check. - **Getting started:** Small steps for people who find cleaning hard to begin, with kindness rather than perfection. Suits simple tools and routines. ## Searches that find cleaning creators Search for the problem, in your customer's words and spelling. "Mould" and "hob" find British accounts; "mold" and "stovetop" find American ones. - limescale on taps - how to clean oven glass - grout cleaning - how to strip towels - remove deodorant stains - mould in shower - pet hair on carpet - sunday reset - clean with me - fridge restock - small flat organisation - speed clean before guests - refillable cleaning products Problem searches return people who teach a method; brand names return retailers. When searching by hand, #CleanTok is broad, so pair it with the problem. ## Formats that suit cleaning partnerships on TikTok | Format | Suits | Watch for | | --- | --- | --- | | Before-and-after on a real mess | Specialist cleaners | Same angle and light, no edits that flatter | | Clean with me featuring the product | Everyday products | Product named in the caption, not only on screen | | Product test or side-by-side | Products with a clear edge | A comparison with a named rival is your claim | | Restock or refill | Refills, containers, storage | Your label stays visible | | Series over weeks | Laundry routines, organising systems | Plan the episodes together | | Shoppable video or LIVE | Products sold on TikTok Shop | Commission terms, where TikTok Shop runs | In a video with no voice-over, the product name lives in on-screen text and the caption. Ask for both: viewers look in the caption for the name. Where TikTok Shop runs, a commission on sales is another route ([how commission works](https://seller-us.tiktok.com/university/essay?knowledge_id=6077860360177451&lang=en)); to run a creator's video as an ad, see [Spark Ads and partnership ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads). ## Safety and claims: what to agree first - **No mixing on camera.** The CDC's advice is plain: "Never mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner" ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/natural-disasters/safety/how-to-safely-clean-and-sanitize-with-bleach.html)). Viewers copy hacks, so never combine your product with another on camera. - **Keep the label.** Decanting into matching bottles is popular, and it leaves the safety information behind. Show your product in its own packaging. - **Germ-kill claims.** In Great Britain and Northern Ireland, ads for biocidal products such as disinfectants must say "Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use." They mustn't call the product "non-toxic", "harmless", "natural" or "environmentally friendly" ([HSE](https://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/products/advertisement-requirements.htm)). In the US, saying a cleaner disinfects or kills germs makes it a pesticide that must be registered with the EPA, and claims in advertising and testimonials count ([EPA](https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/determining-if-cleaning-product-pesticide-under-fifra)). In a paid video, a creator's "kills germs" is your claim. - **Green claims.** The FTC says "non-toxic" needs competent and reliable scientific evidence that a product is safe for people and the environment, and warns against broad "eco-friendly" claims ([FTC](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/environmental-claims-summary-green-guides)). In 2023 the UK's CMA began reviewing green claims on household essentials, cleaning products among them ([CMA](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-to-scrutinise-green-claims-in-sales-of-household-essentials)). - **Surfaces.** Tell the creator what not to use the product on, such as natural stone, because viewers copy what they see. - **Children and pets.** Keep them out of shot while products are open. - **Labels on posts.** Free product counts as payment for disclosure: see [Instagram and TikTok disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). ## How CleanTok numbers behave Cleaning videos draw people who clean along and people who watch for the satisfaction. Both add plays; the first group is the one that needs your product. - **Comments.** "What's the spray?" and "does it work on laminate?" are buyers. "So satisfying" is an audience enjoying the video. - **Silent accounts.** Nakodo scores relevance from the first line of captions and from hashtags, so an account captioned with emoji can score low on topic while showing exactly your problem. Check those by hand. - **One big transformation.** A single filthy-carpet video can outrun everything else on an account. Take the median of recent videos, skipping pinned ones, with the [TikTok engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/tiktok-engagement-rate-calculator). - **Saves.** Hacks get saved for later. Nakodo's score counts likes and comments, not saves, so note them yourself. With made-up numbers: an account with a median of 25,000 plays and product questions under every video may sell more than one with 200,000-play transformations and comments that only react. ## When to book cleaning videos Check when your customers look for what you sell before you book videos. [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/) shows when searches for a phrase such as "limescale remover" rise and fall over the year in each country, and your own sales show the same from your side. Book seasonal videos a few weeks before the rise, so the creator has time to film and you have time to check the claims in the script. ## How Nakodo handles cleaning on TikTok Nakodo reads your website and writes an editable brief, so a limescale remover's keywords cover hard water, taps and shower screens rather than "cleaning", and run on every platform in the campaign. Accounts below half the bottom of your follower range or above twice the top are set aside, as are accounts where more than half of at least 5 captions match your off-topic words: add "pressure washing", "car detailing" or "commercial cleaning" to set aside outdoor work and businesses selling their services. TikTok's region and language count towards fit, so accounts outside your markets score lower. Nakodo emails the best fits who publish a business email, or only the ones you pick, under your name, and the first email says where it found the address. See [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find cleaning influencers on TikTok? Search TikTok for the problem your product solves, in your customer's words and spelling, then open the accounts behind the videos that show it working. Shortlist creators who clean homes like your buyer's, whose comments ask about products, and whose median plays hold up without one viral transformation. ### What is CleanTok? CleanTok is TikTok's cleaning community: clean with me videos, deep-clean transformations, laundry, restocks and organising. For a brand, it's where viewers watch a product work on a real mess, which makes the video a demonstration and its result a claim. ### Can a TikTok influencer say my cleaner kills germs? Only if you could make that claim yourself, because a paid video is your advertising. In Great Britain and Northern Ireland, biocide ads need a set safety line and can't call the product non-toxic or natural. In the US, germ-kill claims need the product registered with the EPA. ### Should cleaning brands send free products to CleanTok creators? It can work with creators who already use products like yours, sent with a short note and no demands. Ask for any resulting post to be labelled as an ad, because UK guidance counts free products as payment, and ask that the product isn't mixed with others on camera. ### How much should I pay a CleanTok creator? Each creator sets their own rate. Divide a quote by the creator's median plays and multiply by 1,000 to compare cost per thousand plays, then weigh how many comments ask about products. The [pay guide](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators) has the method. --- # How to find TikTok food influencers for your brand or restaurant Source: https://nakodo.app/tiktokers/food Updated: 2026-10-03 To find TikTok food influencers, decide whether you need creators who cook, taste or review places. For a brand, search the dishes, diets and snacks your buyers look up; for a restaurant, search your city with the food you serve. Open the accounts behind the videos and check where viewers are, whether comments ask how to buy or book, and how recently they posted. Give exact allergen wording, and check the UK's less healthy food rules first. ## The corners of FoodTok FoodTok splits by what the viewer does next: cooks, buys a snack, or books a table. Pick the corner that ends in your sale: - **Fast recipes:** A dish in under a minute, often filmed overhead. Suits ingredients, sauces and small appliances; viewers save recipes to cook later. - **Taste tests and ratings:** New flavours, snacks and drinks rated on camera. Suits launches with a verdict to earn, and the verdict stays the creator's. - **Local restaurant reviewers:** City accounts visiting places, often showing prices. Suits restaurants, cafés and food halls, where the followers who matter live nearby. - **Budget and meal prep:** Weekly shops and cheap dinners. Suits value ranges, meal kits and storage. - **Diet-focused cooking:** High-protein, vegan, gluten-free or halal. Suits products that meet the diet exactly, because the audience reads labels. - **Drinks:** Cocktails, mocktails, coffee and smoothies. Alcohol and energy drinks carry extra rules, below. - **Kitchen gadget testers:** "Worth it or not" tests, often selling through TikTok Shop. Suits kitchen kit. ## Searches that find food creators Search the dish, the diet or the occasion, and for a restaurant, the city: - 5 minute dinner - high protein lunch - air fryer chicken thighs - rating new snacks - trying viral [snack] - budget food shop - lunchbox ideas - mocktail recipe - gluten free bakes - cheap eats [city] - best brunch in [city] - date night [city] - new restaurant [city] City searches bring up local reviewers, some with small followings close to you. For a restaurant, ask the creator to tag your location: in regions where TikTok offers it, the tagged place shows on the post ([TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/support/faq_detail?id=7543897457726593542)). ## Formats that suit food partnerships on TikTok | Format | Suits | Watch for | | --- | --- | --- | | Recipe built around the product | Ingredients, sauces, appliances | The product must belong in the dish | | Taste test or first try | Snacks, drinks, new flavours | Don't script delight; accept a mixed verdict | | Restaurant visit | Restaurants, cafés, food halls | A free meal still needs an ad label | | Weekly shop or haul | Supermarket and value ranges | Viewers must be able to buy it locally | | Gadget test | Kitchen kit | Show cleaning and storage too | | Shoppable video or LIVE | Products sold on TikTok Shop | Commission terms, where TikTok Shop runs | Taste tests suit TikTok because the reaction is the content, and an honest "not for me" is why viewers believe the next yes. To run a creator's video as an ad from their handle, see [Spark Ads and partnership ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads). ## Allergens and the rules on food and drink ads - **Allergens.** The UK's Food Standards Agency lists 14 allergens food businesses must tell customers about ([FSA](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses)), and US law names 9 major food allergens, sesame among them ([FDA](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-allergies/faster-act-sesame-ninth-major-food-allergen)). Give creators exact allergen wording, and check any swap they make in a recipe. - **Less healthy food in the UK.** Since 5 January 2026, paid online ads for identifiable less healthy food and drink are banned in the UK ([ASA](https://www.asa.org.uk/news/new-rules-and-guidance-for-less-healthy-food-and-drink-advertising.html)). The ASA's [guidance](https://www.asa.org.uk/static/98d383af-0e0c-4fbe-9c920927a369c112/Less-healthy-foods-advertising-guidance.pdf) says paying a creator to post content showing a specific less healthy product on their own channels is likely to be prohibited, and gifting and affiliate deals can count as payment. A product is in scope only if it's in a listed category and scores as high in fat, salt or sugar, and food and drink businesses with fewer than 250 employees are exempt. - **Nutrition claims.** In the UK, only nutrition claims listed in the register may be used, so "high protein" or "low sugar" must meet its conditions ([CAP Code, section 15](https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/15.html)). - **TikTok's own limits.** TikTok's [Branded Content Policy](https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/global/bc-policy/en) prohibits branded content for weight loss products, including weight management supplements, and for infant formula. It restricts energy drinks to audiences aged 18 and over, and allows alcohol only in some markets, with TikTok's explicit permission and an age limit. - **Alcohol in the UK.** The advertising code says people shown drinking must not be, or seem to be, under 25, and no medium should be used if more than 25% of its audience is under 18 ([CAP Code, section 18](https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/18.html)). Check age and audience first. - **Free meals.** The ASA's [guide for creators](https://www.asa.org.uk/resource/influencers-guide.html) counts free products and services as payment even with no obligation to post. See [Instagram and TikTok disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). ## How food numbers behave on TikTok - **Saves on recipes.** A saved recipe is a plan to cook it. Nakodo's score counts likes and comments, not saves, so note them by hand. - **Local reach.** A restaurant needs viewers who can visit, so plays from across the country are worth less than fewer nearby. Ask for [screenshots of where viewers are](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-spot-fake-followers#ask-the-creator). - **Taste-test comments.** "Where do I buy this?" signals buyers; reactions to the creator's face don't. - **Viral recipes.** One trend recipe can carry an account. Use median plays on recent videos, skipping pinned ones; the [TikTok engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/tiktok-engagement-rate-calculator) works it out. ## When to book food videos on TikTok Check when your customers look for what you sell: your own sales, and [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/) for when searches for a dish or ingredient rise and fall in each country. Book seasonal videos a few weeks before the rise. For a restaurant, a visit soon after an opening or a new menu gives the creator's followers something new to try. ## How Nakodo handles food on TikTok Nakodo reads your website and writes an editable brief, so a hot sauce brand searches for the dishes people put it on rather than "food", on every platform in the campaign. A brief's markets are countries and languages, and TikTok's region counts at that level, so for a single restaurant put your city in the keywords and check each account's location tags yourself. Set a follower range that includes small local accounts: those below half its bottom or above twice its top are set aside. Off-topic words such as "mukbang" or "asmr" set aside accounts where they match more than half of at least 5 captions. Nakodo emails the best fits who publish a business email, or only the ones you pick, under your name, and the first email says where it found the address. See [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find food influencers on TikTok? Decide whether you need creators who cook, taste or review places, then search TikTok for the dishes, diets, snacks or city your customers look up. Shortlist creators whose viewers can buy from you, whose comments ask how to buy or book, and who post steadily. ### How do I get TikTok food influencers to review my restaurant? Search your city with the food you serve, shortlist local reviewers who post regularly, and invite them by email with a clear offer. Ask them to tag your location and label the post as an ad if the meal is free. The verdict is theirs. ### Can I pay TikTok influencers to promote snacks in the UK? It depends on the product and your size. Since January 2026, paid online ads for identifiable less healthy food and drink are banned in the UK, and the ASA says that's likely to cover paid creator posts. Businesses with fewer than 250 employees are exempt, and a creator's video posted on your own account without paid promotion is unlikely to be in scope. ### Do food creators have to label a free meal as an ad? In the UK, yes. The ASA's guide for creators counts free products and services as payment even when there's no obligation to post, and asks for a clear label such as "Ad". In the US, the FTC tells creators to disclose free products or perks from a brand. ### Can TikTok influencers promote alcohol? Only in some markets. TikTok's Branded Content Policy lists alcohol as restricted: allowed in some countries with TikTok's explicit permission and an age limit, and not allowed in others. In the UK, the advertising code also bars anyone under 25, or who looks it, from being shown drinking. --- # How to find fashion influencers on Instagram Source: https://nakodo.app/instagrammers/fashion Updated: 2026-10-03 To find fashion influencers on Instagram, start from your size range, price point and style, then search the words your customers use about fit and occasions, such as "petite work trousers" or "modest summer dresses". Shortlist creators who show clothes moving in try-on Reels, say what size they're wearing, and answer fit questions in the comments. Agree shopping tags or affiliate links up front, and label gifted and loaned pieces as ads. ## Fashion on Instagram, by who wears what Fashion followers ask one question of every outfit: would this work on me? So on Instagram, fashion splits by body, budget and values before it splits by style. - **Outfits and try-ons:** Daily outfits, hauls and try-ons, often with height and size in the caption. Fits most clothing brands, if the creator wears sizes you make. - **Petite, tall and mid-size:** How lengths and proportions work on one kind of frame. Fits brands with specific fit ranges. - **Plus-size:** Fit, fabric and where a garment pulls on a bigger body. Fits brands whose range really extends that far, with stock in every size followers will ask about. - **Modest fashion:** Coverage, layering and hijab styling. Fits longer lengths, opaque fabrics and looser cuts; don't brief a look the creator wouldn't wear. - **Sustainable and second-hand:** Capsule wardrobes, rewearing, mending, vintage and resale. Fits resale, rental, repairs and durable basics, for followers who read green claims closely. - **Accessories:** Jewellery, handbags, shoes and eyewear in close-up Reels and flat lays. Detail shots matter more than whole outfits. - **Workwear and occasions:** Office outfits, party season and wedding guest looks, which overlap with [wedding creators](https://nakodo.app/instagrammers/weddings). ## Searches that bring up fashion creators Search for fit problems and occasions. Fit-led phrases return creators wearing the garment; category words return shops. - petite work trousers - outfit ideas size 16 - midsize summer outfits - modest summer dresses - how to style wide leg jeans - capsule wardrobe autumn - wedding guest outfit - plus size try on - jeans for tall women - vintage haul - everyday jewellery stack - rewearing the same dress By hand, hashtags such as #modestfashion or #midsizestyle gather creators who use them about themselves. Note the size and height each creator gives, and use your customers' words: "trousers" and UK sizes for a UK shop, "pants" and US sizes for an American one. ## Formats that sell clothes on Instagram - **Try-on Reel.** The garment on a moving body, with the size worn on screen. The nearest thing to a fitting room. - **Outfit carousel.** One piece styled three or four ways, a slide each. Suits basics, where the point is how often you'd wear it. - **Stories with a link.** A link sticker goes straight to the product, and a poll ("black or camel?") shows what followers prefer ([Instagram's stickers help](https://help.instagram.com/151273688993748)). Stories vanish after 24 hours unless saved to a Highlight. - **Collab post.** One post on your profile and the creator's, shown to both sets of followers ([Instagram's Collabs help](https://help.instagram.com/5861247717337470)). It doesn't mark the post as an ad by itself. - **Shopping tags.** If your shop is set up on Instagram, you can let approved branded content partners tag your products in posts, Reels and Stories ([About shopping tags](https://help.instagram.com/1135563777270082)). Shopping isn't available in every country, so check what applies where you sell. A creator who tags you in the paid partnership label gives you that post's insights ([Instagram's help](https://help.instagram.com/1109894795810258)). To run their try-on as your ad, see [Spark Ads and partnership ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads). ## What to check before you contact a fashion creator - **Your sizes on their body.** Compare the size a creator wears with your size chart, and send the right one. Nobody can show the fit of a size you don't make. - **Honest fit notes.** Look for posts that say a piece runs small or a fabric is see-through: that creator's "true to size" means something. Ask that fit isn't altered with clips or editing, because a try-on is evidence of fit. - **Green claims.** "Sustainable" in a paid caption is your advertising. The UK advertising code says absolute environmental claims need a high level of substantiation and should consider the full life cycle ([CAP Code section 11](https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/11.html)); the CMA's [Green Claims Code](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-claims-code-making-environmental-claims) says the same. Give creators claims you can back up. - **Gifted, loaned and affiliate pieces.** Meta's examples say a post of the creator wearing a free or lent product needs the paid partnership label, as does a post with an affiliate link ([what counts as branded content](https://help.instagram.com/616901995832907)). The CMA lists "#gifted" and "PR haul" among labels to avoid ([guidance for creators](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-content-creators/social-media-endorsements-being-transparent-with-your-followers)). Use "Ad"; see the [disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). - **Haul or rewear.** In a grid of weekly hauls your piece is one of dozens; a creator who restyles the same pieces shows yours for longer. ## How fashion numbers behave on Instagram Start with engagement per follower, (likes + comments) ÷ followers, as a median of recent posts. Three habits move it: - **Comment-for-link posts.** When a caption asks followers to comment a word to be sent the link, comments jump, many one word long. Read them as intent to buy, and compare those posts with each other, not with ordinary ones. - **Giveaways.** "Tag a friend" posts collect comments, and can add followers who came for the prize. Leave them out of the median. - **Hidden counts.** Creators can hide like and view counts ([Instagram's help](https://help.instagram.com/113355287252104)). Then use comments, Reels views or insights. The comments that matter ask about size, length and stock. For reach, divide median Reels views by followers. The [Instagram engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator) does both sums, and [how much to pay creators](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators) turns views into a fee. ## How Nakodo handles fashion Nakodo reads your website and writes a brief you can edit: what you sell, your markets, the kind of creator, a follower range and 3 to 6 groups of search keywords. A plus-size workwear brand gets searches about fit and office outfits, not "fashion". On Instagram it finds accounts through web searches limited to instagram.com, then reads public professional accounts through Meta's Business Discovery API, including the latest 12 posts. Personal accounts are never read. Relevance comes from the first line of captions and from hashtags. Accounts outside half the bottom to twice the top of your follower range, with nothing posted in 180 days, or where most recent captions match your off-topic words are set aside: a jewellery brand might add "skincare" and "makeup". Instagram doesn't share country or language, so those count as neutral. Nakodo emails the best fits with a published email, or only the ones you pick, and never DMs. See [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find fashion influencers on Instagram? Start from your size range, price point and style. Search Instagram for the fit problems and occasions your customers describe, such as "petite work trousers", then shortlist creators who wear your sizes, state their size and answer fit questions. ### How do I find plus-size or modest fashion influencers? Search the phrases those communities use, such as "plus size try on" or "modest summer dresses", and the hashtags creators put on their own posts. Then check your range suits them: every size followers will ask about, or lengths and fabrics that work without extra layers. ### Do fashion influencers have to label gifted clothes as ads? Yes, if they post about them. Meta's examples say a post of a creator wearing a free or lent product needs the paid partnership label. UK regulators treat gifts and loans as payment and advise against labels like "#gifted". Ask for "Ad" at the start of the caption too. ### Can Instagram influencers tag my products? If your shop is set up on Instagram, you can let everyone, or only approved branded content partners, tag your products in posts, Reels and Stories, where Instagram shopping is available. Otherwise creators use a Story link sticker or their profile links. ### Should I pay fashion creators a fee or use affiliate links? A fee pays for the work whatever sells. Commission pays only for sales the link records, so the creator carries the risk; ask whether they take commission-only deals. A deal can combine both. Either way, a post with an affiliate link needs the paid partnership label. --- # How to find home decor and interiors influencers on Instagram Source: https://nakodo.app/instagrammers/interiors Updated: 2026-10-03 To find home decor and interiors influencers on Instagram, start from the look of your product and the homes it suits, then search the phrases owners and renters use, such as "small living room ideas" or "rental kitchen makeover". Scroll each creator's grid: if your product wouldn't sit naturally in it, move on. Favour creators who answer "where is that from?", judge their numbers without giveaway posts, and label gifted pieces as ads. ## Interiors accounts, by home and by look On Instagram, interiors is a look before it's a subject. The grid shows a creator's style in one screen, and followers come for that style. Two questions sort most accounts: what kind of home is it, and what kind of change is being made? - **Home tours and styling:** Finished rooms, shelf arrangements and seasonal restyling. Fits decor, textiles, lighting, art and furniture that has to look right in a styled shot. - **Renovation diaries:** A house mid-project, day by day in Stories and in before-and-after carousels. Fits kitchens, flooring, paint, tiles and hardware, chosen while the work happens. For the building work itself, see [home improvement creators on YouTube](https://nakodo.app/youtubers/home-improvement). - **Renter-friendly:** Changes that leave with the tenant: peel-and-stick, freestanding storage, plug-in lighting. Fits products that come out without a trace, and only those. - **Small spaces:** Studio layouts, storage and furniture that folds or does two jobs. Fits compact furniture and storage. - **Style communities:** Accounts built around a look: colourful maximalism, Scandi minimalism, Japandi, period cottages, mid-century. A bright rug brand has little to say to a strict minimalist. - **Designers and stylists:** Professionals posting client projects. Credible for higher-priced pieces, but a client's home needs the client's permission before your product features in it. - **Thrifted and upcycled:** Second-hand finds and furniture flips. Fits paint, hardware, tools and resale platforms. ## Searches for homes like your customers' - small living room ideas - rental kitchen makeover - renter friendly hallway - new build makeover - victorian terrace renovation - colourful home - neutral bedroom ideas - shelf styling - home office corner - small bathroom ideas - furniture flip - first home on a budget Name the home as well as the room. "New build", "Victorian terrace" and "rented flat" return people living in that kind of house. By hand, hashtags help: home accounts tag their house type, their style and the project, and some give their house its own hashtag, which shows the whole renovation in order. ## Formats that suit interiors on Instagram - **Before-and-after carousel.** The room before, the product going in, the room after, with sources on the last slide. - **Room reveal Reel.** A walk-through of the finished room. Shows scale and light, which one photo can't. - **Stories during a project.** Daily progress with a poll ("which tile?") or a question sticker, so your product arrives as part of the story. Stories disappear after 24 hours unless the creator adds them to a Highlight ([Instagram's help](https://help.instagram.com/1729008150678239)), so ask for a Highlight for the room. - **Sources list.** Followers ask where things are from, and creators who answer keep sources in captions, Highlights or link-in-bio pages. Being named there keeps a product findable months later. - **Long-term follow-up.** The sofa a year on, the paint after a winter of muddy boots. Shows how a product lasts, which a styled shot can't. A Collab post appears on every co-author's profile, up to five collaborators ([Instagram's Collabs help](https://help.instagram.com/5861247717337470)), which suits a brand, a creator and a designer sharing one project. ## What to check before you contact a home creator - **Whether your product fits the grid.** Scroll the last 12 posts with your product in mind. If it would clash with every room, it will look like an ad. - **Own or rent.** Renters usually can't knock through or retile. Bios and captions may say "renting" or "our first home". Ask before sending anything permanent. - **Claims renters will test.** "Removes without damage" and "no tools needed" are objective claims, and the UK advertising code requires evidence for claims like these before an ad runs ([CAP Code section 3](https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/03.html), rule 3.7). Give creators only claims you've tested. - **Gifted, loaned and giveaway pieces.** The CMA's [guidance for creators](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-content-creators/social-media-endorsements-being-transparent-with-your-followers) names gifts, items on loan and giveaways among things to label as ads, so a free sofa, a lamp lent for a shoot and a prize you supply all need "Ad" and the paid partnership label. See [disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). - **Their privacy.** A home tour can show a street, a front door or a view. Don't ask for exterior shots or a location tag. - **Lead times.** A sofa or worktop that takes weeks to arrive has to be agreed before the room is due to be finished. ## How interiors numbers behave Interiors posts are made to be kept: people save a room for later or send it to whoever they live with. Saves and shares count as interactions in the creator's insights ([About Instagram insights](https://help.instagram.com/788388387972460)), but saves don't show on the public post, so (likes + comments) ÷ followers misses part of the response. Ask for saves and shares on posts like the one you'd buy. - **Leave giveaways out.** Giveaway posts collect "tag a friend" comments, and group giveaways that make entrants follow several accounts can add followers who came for the prize. Take the median over ordinary posts, and see whether engagement sags after a run of giveaways. - **Sources questions count most.** Comments asking where something is from, or which paint colour, are followers shopping. Emoji rows aren't. - **Reveal spikes.** A finished room can draw far more than a usual post. The median handles one spike; ask what everyday posts do. The [Instagram engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator) does the sums, and [spotting fake followers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-spot-fake-followers) covers the rest. ## When to book interiors posts Styled rooms and renovation diaries run on different clocks. For styling, check when your products sell and when searches for them rise on [Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/), and agree posts a few weeks before. Renovation diaries follow the project instead, so agree a product before the work reaches that stage. ## How Nakodo handles interiors Nakodo reads your website and writes a brief you can edit, with your markets, a follower range and 3 to 6 groups of search keywords, so a storage brand for rented flats gets "rental hallway storage" rather than "home decor". Off-topic words set aside accounts whose recent captions are mostly about something else: a decor brand might add "extension" and "groundworks" to leave out build-heavy renovations. On Instagram it reads public professional accounts through Meta's Business Discovery API: followers, bio, website and the latest 12 posts. It doesn't read comments there, so questions like "where is the lamp from?" are yours to read, and it doesn't search Pinterest. Every account gets a score from 0 to 100 with written reasons. Nakodo emails the best fits with a published email, or only those you pick, and introduces the ones who say yes. See [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find home decor influencers on Instagram? Search Instagram for the rooms and homes your customers have, such as "small living room ideas" or "new build makeover", and open the accounts behind the posts. Scroll each grid to see whether your product suits its look, check whether the creator owns or rents, and judge engagement without giveaway posts. ### Do interiors influencers have to label a gifted sofa as an ad? Yes, if they post about it. UK guidance treats gifts and items on loan as payment, and Meta's branded content rules count free products. The post needs the paid partnership label and "Ad" at the start, not "#gifted", which the CMA advises against. ### Are renter-friendly home influencers worth working with? Yes, for products that come out without a trace: peel-and-stick, freestanding storage, plug-in lighting and textiles. Their followers come for changes a tenant can make, so a tile or a fitted kitchen is the wrong pitch, and any "damage-free" claim needs evidence behind it. ### Can I see how many people saved an interiors influencer's post? No. Saves show only in the creator's own insights, not on the public post. Ask for screenshots of saves, shares and follower locations for posts similar to the one you'd commission, alongside the likes and comments you can see. --- # How to find wedding influencers on Instagram Source: https://nakodo.app/instagrammers/weddings Updated: 2026-10-03 To find wedding influencers on Instagram, first decide whether you need couples or the trade. Engaged creators sharing their own planning reach other couples, but only until the day. Planners, photographers and other suppliers reach couples and fellow suppliers. Search the questions couples ask, check that recent comments come from people still planning, and agree in writing how any gifted dress, flowers or service will be labelled as an ad. ## Who posts about weddings on Instagram A wedding audience has a deadline. People follow wedding accounts while they plan, and their reason to follow ends on the day. That shapes who to pick, when, and how to read their numbers. - **Couples planning their own wedding:** Venue visits, dress shopping and budgets, sometimes on an account started for the wedding. Followers plan alongside them. Strong until the day; afterwards the account may move on to a honeymoon, a home or something else. - **Planners and coordinators:** Timelines, tips and weddings they ran. Followed by couples and by other suppliers. Fits planning tools, stationery, favours and insurance. - **Photographers and videographers:** Real weddings as a portfolio. Fits anything that looks good in photos, from dresses to tableware, and cameras and editing tools for the trade. - **Bridalwear, hair and makeup:** Dress try-ons, alterations, bridal trials and wedding-morning looks. Fits dresses, suits, shoes, accessories and long-wear makeup. - **Florists, stationers and cake makers:** Close-up craft and table settings. Fits their suppliers: materials, tools and packaging. - **Small, budget and DIY weddings:** Registry office weddings, elopements and handmade decor. Fits affordable dresses, craft supplies, printing and rings. - **Cultural and faith weddings:** Weddings planned around particular traditions, sometimes over several days, with their own dress, jewellery and supplier needs. Fits brands that serve those traditions specifically. ## Searches couples type - wedding planning tips - wedding budget breakdown - questions to ask a wedding venue - wedding dress shopping - bridal hair trial - small wedding ideas - wedding table ideas - wedding stationery ideas - what I wish I knew before my wedding - elopement ideas - registry office wedding - [county] wedding florist Planning questions bring up couples mid-plan and the suppliers who answer them. A trade search with a place, such as "[county] wedding florist", brings up local suppliers. Note the hashtags good fits use, such as ones for a region or a tradition. Honeymoon content overlaps with [travel creators](https://nakodo.app/instagrammers/travel). ## Formats that suit wedding brands - **Planning diary in Stories.** Fittings, venue visits and decisions as they happen, with polls and question stickers. A countdown sticker to the date lets followers set a reminder ([Instagram's stickers help](https://help.instagram.com/151273688993748)). Suits products used while planning. - **Real wedding carousel with credits.** The day in slides, with every supplier tagged in the caption. Credits send viewers to each supplier's profile, so agree that you'll be tagged by name. - **Collab post.** Co-authored by up to five accounts, so one real wedding or styled shoot appears on each supplier's profile ([Instagram's Collabs help](https://help.instagram.com/5861247717337470)). - **Styled shoot.** Suppliers stage a wedding with models for their portfolios. A brand can supply a dress, stationery or tableware. Agree beforehand what each supplier, and you, may reuse. - **Tips Reel.** "Things I'd skip" and "what to ask your venue" from planners. A product appears as one answer among several. ## What to check before you contact a wedding creator - **Whether followers are still planning.** Read recent comments. "We're getting married in June" and supplier questions mean followers mid-plan; congratulations from past couples and suppliers mean an audience that has finished, or is in the trade. - **The creator's own date.** For a couple sharing their planning, the wedding date sets your window. A planning product has to reach them before it. - **Couples or trade.** A florist whose comments come from other florists suits a floristry supplier better than a dress brand. - **Gifted services.** A dress, flowers or a discounted venue given for posts is payment. UK guidance counts gifts, discounts and loans on better terms than the public gets, and "product" includes services ([CMA guidance for creators](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-content-creators/social-media-endorsements-being-transparent-with-your-followers)). Meta's [Branded Content Policies](https://help.instagram.com/1695974997209192) count free gifts too. Agree "Ad" and the paid partnership label before the day, not after the photos come back. - **Whose photos they are.** In the UK the photographer, as author, is normally the first owner of copyright ([section 11](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/11)), and someone who commissions photos for private and domestic purposes has the right not to have them published or shown in public ([section 85](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/85)). Using a real wedding in your marketing needs the photographer's licence and the couple's agreement, and guests appear in them too. Rules differ elsewhere; see [usage rights](https://nakodo.app/glossary#usage-rights). The [disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules) explain labels in each format, including every frame of a Stories series. ## How wedding numbers behave Take engagement per follower, (likes + comments) ÷ followers, as a median of recent posts, then allow for three habits: - **Real wedding spikes.** A photographer's post of one wedding can draw likes from the couple's friends and family, who don't follow for weddings. The median absorbs one spike; an average doesn't. - **Audiences that age out.** An account built during its owner's own planning may have many followers whose weddings are over. A falling rate can mean an audience that has moved on, not bought followers. Check comment dates and planning language. - **Supplier circles.** Suppliers comment on each other's work. The comments are real, but they come from the trade, not from couples planning. Ask for insights screenshots showing followers' top locations and age ranges ([About Instagram insights](https://help.instagram.com/788388387972460)). The [Instagram engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator) does the sums. ## Two calendars Weddings run on two calendars: when couples start planning, and when weddings take place. The first decides when a planning product must reach them; the second, when suppliers are too busy to post and wedding-day products are bought. Check when your own orders arrive and work back. Styled shoots can be planned for quieter months, ready for the next season. ## How Nakodo handles weddings Nakodo reads your website and writes a brief you can edit, with your markets, a follower range and 3 to 6 groups of search keywords: a stationery brand gets "save the dates" and "wedding signage" rather than "wedding". Accounts with no post in 180 days are set aside, which drops wedding accounts that went quiet after the day, and off-topic words set aside accounts whose recent captions are mostly about something else. On Instagram, Nakodo reads only public professional accounts, so a couple's personal planning account is never read, while a supplier's public Business account can be. It emails the best fits with a published email, or only those you pick, Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 19:30 in the creator's local time, so nothing arrives at the weekend. It pauses for out-of-office replies and introduces the creators who say yes. See [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find wedding influencers on Instagram? Decide whether you need couples or the trade. Search Instagram for the planning questions couples ask, and for local suppliers by place, then open the accounts behind the results. Check that recent comments come from people still planning, and look at who the creator credits and is credited by. ### Do wedding influencers have to disclose a free wedding dress? Yes, if they post about it. UK guidance counts gifts, discounts and loans as payment, services included, and Meta's examples say a lent product the creator wears needs the paid partnership label. Agree the label and "Ad" in writing before the wedding. ### Should a wedding brand work with couples or with suppliers? Couples sharing their own planning reach other couples, but only until their day. Planners, photographers and other suppliers keep posting after each wedding and reach both couples and the trade. Products for couples suit either; products for suppliers suit the trade accounts. ### Can I use photos from a real wedding in my ads? Only with permission. In the UK the photographer normally owns the copyright, and a couple who commissioned photos for private and domestic purposes has the right not to have them published or shown in public. Get the photographer's licence and the couple's agreement in writing. --- # How to find travel influencers on Instagram Source: https://nakodo.app/instagrammers/travel Updated: 2026-10-03 To find travel influencers on Instagram, search the places and phrases around your hotel, destination or product, such as "where to stay in Porto", and open nearby place pages to see who already posts there. Shortlist creators whose followers live where your guests come from, which only their insights show. Agree in writing what a gifted stay or press trip includes, and label every post and Story from it as an ad. ## How travel on Instagram differs from YouTube Travel on [YouTube](https://nakodo.app/youtubers/travel) is mostly research: itineraries and packing videos watched before a trip. Instagram sits either side of that: the post that puts a place on someone's list, and the Stories from the trip itself. - **Places are searchable.** Every location tag has a place page showing posts tagged there ([Instagram's help](https://help.instagram.com/458423657648149)). A hotel can see who has already posted from it, paying guests included. - **Stories happen during the stay.** They go out while the creator is there, with a link sticker to book, and disappear after 24 hours unless saved to a Highlight ([how long Stories stay visible](https://help.instagram.com/1729008150678239)). Ask for a Highlight named after your place. - **Posts are kept for later.** A carousel of where to eat or stay is the kind of post people save for a trip months away. Saves show only in the creator's insights, so the public numbers miss them. ## Travel accounts, by what they post - **Local guides:** One city or region, from someone who lives there: openings, day trips, where to eat. Fits restaurants, attractions, local hotels and tourism boards. - **Hotel and stay reviewers:** Room-tour Reels and "worth it?" verdicts on hotels, cabins and holiday lets. Fits hotels, short-stay operators and booking platforms. - **Travel photographers:** A photo-led grid. Fits tourism boards and hotels that want images, and camera and outdoor gear. Using their photos on your own channels needs a licence. - **Short breaks:** City breaks, train trips and getaways within reach of home. Fits rail, short stays and luggage, for followers who can act on a post this month. - **Packing and travel style:** Carry-on contents, travel outfits and airport routines. Fits luggage, clothing, toiletries and adapters, and overlaps with [fashion creators](https://nakodo.app/instagrammers/fashion). - **Repost and feature accounts:** Large accounts reposting other people's photos with a credit. Followers come for the scenery, not a person, and the photos belong to the photographers. Treat them as media to buy space on, not as creators. ## Searches to run - where to stay in [city] - weekend in [region] - hidden gems in [city] - day trips from [city] - boutique hotel [region] - cabin getaway - hotels worth the money - best time to visit [place] - [city] food guide - train travel Europe - honeymoon ideas - what's in my carry-on Search in your guests' language too: a hotel that wants German visitors should also search in German. Then open your own place page and those of places nearby. ## Formats for stays, places and gear | Format | What it shows | Suits | | --- | --- | --- | | Room-tour Reel | The room, the view and the walk to breakfast | Hotels, holiday lets, cabins | | Stories during the stay | Arrival, the room, dinner, with a link sticker to book | Hotels and experiences | | Guide carousel | A list of places, one slide each, saved for later | Destinations, restaurants, groups of hotels | | Collab post | One post on both profiles, shown to both sets of followers | Hotels and tourism boards with their own following | | Packing carousel | Every item laid out and named | Luggage, clothing, adapters, toiletries | The paid partnership label can name up to two brands, such as a tourism board and a hotel, and the brands tagged get the post's insights ([Instagram's help](https://help.instagram.com/1109894795810258)). Putting a creator's photos on your website or in your ads is [usage rights](https://nakodo.app/glossary#usage-rights), agreed separately. ## Gifted stays and press trips A free night, a discounted rate or a place on a press trip counts as payment. The FTC tells creators to disclose the relationship if they "got anything of value to mention a product" ([Disclosures 101](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers)). The UK's CMA counts gifts and discounts as payment and lists "#PRTrip" and "PR Stay" among labels to avoid ([guidance for creators](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-content-creators/social-media-endorsements-being-transparent-with-your-followers)). Use "Ad" with the paid partnership label, on every Story frame: the [disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules) explain each format. Agree in writing: - **What's included:** nights, meals, transfers and activities, and whether a fee comes on top. - **What's expected:** how many Stories, Reels and posts, and when each goes live. A stay with no obligation to post still needs labelling if the creator does post. - **Honest coverage:** the FTC says a creator paid to talk about a product they thought was terrible can't call it terrific. Agree that problems come to you first, and that they go in the post if guests need to know. - **Photos that match the place:** a creator's photo becomes your advertising when you pay for it or repost it, and UK ads must not materially mislead ([CAP Code section 3](https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/03.html)). No swapped skies or removed buildings for somewhere people will book. - **Press trips:** each creator labels their own posts. Travelling in a group doesn't make the coverage editorial. ## How travel numbers behave on Instagram Travel Reels can reach far beyond a creator's followers, so a large following may come from one viral place, watched anywhere. Start with (likes + comments) ÷ followers as a median of recent posts, then check: - **Where followers live.** Nothing on the profile shows it. Ask for the insights screen with followers' top locations ([About Instagram insights](https://help.instagram.com/788388387972460)): a hotel in Edinburgh wanting UK weekenders needs UK followers, wherever the creator travels. - **Saves and shares,** from insights, for posts like the one you'd commission. - **Reels views per follower.** Median Reels views divided by followers; the median stops a few viral Reels hiding the rest. - **Whose photos they are.** Feature accounts can show strong numbers on work that isn't theirs. ## How Nakodo handles travel Nakodo reads your website and writes a brief you can edit, with your markets, a follower range and 3 to 6 groups of search keywords: a country inn in the Lake District gets searches about walking weekends there, not "travel". Off-topic words set aside accounts whose recent captions are mostly about something else, so a family hotel might add "nightlife". On Instagram it reads public professional accounts through Meta's Business Discovery API, including the latest 12 posts. Instagram doesn't share country or language, so those count as neutral rather than guessed; on TikTok, region and language do count. Nakodo emails the best fits with a published email, or only the ones you pick, and introduces those who say yes. It doesn't arrange stays or write agreements. See [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### How do I find travel influencers on Instagram? Search Instagram for the places and planning phrases around your hotel, destination or product, such as "where to stay in [city]", and open nearby place pages. Shortlist creators who post the kind of trip you offer, then ask for insights showing where their followers live. ### How do hotels find Instagram influencers? Start with the hotel's own place page and those of nearby attractions, which show who already posts from there, then search phrases such as "boutique hotel [region]". Check, from their insights, that each creator's followers live where your guests come from. ### Do travel influencers have to disclose a free hotel stay? Yes. A free or discounted stay counts as payment under US and UK guidance, and Meta's branded content rules count free gifts. Each post, Reel and Story needs the paid partnership label and "Ad". The CMA advises against "#PRTrip" and "PR Stay". ### Should a hotel pay a travel creator as well as hosting them? Ask rather than assume. A stay covers the creator's costs, not the hours spent filming and editing, so some expect a fee on top. Price any fee from median Reels views, using the method in [how much to pay creators](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators). ### How are Instagram travel influencers different from YouTube travel creators? YouTube travel is mostly research watched before a trip: itineraries and packing videos. Instagram is the post that puts a place on someone's list, the Stories from the trip, and place pages anyone can search. A hotel can use both, for different moments. --- # YouTube influencer marketing for ecommerce brands Source: https://nakodo.app/for/ecommerce-brands Updated: 2026-10-03 For an online shop selling physical products, YouTube influencer marketing works best with creators whose viewers already buy in your category: reviewers, tutorial makers and hobby channels. Send product with no obligation to a handful who fit, pay for integrations once you know whose audience responds, and give each creator their own discount code and UTM link so you can see the sales. Then keep working with the creators who sold. ## What gets in the way for online shops Ecommerce brands start with an advantage on YouTube: a physical product that can be unboxed, used and shown on camera. The difficulties sit elsewhere. - **Finding the right channels takes hours.** YouTube search favours popular videos, not the mid-sized reviewer whose viewers buy exactly what you sell. Checking channels one by one can swallow a week. - **Knowing what to offer.** Free product, a fee, a commission or a mix. Each suits a different creator and stage. - **Seeing whether it sold anything.** Viewers watch on a TV, then find your shop on their phone days later. Without codes and tagged links, those sales look like ordinary traffic. - **Starting from scratch every time.** A single video is a small sample. A creator who still uses your product months later can mention it again. ## A workflow for an online shop This sequence moves from cheap tests to paid work, so you only spend money on creators whose viewers have shown interest. 1. **Write down who buys from you.** Note the countries you ship to, your customers' language, and the hobbies or problems that bring them to your shop. Our guide to [writing a sponsorship brief](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-brief) covers what creators need later. 2. **Find channels your customers already watch.** Search YouTube the way a customer would: "[product] review", "best [product] for [use]". Note the channels behind useful videos, not only the most-viewed. 3. **Check the numbers and the comments.** Look at the median views of the last 10 to 20 videos, not the best one, and read the comments. Viewers asking what kit the creator uses are a good sign for a shop. 4. **Seed first, then pay.** Ask the creators you like best whether they'd like to try the product, with no obligation to post. Offer a paid integration to the ones who respond well. 5. **Give every creator a code and a link.** Set up one discount code and one UTM-tagged link per creator before the video goes live, and ask for both in the description. 6. **Go back to the creators who sold.** After a few weeks, compare cost against attributed orders per creator. Offer the best a second video, a longer arrangement or a commission on top of a fee. ## Seeding or a paid integration? | | Product seeding | Paid integration | | --- | --- | --- | | What it costs | Product and postage | A fee agreed in advance, plus the product | | What you get | Nothing guaranteed. Creators who like it may mention or review it | An agreed segment with your key points, link and code | | Good for | Finding which creators genuinely like the product | Launches, promotions and creators you already trust | | Watch out for | Ask before you send, and expect silence from some | Check the fee against median views as a cost per 1,000 views before agreeing | A sensible pattern is to seed widely, then pay the creators whose viewers responded. Our guides to [product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube) and [how much to pay YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers) go into each. ## Tracking sales from a video Set attribution up before the video goes live, and use several signals together, because each one misses some buyers. - **A discount code per creator.** It works when the viewer types your address in later. Codes leak to coupon sites, so set an end date and treat the count as a guide. - **A UTM-tagged link per creator.** Your analytics can then show visits and orders per video, from the viewers who click. - **A "how did you hear about us" question at checkout.** Free text lets customers name the creator, and catches buyers who used neither code nor link. - **A few weeks of data, not days.** Videos, reviews especially, keep collecting views after launch. Then divide the full cost, fee plus product and postage, by the orders you can attribute. Our guide to [measuring YouTube sponsorships](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-measure-youtube-sponsorships) walks through it. ## What Nakodo does, and what it doesn't Nakodo starts from your shop's website address. It reads the site and writes a brief you can edit: what you sell, your markets, the kind of creator that fits and the YouTube keywords to search. It then scores each channel behind matching videos from the last 12 months from 0 to 100, with the reasons written out, as explained on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). It finds the business email each creator publishes and emails the best fits, or only the ones you pick, on your behalf. Each first email mentions a recent video and states your offer, free product or a fee, exactly as you set it. It never invents payment amounts, discount codes or deadlines. Nakodo follows up when there's no reply, answers what it can and brings you the rest, and introduces each creator who says yes by email so you can agree the details from your own inbox. - It doesn't send first emails without your approval, unless you choose to let them go out on their own after an hour. - It doesn't guess email addresses or get around YouTube's captcha. A creator who publishes no email is never contacted. - It doesn't negotiate, ship product or pay creators. - It doesn't create discount codes or tracking links; you set those up in your shop. ## Questions ### How does YouTube influencer marketing work for ecommerce? You find creators whose viewers already buy in your category, such as reviewers and tutorial channels. Send product with no obligation to the best fits, then pay for integrations with the ones whose audience responds. Give each creator their own discount code and UTM link to see which videos sold. ### How do I find YouTubers for my Shopify store? Search YouTube the way your customers would, with phrases like "[product] review", and look at the channels behind the useful videos. Judge each by the median views of recent videos and by its comments, not subscriber count. Nakodo does this from your shop's website address and shows its reasons. ### Is Nakodo an influencer marketplace? No. Creators don't sign up to Nakodo or set prices in it. Nakodo searches YouTube for publicly listed channels that fit your brief and emails them on your behalf at the business address they publish. ### Should I pay YouTubers or just send free products? Start with free product if you're unsure who fits: it costs little and shows which creators genuinely like it. Pay for an integration when you need a guaranteed mention, a date or specific points covered. ### Can an online shop try Nakodo for free? Yes. There is a free plan that needs no card, so you can see which creators fit your shop before paying for anything. The paid plans and every limit are on the [pricing page](https://nakodo.app/pricing). --- # YouTube influencer discovery tool for agencies Source: https://nakodo.app/for/agencies Updated: 2026-10-03 An influencer discovery tool for agencies should keep each client separate, show why every creator was suggested, and produce a shortlist you can put in front of a client. Nakodo runs one campaign per client from the client's website, scores YouTube creators from 0 to 100 with the reasons written out and exports them as a CSV. It then emails the best fits, or only the creators you choose, on the client's behalf and introduces your team to the ones who say yes. ## What agencies need from creator search An agency's problem isn't finding one good creator. It's doing it again for every client, each with a different product, market and budget, and then explaining the choices to someone who wasn't there when you made them. - **A separate brief per client.** A skincare client and a cycling client need different keywords, markets and creator sizes. One mixed search helps neither. - **Reasons a client can read.** "This creator fits" isn't an argument. "A typical video gets 41K views, 12% of subscribers" is. - **A shortlist, not hundreds of rows.** Clients approve a short list of names with reasons, not raw search results. - **Data that goes into your own reports.** You have your own decks and trackers, so the shortlist has to come out in a format they accept. ## How the workflow looks for an agency 1. **Start a campaign per client.** Each client gets its own campaign, started from the client's website address. Nakodo reads the site and writes a brief: what the client sells, its countries and languages, the kind of creator that fits with a subscriber range, and 3 to 6 groups of YouTube search keywords. 2. **Edit the brief with what you know.** You know things the website doesn't say: the client's real markets, a creator size the budget allows, topics to avoid. Change the brief before the search runs. 3. **Review the scored results.** Nakodo searches YouTube videos from the last 12 months and scores each channel behind them from 0 to 100. Read the reasons, open the channels that look right, and watch a video or two before trusting any number. Our guide to [vetting a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator) has a checklist. 4. **Rule out the wrong ones.** Skip any creator you wouldn't put your name to, and Nakodo never contacts them. Each of the rest keeps its score, reasons and flags, and shows whether the creator publishes a business email Nakodo can write to. 5. **Take it to the client.** Export the creators as a CSV, with scores, score parts, median views and engagement rate, and put it into your own deck or tracker. Use the reasons as your case for each name. 6. **Let Nakodo run the approved outreach.** Once the client agrees, Nakodo emails the best fits, or only the creators you choose, on the client's behalf. Each first email mentions a recent video and states the offer exactly as you set it, and waits for your approval unless you let it go out on its own. Nakodo follows up, answers what it can, brings your team the questions it can't, and introduces each creator who says yes by email. Our [outreach email templates](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-outreach-email-templates) show what a good first message covers. ## Explaining your choices to a client Clients ask why a creator is on the list, and why a bigger one isn't. Nakodo's score has five parts: relevance, audience fit, engagement, comment quality and recency. Relevance is an AI judgement of the creator's recent videos against the brief, and the score is never higher than it, so a big channel off the client's topic doesn't make the list. The other parts use fixed thresholds on each channel's own numbers, never a ranking of channels against each other. Every score comes with plain sentences such as these: - "Found by 3 keywords" - "A typical video gets 41K views, 12% of subscribers" - "Likes and comments are 4.2% of views (median)" Creators scoring 55 or more count as a fit and get written notes on why. Flags such as mostly Shorts, outside the client's markets, or comments turned off give you the caveats before the client spots them. The weights of each part are on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). > **A score is a starting point.** The score reads public numbers. It can't tell you whether a creator's tone suits the client or whether they'd take the deal. Watch the videos before a name goes in front of a client. ## What Nakodo does and what your team does | Task | Nakodo | Your team | | --- | --- | --- | | Finding creators | Searches YouTube from each client's brief and scores every channel | Checks the shortlist and watches the videos | | Outreach | Finds the business email each creator publishes, writes the first email and sends it in the creator's working hours | Chooses who is contacted, and approves first emails or lets them go out on their own | | Replies | Follows up when there's no reply and answers the questions it can from the offer and notes | Answers rates, contracts and anything Nakodo can't | | Deals | Introduces each creator who says yes by email, then steps out | Negotiates fees, contracts, usage rights and payment from your own inbox | | Client reporting | Exports a campaign's creators as a CSV | Builds the deck or report in your own tools | Nakodo never guesses an email address and never gets around YouTube's captcha on "View email address"; a creator who publishes no email is never contacted. Creators' addresses are never shown or exported, so your team gets one only through an introduction. There are no client-sharing links or white-label reports, so clients see what you choose to show them, in your own format. For pricing conversations with creators, see [how much to pay YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-youtubers). ## Questions ### What is an influencer discovery tool for agencies? It's software that searches for creators who fit a client's brief and helps an agency judge, shortlist and contact them. For YouTube, a useful one keeps each client's search separate, shows why each creator was suggested, and reaches the creators you choose. Nakodo does this for YouTube creators, then introduces you to the ones who say yes. ### Can I run campaigns for several clients at once? Yes. In Nakodo each client gets its own campaign, started from the client's website, with its own brief, results and outreach. How many campaigns you can run at the same time depends on your plan. ### Is Nakodo an influencer marketplace? No. Creators don't sign up to Nakodo, list rates or accept jobs in it. Nakodo finds publicly listed YouTube channels that fit a client's brief and emails them on the client's behalf at the business address they publish themselves. ### Can I share Nakodo results with a client? You can export a campaign's creators as a CSV with scores, score parts, median views, engagement rate, links, fit notes and where each conversation stands, then use it in your own deck. There are no client-sharing links or white-label reports. The CSV never includes creators' email addresses or phone numbers. ### How much does Nakodo cost for an agency? There's a free plan with no card required, which is enough to try a campaign before committing. Plans are measured by new creators contacted (a month on Free, each weekday on paid plans), and paid plans raise that limit and the number of campaigns, and include CSV export. Current prices and every limit are on the [pricing page](https://nakodo.app/pricing). --- # YouTube influencer marketing for SaaS Source: https://nakodo.app/for/saas Updated: 2026-10-03 For SaaS, YouTube influencer marketing works best with creators who teach: tutorial, workflow and "how I run my business" channels where your software can be shown doing a real job. Offer an extended trial code rather than a discount, expect sign-ups to arrive over weeks, and track them with UTM links and a "how did you hear about us" question. A small B2B channel can be worth more than a large general one. ## Why software is different on YouTube Software has no box to open. What it has is a screen, and YouTube is full of people watching other people's screens to learn how to do something. That shapes how a SaaS sponsorship should work. - **The product has to be shown working.** A list of features read to camera is easy to skip. A creator using your product to do the thing the video is about is not. - **Buyers take their time.** A viewer may start a trial weeks after the video, then pay on a different device. Plan attribution before launch. - **The best channels are often small.** A channel teaching accountants a spreadsheet workflow may never pass a few thousand subscribers, and many of its viewers may be the people who choose their team's tools. - **Trust is the asset.** Viewers follow a tutorial creator's recommendations because they've learned from them before. A poor fit spends that trust. ## Which creators fit a software product - **Tutorial channels:** Step-by-step videos on a tool or task. The natural home for a product that does part of that task. - **Workflow and productivity channels:** "How I organise my week" and "my tech stack" videos. Software appears as part of a real routine, which is the most convincing way to show it. - **Niche professional channels:** Channels for accountants, developers, designers, recruiters, teachers and other trades. Small audiences, often full of people with a say in what their team buys. - **Small-business and founder channels:** Owners showing how they run things. Good for tools aimed at small teams. - **Comparison channels:** "[Tool] vs [tool]" and "best tools for [job]" videos. Viewers are already choosing, and the videos keep getting found through search. Search YouTube for the problem your product solves, not for your product category. Phrases like these find better channels than "[category] software": - [task] tutorial - how I [task] for my business - [job title] workflow - my tech stack - [competitor] alternative - [task] for beginners ## A workflow for a SaaS team 1. **Describe the jobs your product does.** Write down the tasks it handles, who does them, and in which countries and languages. These become your search phrases. 2. **Judge the audience, not the size.** Read the comments. Viewers asking which tool the creator uses, or describing their own setup, look like your buyers. Median views of recent videos matter more than subscriber count. See [how to vet a YouTube creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator). 3. **Offer something worth trying.** Your trial is free already, so a percentage off a price the viewer hasn't seen means little. An extended trial code, for example 60 days instead of 14, gives viewers a reason to use the creator's link. 4. **Agree on a demo, not a script.** Ask the creator to use the product for a real task in the video. Agree the key points and the call to action, and leave the rest to them. See [sponsorship formats](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-formats) for integrations against dedicated videos. 5. **Measure over a full cycle.** Track trials and paid accounts from each creator's link and code for a full trial period plus your usual time to purchase before judging. ## Tracking sign-ups over a long buying cycle A viewer who signs up three weeks after a video, on a work laptop, after a colleague mentions it, won't show up as a click from YouTube. Use several signals together: - **A UTM-tagged link per creator,** in the description and pinned comment, to record the visitors who click. - **An extended trial code per creator.** People who type your address in later can still enter it at sign-up, and the code tells you who sent them. - **A "how did you hear about us" field at sign-up.** Leave it as free text, so people can name the creator rather than just "YouTube". Then work out cost per trial and cost per paying customer for each creator. Our guide to [measuring YouTube sponsorships](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-measure-youtube-sponsorships) walks through it. ## What Nakodo does for a SaaS team, and what it doesn't Nakodo starts from your product's website and writes a brief you can edit before it searches, including the kind of creator that fits, a subscriber range and YouTube search keywords. If your site talks mostly about features, edit the keywords towards tasks. Audience fit compares each channel's subscriber count with your range, so set it low if you want small specialist channels. Each channel gets a score from 0 to 100 with its reasons written out; the method is on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). It finds the business email creators publish and emails the best fits, or only the ones you pick, on your behalf. Each first email mentions a recent video and states your offer, such as an extended trial, exactly as you set it. It never invents payment amounts, codes or deadlines. Nakodo follows up when there's no reply, brings your team the questions it can't answer, and introduces each creator who says yes by email. - It doesn't send first emails without your approval, unless you choose to let them go out on their own. - It doesn't guess addresses or get around YouTube's captcha, and never shows you a creator's address before an introduction. - It doesn't negotiate, sign contracts or pay creators. ## Questions ### How does YouTube influencer marketing work for SaaS? You sponsor creators whose videos teach the tasks your software helps with, and they show the product doing real work in a video. Viewers get a tracked link and often an extended trial code. Because buyers take weeks to decide, you measure trials and paid accounts per creator over a full sales cycle. ### Are B2B YouTube creators worth sponsoring? They can be, because a small channel for a specific profession can be full of people who buy the kind of tool you sell. Judge them by how closely their videos match your product's use and by the questions in their comments, not by subscriber count. ### Is Nakodo an influencer marketplace? No. Creators don't sign up to Nakodo or list prices in it. Nakodo searches YouTube for publicly listed channels that fit your brief and emails them on your behalf at the business address they publish themselves. ### Should a SaaS company offer a discount or a longer free trial? For most software, an extended trial is the stronger offer, because a standard trial is already free and a discount on an unseen price means little. Give each creator their own trial code so it doubles as attribution. If you sell annual plans, a first-year discount can work too. ### Does Nakodo have a free plan for software companies? Yes. There's a free plan that needs no card, so you can run a first campaign and see which creators fit before paying. Paid plans and their limits are on the [pricing page](https://nakodo.app/pricing). --- # YouTube influencer marketing for small business Source: https://nakodo.app/for/small-businesses Updated: 2026-10-03 A small business can do YouTube influencer marketing on a small budget by starting with micro creators and product seeding: send your product to a few well-matched channels with no obligation, then pay modest fees to the ones whose viewers respond. It fits in a few hours a week if you keep the list short, write short personal messages and track results with codes. Affordable YouTube sponsorships come from fit, not size. ## What makes it hard for a small business Large brands have agencies and budgets. A small business has an owner or one marketer, a product people like, and an hour here and there. The usual obstacles: - **Not knowing who to approach.** Searching YouTube turns up the biggest channels, which are out of reach, and buries the smaller ones that might say yes. - **Fear of overpaying.** With nothing to compare against, every quote looks either suspiciously cheap or too dear. - **Not enough time.** Checking channels, finding contacts and writing messages one by one can take a week you don't have. - **Worry about doing it wrong.** Disclosure rules and tracking sound like work for a legal team. Most of it is simpler than it looks. ## Start small: seeding and micro creators You don't need a big fee to start. These approaches suit a small budget, and they work well together: - **Product seeding:** Send your product free to creators you've asked first, with no obligation to post. It costs stock and postage, and creators who like it tend to say so. See [product seeding on YouTube](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube). - **Micro creators:** Smaller channels focused on one topic. Their fees, where they charge one, are lower, and their viewers often share the specific interest your product serves. See [micro creators on YouTube](https://nakodo.app/guides/micro-influencers-on-youtube). - **Small paid integrations:** Once you know who fits, a short sponsored segment in a smaller creator's regular video. Check the quote against their median views with the [sponsorship cost calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/sponsorship-cost-calculator). - **Commission deals:** A share of each sale through the creator's link or code. Low risk for you, so pair it with free product or a small fee to make it fair for them. ## A routine that fits in a few hours a week 1. **Write a short brief, once.** Who buys from you, where they live, what they care about, and what you can offer a creator: product, a small fee, a commission or a mix. Keep it to a paragraph. 2. **Pick five to ten channels a week.** Search YouTube for the problems your product solves and the hobbies around it. Note channels whose recent videos fit, whose comments are real conversations, and whose median views you can afford. 3. **Find the contact they publish.** Check the channel description, recent video descriptions and the creator's website or link-in-bio page. Don't guess addresses. See [how to find a YouTuber's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-youtubers-email). 4. **Write short, personal messages.** Mention one recent video, say what you're offering in a line, and make it easy to say no. Short and specific reads better than polished. 5. **Follow up once or twice, then move on.** Send a short follow-up after four days to a week, and at most one more a week later, then leave it. Keep a simple list of who you contacted, who replied and who declined. 6. **Review once a month.** Count codes used, link visits and what customers say when asked where they heard of you. Do more with the creators whose viewers bought. ## How Nakodo helps, and where it stops Nakodo does the slow parts of that routine. Give it your website address and it writes a brief you can edit, searches YouTube for matching videos from the last 12 months, and scores each channel behind them from 0 to 100 with its reasons written out, so you can see why a small channel made the list. The method is on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). It finds the business email each creator publishes and emails the best fits, or only the ones you pick, on your behalf. Each first email mentions a recent video, states your offer exactly as you set it, and ends by telling the creator that if it's not a fit, they can say so and you won't follow up. The emails carry your name, such as "Sam from Acme", and first emails wait for your approval unless you let them go out on their own. Nakodo follows up when there's no reply, answers what it can from your offer and notes, and brings you anything it can't, such as rates. When a creator says yes, it introduces you by email with your own address in copy, and you carry on from your own inbox. - It doesn't guess addresses or get around YouTube's captcha, and never emails a creator who has opted out. - It doesn't negotiate fees, ship products or pay creators. - It doesn't promise replies. Some creators will say no, and that's fine. ## Questions ### How can a small business use influencer marketing on YouTube? Start with a handful of smaller creators whose videos match your product, and send them product with no obligation to post. Pay modest fees to the ones whose viewers respond, and give each creator a discount code so you can see what sold. A few hours a week is enough if you keep the list short. ### How do I find affordable YouTube sponsorships? Look at smaller, focused channels rather than big general ones, and compare every quote on one scale by converting it to a cost per 1,000 views using the creator's median views. Product seeding and commission deals cost less up front. A creator whose viewers closely match your customers is better value than a bigger channel that's a loose fit. ### Is Nakodo an influencer marketplace? No. Creators don't sign up to Nakodo, and there are no listings or bids. Nakodo finds publicly listed YouTube channels that fit your business and emails them on your behalf at the business address they publish. ### Is there a free version of Nakodo? Yes. There's a free plan with no card required, so you can see which creators fit before paying for anything. What each plan includes is on the [pricing page](https://nakodo.app/pricing). ### Do I have to pay YouTubers to work with them? Not always. Some creators will feature a product they like after receiving it free, and some accept a commission instead of a fee. Creators who do paid sponsorships will expect a fee for a guaranteed mention, and it's fair to pay for their work. --- # Influencer marketing for Shopify stores Source: https://nakodo.app/for/shopify-stores Updated: 2026-10-03 Influencer marketing for a Shopify store runs best through tools Shopify already gives you. Make each creator their own discount code and shareable discount link, which applies the code at checkout and can carry UTM tags. Send product through Shopify Collabs or a draft order, so it's fulfilled like any order. Then read Shopify's Sales by discount codes and marketing reports to see what each creator's audience bought. ## What Shopify offers for creator work The parts of a creator deal that touch your shop can all run through Shopify's own tools. The wider workflow, from seeding to paid posts, is on our page for [ecommerce brands](https://nakodo.app/for/ecommerce-brands). | Job | Shopify tool | What to know | | --- | --- | --- | | Run a commission programme | [Shopify Collabs](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/collabs/merchants) | Invites, affiliate links, sales tracking and payments, for creators on Collabs. | | Give each creator a code | [Discount codes](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/discounts/discount-methods/discount-codes) | You set the dates a code is valid and how many times it can be used. | | Make the code easy to use | [Shareable discount links](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/discounts/managing-discounts) | The link applies the code to the visitor's cart and opens the page you choose. | | Send product | Collabs gifts, or a [draft order](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/fulfillment/managing-orders/create-orders/discounts) | Either way the gift becomes an order you fulfil from your admin. | | See what sold | [Sales by discount codes](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/reports-and-analytics/shopify-reports/report-types/sales-report) and the [marketing reports](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/reports-and-analytics/shopify-reports/report-types/default-reports/marketing-reports) | Orders per code, and sales from visits tagged with a UTM campaign. | ## Shopify Collabs, and when it fits Shopify describes Collabs as a "marketplace-style app" that connects businesses and creators. You can invite creators directly, publish an open access programme that eligible creators join at the commission you set, or take applications through a page on your online store. From the same app you send gifts or codes, track affiliate sales and pay commission. Collabs also keeps its own database of creators, which you can filter by social account and location and sort by audience size ([recruiting creators on Collabs](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/collabs/merchants/recruiting-creators)). > **Check this before you plan around Collabs.** At the time of writing, Shopify's help centre says Collabs [isn't accepting new creator signups](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/collabs), though creators with existing brand partnerships can still use it. A creator you find on YouTube or TikTok may not be able to join your programme, so be ready to work with them on an ordinary code and link. Collabs suits a standing commission programme with many creators. For a handful of paid or gifted posts, a code and a link per creator do the same measuring job with nothing for the creator to sign up to. ## A code and a link for every creator 1. **Create one code per creator.** Name it so you'll recognise it in a report, such as the creator's handle plus the discount. Set an end date and a limit on uses, such as one per customer: a code read out in a video travels beyond the creator's audience. 2. **Turn the code into a shareable link.** Open the discount, choose Promote, then the option to get a shareable discount code. Pick where it lands: your home page, a collection or a single product. Shopify says the discount then applies automatically to the customer's cart. 3. **Tag the link for your reports.** Add UTM parameters, and always include utm_campaign: Shopify counts traffic as marketing when the address carries one ([how Shopify attributes marketing](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/analyze-marketing/marketing-performance)). Use one pattern for every creator, with the creator in utm_content. See [UTM parameters](https://nakodo.app/glossary#utm-parameters). 4. **Hand over both before the post goes live.** Ask for the link where viewers can tap it, and the code where they can see or hear it, for anyone who finds your shop later without the link. ## Gifting product from your Shopify admin - **Collabs gifts:** A gift can be a free product, or a percentage or fixed-amount discount code. Free shipping always applies, and once the creator claims the gift, an order appears in your admin for you to fulfil. Gifts can only go to your connections on Collabs. - **Draft orders:** For anyone not on Collabs, create a draft order to the creator's address and take the price off with a custom discount, as an amount or a percentage of the listed price. Ask before you send, make clear there's no obligation to post, and put a disclosure request in writing: a gifted post still needs labelling. See [disclosing paid posts on Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). ## Reading the results in Shopify - **Sales by discount codes** groups sales by the name of the discount, so each creator's code shows its own orders. - **Sales attributed to marketing** counts only sales from traffic attributable to your marketing, including campaigns outside Shopify tagged with UTM parameters. - **The attribution model.** Shopify's channel performance reports default to last non-direct click, and also offer first click, last click, any click and linear. Use the same one for every creator. An order that used a creator's code and arrived through their link appears in both reports, so count it once. Say a creator cost a fee of 400 plus 60 in product and postage. Their code is on 23 orders, their link brought 9, and 4 did both: 28 orders, or about 16.40 each. Set that against what an order is worth to you. ## Where Nakodo fits, and where it stops Nakodo finds the creators, on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. It reads your shop's homepage and up to 5 key pages, then writes a brief you can edit: what you sell, your markets, the kind of creator and a follower range, and 3 to 6 groups of search keywords. Each creator gets a score from 0 to 100 with written reasons. The method is on [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). By default it emails the best-scored fits that publish an email, strongest first, with your shop's name as the sender. You approve each first email, unless you let them go out after a 60-minute window in which you can still edit or stop them. It follows up, and when a creator says yes, introduces you in the same thread with you in Cc. That's when you create their code and link. - Nakodo has no Shopify integration. It doesn't read your orders or reports, and doesn't create codes, links, gifts or commissions. - It never shows, sells or exports creators' email addresses. You get a creator's address through the introduction. - The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans. See [pricing](https://nakodo.app/pricing). ## Questions ### How does influencer marketing work for a Shopify store? You find creators whose audience buys what you sell, offer them product, a fee or a commission, and give each one their own discount code and shareable discount link. Gifts go through your admin as orders, and Shopify's reports show which creator's audience bought. ### What is Shopify Collabs? Shopify's own app for creator partnerships. Merchants can invite creators, run commission programmes, send gifts or discount codes, track affiliate sales and pay commission. At the time of writing, Shopify says it isn't accepting new creator signups, so check a creator can join before you rely on it. ### How do I track influencer sales on Shopify? Give each creator a unique discount code and a shareable link tagged with UTM parameters, including utm_campaign. The Sales by discount codes report shows orders per code, and the marketing reports show sales from tagged visits. Count an order that appears in both once. ### How do I send free products to influencers from Shopify? Use a Collabs gift if the creator is one of your Collabs connections: it becomes an order for you to fulfil. Otherwise create a draft order to the creator with a custom discount. Ask first, and ask in writing for any resulting post to be labelled as an ad. ### Does Nakodo integrate with Shopify? No. Nakodo reads your shop's public website to write its brief, finds creators on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and emails them on your behalf. Codes, links, gifts and reports stay in Shopify, set up by you once a creator says yes. --- # Influencer marketing for Amazon sellers Source: https://nakodo.app/for/amazon-sellers Updated: 2026-10-03 Influencer marketing for Amazon sellers means paying or gifting creators for posts on their own channels, never for Amazon reviews: Amazon's seller policies count free products, discounts or payment in exchange for a review as a violation. Send each creator's viewers to your listing with their own Amazon Attribution tag or promo code, judge them on purchases, and treat the Amazon Influencer Program as what it is: a commission scheme for creators, not for sellers. ## What Amazon's rules mean for creator deals Amazon's [customer product reviews policies](https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/external/GYRKB5RU3FS5TURN) for sellers list what counts as a violation. Several touch creator work directly: - A seller offering "a financial reward, discount, free products, or other compensation in exchange for a review" of their product. - Offering a refund or reimbursement after a buyer writes a review. - Using a third-party service that gives free or discounted products tied to a review. The same page says breaches by your "business partners, employees, or third party agencies" lead to enforcement against you, even if they happened without your knowledge, and lists penalties that include permanent withdrawal of selling privileges and legal action. A creator or agency acting for you is your responsibility. Amazon's page [about promotional content](https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GDSRWWGGRA2JXSNZ) draws the line. People may receive products free and still review them, but "any attempt to influence or manipulate reviews is prohibited, including conditioning any future benefit on writing a review". Content for someone's own followers is different: it may be paid for, if the connection is clearly disclosed. > **The safe offer.** Pay or gift for a video or post on the creator's own channel. Leave Amazon reviews out of the offer, the brief and every follow-up, and never make a future gift depend on anything the creator writes on Amazon. For reviews on a new listing, Amazon's own route is [Amazon Vine](https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GPEWN3RSQPEU2HST): Amazon invites the reviewers, sends them products that selling partners submit, and says it doesn't influence their opinions. ## Sending a creator's viewers to your listing A viewer who taps through lands on Amazon, where your own analytics can't follow. Plan for that before the post goes live: - **Link to the exact listing,** not a search results page, so viewers don't meet a competitor's product first. - **Give each creator their own promo code** if you're offering a discount. Amazon's [guide to promo codes](https://sell.amazon.com/blog/create-promo-codes) describes single-use codes, unique to each customer, and group codes that everyone can use. A group code per creator tells you whose audience bought. - **Show what the listing sells.** If the video features a colour, size or bundle the listing doesn't offer, viewers arrive looking for something they can't buy. Choose creators by who watches them and the median views of recent posts, not follower count. The guide to [paying TikTok and Instagram creators](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators) turns a quote into a cost per 1,000 views. ## Measuring each creator with Amazon Attribution [Amazon Attribution](https://advertising.amazon.com/solutions/products/amazon-attribution) is Amazon's free tool for measuring what marketing outside Amazon does on Amazon. Its reports show clicks, detail page views, add-to-carts, purchases, units sold and product sales for each tag, over a 14-day attribution window. 1. **Check you're eligible.** Amazon lists it for professional sellers enrolled in Brand Registry, in the countries named on its page. Check before you promise a creator a tracked link. 2. **Make one tag per creator.** Create a tag for each creator, pointing at their listing, named after the creator and the post. 3. **Pair it with a code.** A promo code per creator picks up buyers who type the code rather than tap the link. Report codes and tags side by side rather than adding them up, because one purchase can show in both. 4. **Judge after the window closes.** Attribution counts purchases within 14 days of a click, so wait at least that long. Then divide each creator's full cost, fee plus product and postage, by their attributed purchases. 5. **Claim the bonus if it applies.** In Amazon's US store, sellers in Brand Registry can earn a [Brand Referral Bonus](https://sell.amazon.com/blog/brand-referral-bonus) on sales from marketing outside Amazon that carries an Attribution tag. It arrives as credits that offset referral fees on future sales. Viewers who search Amazon instead of tapping the link won't show against any tag, so a rise in sales after a post is a hint, not proof. Our guide to [measuring sponsorships](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-measure-youtube-sponsorships) covers the rest. ## Amazon's storefront programme is for creators Amazon also runs a programme that gives creators their own page on Amazon. Its [help page](https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/help/node/topic/GTP6NKQ2GXPZL7AT) describes a storefront of products they recommend in YouTube videos or Instagram posts, at an address like amazon.com/shop/handle, with earnings that work like Amazon Associates. For a seller: - **You don't join it.** It pays creators commission on purchases through their own page. It isn't a way to hire one. - **Some creators you contact will be members.** If they add your product to their storefront, they may earn commission from Amazon on top of anything you agree. That's an [affiliate link](https://nakodo.app/glossary#affiliate-link), and it needs disclosing like one. - **Your deal is separate.** A fee or gift you agree is between you and the creator, and Amazon's review rules still apply to it. ## How Nakodo helps an Amazon brand Nakodo reads your brand's own website, the homepage and up to 5 key pages, rather than your Amazon listing, and writes a brief you can edit, with 3 to 6 groups of search keywords. If your site says little, rewrite the keywords as a buyer would search. The same keywords are searched on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and each creator gets a score from 0 to 100 with written reasons, as [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works) explains. Nakodo then emails the best fits that publish an email, or only the creators you pick, with your brand's name as the sender, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 19:30 in the creator's local time. Write your offer as a post on their channel, nothing about Amazon reviews. Nakodo answers what it can from that offer, passes the rest to you, and introduces each creator who says yes in the same thread, with you in Cc. - It has no connection to Amazon. It doesn't create Attribution tags or promo codes, and doesn't read your sales or reviews. - It never guesses an email address, and never shows you a creator's address before the introduction. - The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans. See [pricing](https://nakodo.app/pricing). ## Questions ### How does influencer marketing work for Amazon sellers? You pay or gift creators to show your product on their own channels, and send their viewers to your listing with a tracked link or promo code. Amazon forbids offering anything in exchange for a review, so keep reviews out of the deal. ### Can I give influencers free products in exchange for Amazon reviews? No. Amazon's seller policies list offering free products, discounts, payment or refunds in exchange for a review as a violation, with penalties that include losing selling privileges. You can send product for content on the creator's own channel, if no review is asked for or rewarded. ### How do I track sales from an influencer on Amazon? Use Amazon Attribution, Amazon's free measurement tool for brands in Brand Registry, to make one tag per creator and see clicks, detail page views and purchases over a 14-day window. A promo code per creator picks up buyers who don't tap the link. Compare the two side by side. ### What is the Amazon Influencer Program, and can sellers use it? Amazon's programme for creators: members get a storefront of products they recommend and earn commission on purchases through it. Sellers don't join it. If a creator you work with is a member, their storefront link to your product is an affiliate link and needs disclosing. ### Does Nakodo connect to Amazon Seller Central? No. Nakodo reads your brand's own website to write its brief, finds creators on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and emails them on your behalf. Attribution tags, promo codes and sales reports stay in your Amazon accounts. --- # Influencer marketing for mobile apps Source: https://nakodo.app/for/mobile-apps Updated: 2026-10-03 Influencer marketing for a mobile app works when the creator shows the app doing a real job on their own screen, in a format their viewers already watch. Give each creator their own offer code on the App Store or promo code on Google Play, plus a tracked store link, and count installs per creator in App Store Connect and Play Console. Never reward anyone for ratings: both stores forbid it. ## Formats that show an app well The formats that sell an app let viewers watch it do its work, in the creator's hands, on a task the viewer has too. - **Screen recording with commentary:** The creator's own screen and voice, one real task from start to finish. Ask for the result in the first seconds, and text big enough to read on a phone. - **A routine the app is part of:** "How I plan my week", "what's on my phone". The app appears where it really gets used, next to apps the viewer knows. - **A series over time:** A budgeting app across a month, a language app across weeks of practice. Progress is the proof, and each post reminds viewers again. - **Comparisons:** "[App] vs [app]" and "best apps for [task]", for viewers already choosing. Agree in advance that the creator gives an honest view of each. Vertical video suits apps, because a phone screen fills the frame; tutorials suit YouTube, where people search for how-tos. Our post on [YouTube, Instagram or TikTok](https://nakodo.app/blog/youtube-vs-instagram-vs-tiktok) helps you choose. Before you get in touch, check your app is available where the creator's viewers live, and if it's on one store only, that the video says so. ## Offer codes and promo codes on each store A code per creator gives viewers a reason to act and tells you whose audience it was: | Store and code | What it gives | How it's redeemed | | --- | --- | --- | | App Store [offer codes for subscriptions](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-subscriptions/set-up-subscription-offer-codes/) | A free or discounted price for a set time, for new, existing or expired subscribers as you choose. | Custom codes you name yourself, through a redemption URL or in your app. One-time-use codes also through the App Store. | | App Store [offer codes for other in-app purchases](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-in-app-purchases/create-offer-codes-for-in-app-purchases/) | Free or discounted access to an in-app purchase. | The same two kinds of code as subscriptions. | | App Store [promo codes](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/offer-promo-codes/request-and-manage-promo-codes/) | A free copy of a paid app. Each code works once, for four weeks. | People who download with a promo code can't rate or review the app. | | Google Play [promo codes](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6321495) | Free access to a paid app, a one-time product or a subscription. | One-time codes in Google Play or the app. Custom codes, for subscriptions only, in the app, for people who haven't subscribed before. | For a subscription app, a longer free period on a custom code per creator is the cleanest offer: viewers get longer to try it, and every redemption names the creator. Give paid-app promo codes to the creator instead, so they can use the app before they talk about it. ## Measuring installs from each creator - **App Store campaign links.** Give each creator a link with their own campaign token. App Store Connect's analytics shows impressions, product page views, downloads, sales and subscriptions per token, counting a first-time download made within 24 hours of using the link ([campaign links](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect-analytics/acquisition/campaign-links)). - **App Store custom product pages.** Extra versions of your product page, each with its own URL, measured by impressions, downloads and conversion rate ([custom product pages](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/custom-product-pages/)). Match the screenshots to what the creator showed. - **Google Play UTM links.** Play Console's acquisition reports count visitors who reached your listing from a UTM-tagged link as tracked channels ([acquisition reports](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6263332)). Build one link per creator, the same way each time: see [UTM parameters](https://nakodo.app/glossary#utm-parameters). - **Google Play custom store listings.** A listing with its own URL, which you can compare in your store listing reports ([custom store listings](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9867158)). Links miss viewers who search the store by name. Code redemptions and a "where did you hear about us" question in onboarding catch some of them. Say a creator cost 600, their link and code account for 150 first-time downloads, and 12 of those pay after the trial: 4 per install, 50 per paying subscriber. Judge after the trial ends, not on install day. ## What the stores say about ratings and reviews - **Apple:** The [App Review Guidelines](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#business) warn that manipulating reviews or inflating chart rankings with paid, incentivised or fake feedback, or using third-party services to do it for you, can get you expelled from the Apple Developer Program. Guideline [5.6.3](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#5.6.3) adds that manipulating charts, search, reviews or referrals to your app is not permitted. - **Google Play:** The [ratings, reviews and installs policy](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9898684) says developers must not manipulate an app's placement on Google Play, including by inflating ratings, reviews or installs through fraudulent or incentivised means. Its examples include asking users to rate an app while offering an incentive. > **Keep the code and the rating apart.** A creator's code rewards viewers for trying the app, not for rating it. Don't ask creators to tell viewers to leave five stars, and don't pay anyone per review. Creators still have to disclose the deal itself: see [disclosing paid posts on Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). ## How Nakodo helps an app team Nakodo reads your app's website, the homepage and up to 5 key pages, and writes a brief you can edit, with 3 to 6 groups of search keywords. The same keywords are searched on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. On TikTok, a creator's region and language count towards audience fit, which matters when your app is only in some countries. Every creator is scored from 0 to 100 with written reasons, as [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works) explains. In automatic mode, the default, Nakodo emails the best-scored fits that publish an email, strongest first, within a daily quota. In manual mode it contacts only the creators you pick. It sends Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 19:30 in the creator's local time, follows up, pauses for out-of-office replies, and introduces each creator who says yes in the same thread, with you in Cc. You then send the codes and links. - Nakodo isn't connected to App Store Connect or Play Console. It doesn't create codes or links, and doesn't see your installs. - It never shows, sells or exports creators' email addresses, and never sends DMs. - The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans. See [pricing](https://nakodo.app/pricing). ## Questions ### How does influencer marketing work for mobile apps? Creators show your app doing a real task on their own screen, in formats their viewers already watch. Each gets their own offer or promo code and a tracked store link, so you can count installs and paying users per creator. ### Can I give influencers promo codes for my app? Yes. On the App Store, offer codes give free or discounted access to subscriptions and other in-app purchases, and promo codes give a free copy of a paid app. On Google Play, promo codes cover paid apps, one-time products and subscriptions. ### How do I track app installs from an influencer? On the App Store, give each creator a campaign link with their own token and read downloads per token in App Store Connect. On Google Play, use a UTM-tagged link per creator and read Play Console's acquisition reports. Code redemptions catch some viewers who search the store instead. ### Can I pay influencers to rate or review my app? No. Apple's App Review Guidelines treat paid or incentivised reviews as manipulation that can get you expelled from the developer program, and Google Play's policy forbids incentivised ratings and reviews. Pay creators for their content, and keep ratings out of the deal. ### Does Nakodo work with App Store Connect or Google Play Console? No. Nakodo finds creators on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok from your app's website, scores them, and emails them on your behalf. Codes, campaign links and install reports stay in your store accounts. --- # Influencer marketing for indie game studios Source: https://nakodo.app/for/indie-game-studios Updated: 2026-10-03 Influencer marketing for an indie game starts with the creators who already play games like yours, found through comparable titles and genre words rather than "gaming". Send each one a key of their own with a clear embargo, or use Steam's Curator Connect, and ask for an honest look rather than a positive one. Free keys still need disclosing under FTC and UK rules. Nakodo searches YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, not Twitch. ## Find the creators who play games like yours List three to five recent games your players also love. Those comparables are your best search terms: the creators who covered them are the likeliest to want yours. - [comparable] review - games like [comparable] - [genre] indie games - new [genre] games this month - [genre] demo - cosy games - cozy games - underrated roguelikes - [comparable] first look Search both spellings where they differ. Then sort what you find by the kind of coverage, because each suits a different stage: - **First looks and demos:** The first hour, or a demo. Suits a game that isn't out yet and wants wishlists. - **Let's plays:** Long playthroughs across several videos or streams. Suits games with depth. - **Reviews and roundups:** "Is it worth it" verdicts and "best indie games of the month" lists. Suits launch week, when viewers can buy. - **Short clips:** A funny moment or a clever mechanic, in under a minute. Suits games whose best bit needs no context. Nakodo doesn't search Twitch. Streamers who also post videos on YouTube or clips on TikTok can be found there; streamers who only stream on Twitch won't be. For YouTube's gaming corners, see [gaming YouTubers](https://nakodo.app/youtubers/gaming). ## Keys, and how Steam lets you hand them out Valve's [Steam keys documentation](https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/keys) describes keys as single-use codes that add your game to a player's account, for selling on other stores and for giving free to beta testers, press and creators. For creator work: - **Before launch, use Release State Override keys.** They give access before release, and Valve says they're meant for small beta tests and press and creator access. They must never be sold. - **First game? Leave time.** Developers launching their first game on Steam wait three weeks after creating an app ID before they can request keys. - **Giveaways need care.** Keys shouldn't be given away free unless Steam customers get the same deal, apart from very small giveaways of under 100 keys. Steam's [Curator Connect](https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/curators) sends review copies to Steam Curators, playable straight away with no key. You can filter Curators by the tags they cover, language and operating system, and see their followers on Steam and on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch. Curators have no obligation to accept, play or review your game. Give every creator their own key and log who has which. Other stores and consoles have their own systems, so check their developer documentation before you promise a copy. ## Embargoes and timing - **Agree the embargo before you send the key.** An embargo only binds creators who accepted it, so ask first and send the key once they've said yes. - **Put the date, time and time zone in the first line** of the key email, and say what it covers: videos, streams, clips and screenshots. - **Give each format the time it needs.** A long review takes longer to make than a clip, so ask each creator how much notice they need. - **Know how Steam labels early reviews.** Steam marks a review written from a copy received before release as a "Pre-Release Review". ## Steam's review rules, and measuring wishlists Valve's [user reviews documentation](https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/store/reviews) tells developers not to solicit reviews in exchange for games, DLC, money or other rewards. Sending a copy to press or internet personalities for previews or reviews is the exception, and that covers a creator key. Only reviews from accounts that bought the game on Steam count towards its review score, and players can mark a review as for a product they received free, which Steam recommends for press copies. So ask for an honest look, not a positive one, and never make the next key depend on a review. To see what a video did, give each creator a store link with their own UTM tags. Steamworks [UTM analytics](https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/utm_analytics) reports visits from tagged links and the wishlists, purchases and activations that follow within 72 hours, finalised four days after the visit. Before launch, compare wishlists per creator. See [UTM parameters](https://nakodo.app/glossary#utm-parameters). ## Disclosure for free keys A free key is a gift, and regulators expect gifts to be disclosed: - **US, FTC.** The FTC's [answers on its Endorsement Guides](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking) cover games directly. A creator paid to review an unreleased game should say they were paid; calling it a "sneak peek" isn't enough, and might be deceptive even if they were only given the game. For long paid live streams, it suggests repeating the disclosure. - **UK, CMA.** The CMA's [guidance for brands](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reviews-and-social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-businesses-and-brands/social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-brands) counts "gifts of any products" as payment, and says the post needs labelling even when the brand asks for nothing in return. - **UK, ASA.** The ASA's advice on [recognising ads on social media](https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/recognising-ads-social-media.html) says the "Ad" label applies to everything from a post about a gifted product to a full collaboration, and that "Gifted" on its own is unlikely to be clear enough. Put the disclosure request in the key email. Platform labels are covered in [YouTube sponsorship disclosure rules](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-sponsorship-disclosure-rules). ## What Nakodo covers for a game studio Nakodo searches YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, not Twitch, Steam Curators or the press. It reads your studio's website, the homepage and up to 5 key pages, and writes a brief you can edit. Put your comparables and genre words in its keywords, set a low follower range if you want small channels, and add off-topic words, such as genres you're not, so accounts that mostly cover something else are set aside. Each creator gets a score from 0 to 100 with written reasons, as [how it works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works) explains. Nakodo then emails the best fits that publish an email, or only the creators you pick, with your studio's name as the sender. It answers what it can from your offer, passes the rest to you, and introduces each creator who says yes in the same thread, with you in Cc. You send the key and the embargo yourself. - Nakodo doesn't request, send or track keys. - It never shows, sells or exports creators' email addresses. - The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans. See [pricing](https://nakodo.app/pricing). ## Questions ### How do I do influencer marketing for an indie game? List three to five comparable games, find the creators who covered them, and offer each a key of their own with a clear embargo and no obligation to post. Track wishlists and sales per creator with UTM-tagged store links, and ask for the free key to be disclosed. ### How do I send Steam keys to YouTubers? Request keys in Steamworks, using Release State Override keys before launch, which Valve intends for small beta tests and press and creator access. Send one key per creator once they've agreed to your embargo. Curator Connect sends copies to Steam Curators without keys. ### Do influencers have to disclose a free game key? Yes. The FTC says calling a free game a "sneak peek" might be deceptive, and a creator who was also paid should say so. In the UK, the CMA counts gifts of any product as payment, and the ASA expects a clear "Ad" label rather than "Gifted". ### Can I ask influencers to leave a Steam review? You can send copies to creators for previews and reviews, which Valve allows, but don't solicit reviews in exchange for keys or anything else, or make future keys depend on one. ### Does Nakodo find Twitch streamers? No. Nakodo searches YouTube, Instagram and TikTok only. Streamers who also publish videos on YouTube or clips on TikTok can turn up there; streamers who only stream on Twitch won't be found. --- # Automated influencer outreach: what to automate and what to keep human Source: https://nakodo.app/blog/automated-influencer-outreach Updated: 2026-10-03 Automate the parts of influencer outreach that are bookkeeping: searching, scoring with written reasons, finding the address each creator publishes, sending in their working hours, following up on a fixed rhythm, pausing for out-of-office replies, stopping when they answer and honouring every opt-out. Keep the parts that are judgement: approving first emails, the offer, negotiation and the relationship after the introduction. Automation that writes to more people than a careful person would is spam with a scheduler. ## Outreach is two jobs, and only one of them suits software Writing to a creator about a partnership looks like one task. It is two. The first is bookkeeping: who you wrote to, when, for which campaign, what time it is where they live, whether they replied, and whether today is the day to follow up. The second is judgement: whether this creator is right for you, what to offer, what to say when they ask for twice your budget, and how to treat them once you work together. People are poor at the first job once there are more than a handful of conversations. Follow-ups slip, a creator in another time zone gets your email at four in the morning, and someone who said no in March hears from you again in May. Software is poor at the second, and pretending otherwise is how creator outreach got its reputation. So hand the bookkeeping to software, completely, and keep the judgement with a person. ## What to automate The jobs where a machine beats a busy founder, and what Nakodo does for each. The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). | Job | Why software does it better | What Nakodo does | | --- | --- | --- | | Searching | Runs the same keywords the same way, every time. | Writes a brief from your website and searches its keywords on every platform the campaign uses. | | Scoring, with reasons | Judgement drifts over an afternoon of profiles. Fixed thresholds don't. | Scores each creator from 0 to 100 on fixed thresholds applied to their own numbers, with written reasons. | | Finding the published address | Reading bios and link pages for an email is slow, careful work. | Reads only where creators publish for business, and never guesses an address. | | Sending at a sensible time | Nobody wants to work out the time in Melbourne before every email. | Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 19:30 in the creator's local time. | | Following up | A date in a spreadsheet is easy to ignore. | Two follow-ups by default (0 to 3), on days 4, 11 and 21 after the first email. | | Out-of-office replies | Easy to miss, or to mistake for an answer. | Pauses the follow-ups. | | Stopping on a reply | The worst automated email is the one sent after someone answered. | Stops following up, answers what it can from your offer and passes the rest to you. | | Opt-outs | A no recorded in one sheet is forgotten by the next campaign. | A one-click stop in every email. Opted-out and bounced addresses are never emailed through Nakodo again. | ## What to keep human Four things stay with a person, and we built Nakodo so that they do. - **Approving first emails:** The first email decides whether a creator sees you as a brand or as a mail merge. By default Nakodo waits for your approval on each one. You can let first emails go out on their own, but each still waits 60 minutes, during which you can edit or stop it. We'd approve by hand until you trust the drafts. - **The offer:** What you pay, send and ask for is a business decision, not a writing task. Software can state an offer clearly; it can't decide whether a free product is enough for this creator. Nakodo answers creators' questions from the offer you wrote and passes everything else to you. - **Negotiation:** When a creator comes back with a rate, a counter-offer or a question about usage rights, a person should answer. Those replies set the terms of the deal and the tone of the partnership. Our guide to [paying TikTok and Instagram creators](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators) covers the arithmetic. - **The relationship:** When a creator says yes, Nakodo sends one introduction in the same thread with you in Cc, then steps out. From there it's your inbox and your voice. Partnerships worth having outlast a single post, and nobody builds one through an autoresponder. ## What bad automation looks like Most of what creators dislike about brand email comes from automation pointed at the wrong goal: more emails sent, rather than more good conversations. The patterns are easy to recognise. - **Blasting lists.** Thousands of addresses loaded on Monday and a sequence that writes to all of them, though nobody checked who fits. We argue against buying those lists in [a separate post](https://nakodo.app/blog/buying-influencer-email-lists). - **Guessed addresses.** Tools that build firstname@ and hello@ addresses from a website and send to whatever doesn't bounce. The creator never offered that inbox for business, and the addresses that do bounce damage your sending reputation. - **Ignoring no.** The sequence carries on after a polite decline, or a different campaign from the same brand writes again a month later because the no was recorded somewhere else. - **The same creator emailed by ten brands in a week.** Every tool reads the same public profiles, so a creator who looks good is found by everyone at once. Their inbox fills with near-identical pitches, and they stop reading any of them. The cost isn't only the creator's. Gmail's [email sender guidelines](https://support.google.com/a/answer/81126) ask senders to keep the spam rate reported in Postmaster Tools below 0.3%, and spam reports make it likelier that your later messages land in spam too. Careless volume is paid for with your own deliverability. ## The rules Nakodo applies across every brand Some of that damage comes from many brands behaving reasonably at the same moment, so no single brand can prevent it. Nakodo applies these rules across all of its brands: - **One open conversation per creator across all of Nakodo.** While one brand is talking to a creator through Nakodo, no other brand starts a second conversation with them. - **14 days between brands.** Two brands can't write to the same creator within 14 days of each other, so a creator found by several brands hears from them one at a time. - **180 days after a decline.** A creator who says no to a brand isn't contacted by that brand again for 180 days, whichever campaign it is. - **One click to stop.** Every email has a one-click way to stop, and an opted-out or bounced address is never emailed through Nakodo again, by any brand. - **No guessing.** Nakodo never guesses an address, never logs in as anyone and never gets around a captcha. If a creator publishes no email, Nakodo doesn't write to them. ## What this costs you These rules have a price, and it's fair to name it. - **Less volume.** In automatic mode Nakodo contacts the best-scored fits with a published email, strongest first, within a daily quota. If you want to email every creator in a category this week, Nakodo is the wrong tool, and we'd say it's the wrong plan. - **Some creators are out of reach for a while.** A creator already talking to another brand, or contacted by one in the last 14 days, has to wait. Sometimes that's the one you most wanted. - **Creators who publish no email are never contacted.** Some excellent fits keep their inbox private. Nakodo leaves them alone. If you want them, use the route they do offer; our [outreach templates for Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-outreach-templates) include messages for that. Automation also can't rescue a weak pitch: it just delivers a vague offer on time. The [YouTube outreach email templates](https://nakodo.app/guides/youtube-outreach-email-templates) show what a specific first email looks like, on any platform. ## Questions ### What is automated influencer outreach? It's software doing the repetitive parts of contacting creators: searching, scoring, finding the business email each creator publishes, sending at sensible times, following up, and recording replies and opt-outs. Done well, a person still approves first emails, sets the offer and handles negotiation. Done badly, it's bulk email to creators nobody checked for fit. ### Is AI influencer outreach just spam? It doesn't have to be. Spam is irrelevant email sent in volume. Outreach that writes only to creators who fit, at the business address they publish, with a one-click stop and a memory of every no, is closer to a careful person working quickly. ### What should I not automate in influencer outreach? The offer, the negotiation and the relationship after a creator says yes. We'd also keep a person approving first emails until you trust the drafts. Those are the moments when a creator decides whether you're worth working with. ### How many follow-ups should automated influencer outreach send? Few. Nakodo sends 2 follow-ups by default, adjustable from 0 to 3, on days 4, 11 and 21 after the first email, and stops as soon as the creator replies or opts out. More than that tends to turn a polite silence into irritation. ### Can influencer outreach software contact creators who don't publish an email? Some tools guess addresses or write to inboxes creators never offered for business. Nakodo doesn't: a creator with no published email is never contacted. You can still reach them yourself through the form, manager or message route they publish. --- # Should you buy an influencer email list? Source: https://nakodo.app/blog/buying-influencer-email-lists Updated: 2026-10-03 Don't buy one. An influencer email list is usually addresses copied in bulk from profiles or guessed from name patterns. It goes stale, says nothing about fit, and its bounces and spam complaints damage your sending domain; Gmail's own sender guidelines say not to buy addresses. Creators publish a business email to be asked about work, not to be put on a list. Find the address each creator publishes and write to them one at a time. ## Where the addresses come from Someone has to assemble a list of creators' emails, and there are only a few ways to do it. Ask a seller which of these they used, address by address. If they can't tell you, that is the answer. - **Copied in bulk from profiles:** Software reads bios, channel descriptions and link pages across thousands of accounts and keeps anything shaped like an email. Some of those are real business addresses. Others are old, belong to a manager the creator has since left, or were never meant for brands. - **Guessed from patterns:** A name and a domain go in; firstname@, hello@ and contact@ come out, kept if the mail server doesn't reject them outright. The creator never published those addresses, so a message to one lands in an inbox they never offered for business. - **Resold from other lists:** Lists are merged, relabelled and sold again. Each round loses the record of where an address came from and when it was last true. ## Why a list goes stale A creator's contact details are a snapshot of a career that keeps moving. Creators sign with a manager and route deals through them, leave that manager, start a new address when the old one fills with spam, rename their account or stop posting altogether. None of that updates a file you bought. A list rarely says when each address was collected. A profile you open today is current today. That is the whole argument in miniature: the creator's own page is the source, and the list is a copy of it of unknown age. ## A list tells you nothing about fit Lists are sorted by a niche tag and a follower count. Neither tells you whether the creator's audience is your customer, whether they still post, or whether their followers are real. To know that you still have to open each profile, read recent posts, check engagement and look for [signs of bought followers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-spot-fake-followers). By the time you've done that for a creator, you've seen their bio and their link page, which is where their business address is. The list saved you nothing on the creators worth contacting, and handed you thousands you shouldn't contact. ## What it does to your sending domain Mailbox providers judge senders by how recipients react. A bought list brings two things that count against you: bounces, from addresses that no longer exist, and spam complaints, from people who never expected to hear from you. Gmail and Yahoo are direct about it: - Gmail's [email sender guidelines](https://support.google.com/a/answer/81126) say "Don't purchase email addresses from other companies." They ask senders to keep the spam rate reported in Postmaster Tools below 0.3%, and warn that when recipients mark your messages as spam, your future messages to them will be marked as spam too. - Yahoo's [sender best practices](https://senders.yahooinc.com/best-practices) say "Don't purchase mailing lists", and ask senders to watch hard and soft bounces and to remove invalid recipients promptly. If you send from your main domain, the reputation you spend is the one your order confirmations, invoices and password resets rely on. A campaign that gets no replies costs you a week. A campaign that teaches mailbox providers to distrust your domain costs you every email after it. ## What creators expect when they publish an address A creator who writes "business enquiries" in their bio is inviting a particular kind of message: from someone who has looked at their work and has a reason to write. They are not agreeing to be bought, sold and mail-merged by people who haven't. It shows, too. Emails from bought lists get the creator's name wrong, pitch skincare to a cycling channel, or quote a follower count from two years ago. The creator doesn't just ignore that brand. They learn to skim past every pitch that looks like it, including the good ones. ## The data protection side, briefly This isn't legal advice, and the rules depend on where you and the creators are. Two points are worth knowing before you buy anything: - **A list of named people's emails is personal data.** Under the UK GDPR, if you get someone's personal data from a third party, you have to tell them where it came from. The ICO's guidance on [what privacy information to provide](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/individual-rights/the-right-to-be-informed/what-privacy-information-should-we-provide) asks you to name the source as specifically as you can, and its page on [the right to be informed](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/individual-rights/the-right-to-be-informed/) sets the timing: within a reasonable period, and no later than one month. - **In the US, commercial email has its own rules.** The FTC's [CAN-SPAM compliance guide](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business) sets out what every commercial email must include, such as a way to opt out that you honour within 10 business days, and notes that the law makes no exception for business-to-business email. ## What to do instead Find the address each creator publishes, one creator at a time, and write to them as someone who has seen their work. It's slower per creator and faster per reply. 1. **Shortlist first.** Decide who fits before you look for any address, so you only look for the ones you'll write to. 2. **Look where they publish it.** Bios, channel descriptions, link-in-bio pages and the contact page of their own site. Our guides to finding a [YouTuber's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-youtubers-email), a [TikToker's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-a-tiktokers-email) and an [Instagram creator's email](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-an-instagram-influencers-email) go through each place. 3. **If there's no address, respect that.** Use the form, manager or message route they do publish, or leave them be. Never guess one from a name pattern. 4. **Write one email to one creator.** Mention something specific they made, state your offer plainly, and say you won't follow up if it isn't a fit. 5. **Keep a do-not-contact column.** Anyone who says no or asks you to stop goes in it, and stays there. ## How Nakodo works this way We built Nakodo around the published address because we think it's the only one worth writing to. Nakodo reads what creators publish for business: bios, descriptions, link-in-bio pages and the contact pages of their own sites. It never guesses an address. On Instagram and TikTok it keeps an address only if it's on the creator's own domain, a personal mail provider, or a domain that looks like the creator's name. Creators' addresses are never shown, sold or exported to brands, so there is no list to take away. Nakodo writes to each creator on the brand's behalf, and the brand gets the address only when the creator says yes and Nakodo introduces them. Every email has a one-click way to stop, and opted-out or bounced addresses are never emailed through Nakodo again. The details are on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### Should I buy an influencer email list? We don't think so. Bought lists are usually addresses copied in bulk or guessed, they go out of date, and they say nothing about fit. Their bounces and spam complaints damage your sending domain, and Gmail's sender guidelines say not to buy addresses. Find each creator's published address and write to them personally instead. ### Are influencer email databases accurate? You usually can't tell, which is the problem. Few lists record where each address came from or when it was last checked, and creators change managers, addresses and accounts. A creator's own bio or website is current on the day you read it. A copy of it is current on the day it was made. ### How do I get influencers' emails without buying a list? Look where creators publish them: the bio, the channel or video descriptions, the link-in-bio page and the contact page on their own website. If there's no address in any of those places, use the form or manager they list, or leave them be. Never guess an address from a name pattern. ### Is an influencer contact database the same as an influencer marketing platform? Not necessarily. A contact database sells or shows you addresses. Other tools search for creators, score them and handle the outreach without handing over addresses at all. Ask any tool where its contact details come from before you sign up. ### Does Nakodo sell a list of influencer emails? No. Nakodo never shows, sells or exports creators' email addresses. It writes to creators on your behalf at the business address they publish, and you get a creator's address only through the introduction Nakodo sends when they agree to talk. --- # YouTube vs Instagram vs TikTok for influencer marketing Source: https://nakodo.app/blog/youtube-vs-instagram-vs-tiktok Updated: 2026-10-03 Choose by what your customer does before buying and the format your product needs, not by which app is in the news. YouTube suits products people research: long videos found through search for months or years. Instagram suits products bought on looks and trust, through Reels, Stories links and a profile that works as a portfolio. TikTok suits products that sell in a short demonstration to people who weren't looking. Test one platform first with product seeding. ## Two questions decide it Every few months one platform is said to be where all the attention has gone. That's true for some products and irrelevant for others. We'd choose with two questions instead: 1. **What does your customer do in the week before they buy?** Search and compare, scroll and save things they like, or see something and buy it on the spot? 2. **What does your product need in order to be understood?** Ten minutes of someone using it, a good photograph and a face they trust, or twenty seconds of before and after? Take three hypothetical brands. A coffee grinder brand sells a considered purchase: buyers look for reviews and comparisons, and the difference only shows when someone grinds, brews and tastes on camera. That points to YouTube. A linen clothing brand sells on looks and on trust in someone's taste: Instagram. A brand selling a clever silicone kitchen gadget sells on a short, satisfying demonstration to people who weren't shopping for one: TikTok. Most products lean one way, and the lean matters more than the size of the platform. ## YouTube: found through search, for a long time YouTube is a search engine as much as a feed. YouTube says its [search ranks videos](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16090438) on relevance, engagement and quality, so a video that answers "best grinder for beginners" well can keep reaching new buyers long after it's posted. That makes YouTube the slow platform in both directions: a sponsored video takes longer to make, and its results take longer to add up. - **Long videos.** Room for a real demonstration, a comparison with a rival, or a review after a month of use. Products with a learning curve, or a price that needs justifying, do well here. - **Links in descriptions.** Your link or code sits under the video, where a viewer who is ready to buy finds it, whenever they watch. - **Disclosure built in.** Creators tick YouTube's [paid promotion setting](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/154235) when a brand has paid them or sent them something. The trade-off is cost and patience: you're paying for a production, not a post. Our guide to [finding YouTube creators to sponsor](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-youtube-influencers) covers the search. ## Instagram: the profile is the portfolio Instagram is where people judge taste. A customer who likes your product in a Reel often taps through to the creator's profile, and the grid there works as a portfolio: is this someone whose recommendations I'd follow? - **Reels** for reaching people beyond the creator's followers. - **Stories** for the sell, with a [link sticker](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/529979981436890) that takes viewers straight to your page. They're short-lived, which suits launches and limited offers. - **Carousels** for routines, step-by-step results or several products in one post. - **The paid partnership label,** which creators add to branded content with Instagram's [paid partnership tool](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/2359901354225584). Instagram doesn't share other accounts' view counts through the API Nakodo uses, so we measure engagement there per follower: (likes + comments) ÷ followers. Beyond the numbers, judge a creator on whether the comments sound like real people and whether their grid would sit comfortably next to your product. Our guide to [finding Instagram creators](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-instagram-influencers) goes further. ## TikTok: the feed decides, not the follower count TikTok's For You feed shows videos to people who don't follow the account. TikTok has said that [neither follower count nor past high-performing videos](https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/how-tiktok-recommends-videos-for-you/) are direct factors in what it recommends. A creator with a modest following can reach a large audience with one video, and a large account can post to a quiet room. Two things follow for brands: - **Follower count says less.** Look at views on recent videos, and at likes and comments per view. Nakodo measures TikTok engagement as (likes + comments) ÷ views, as on YouTube. - **A video has a short life.** A TikTok video's reach tends to be settled in the feed soon after it's posted, rather than built through search over years. One strong video doesn't predict the next, so judge creators over several posts and consider paying for a short series rather than a single video. **TikTok Shop**, where it runs, adds a commission route: sellers can [have creators promote their products](https://business.tiktokshop.com/us/affiliate) and pay only when a sale is made. It's available only in some countries, which TikTok lists on its [seller site](https://seller.tiktok.com/). Elsewhere, a tracked link or discount code does the same job. Our guide to [finding TikTok creators](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-tiktok-influencers) covers the search. ## Side by side How the three platforms differ for a brand: | Question | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | How people find a video | Search, and recommendations | The feed, Reels and the creator's profile | The For You feed, including from accounts they don't follow | | How long a post keeps working | Long, when it answers a search people keep making | Short in the feed; the profile keeps it in view | Short; the feed settles its reach soon after posting | | Where your link goes | The video description | A Story link sticker, or the bio link | The bio link, or TikTok Shop where available | | Formats that sell | Demonstrations, comparisons, reviews | Reels, Stories, carousels | Short demonstrations, before and after | | What follower count tells you | Some history; recent views say more | Nakodo's base for engagement, as the API shares no views; ask creators for their insights | Little; recent views say more | | Suits products that are | Researched and compared | Bought on looks and trust | Understood in seconds | | Engagement in Nakodo | (likes + comments) ÷ views | (likes + comments) ÷ followers | (likes + comments) ÷ views | ## Test cheaply, on one platform first You don't have to get the choice right on paper. You have to find out cheaply. Pick the platform your two answers point to and run a round of [product seeding](https://nakodo.app/guides/product-seeding-youtube) there before paying anyone a fee. The guide is written for YouTube, but the method carries over: 1. **Shortlist a small batch on one platform.** Creators whose recent posts suit your product, inside a follower range you could afford to pay later. 2. **Send the product with no obligation to post.** Say so plainly. Creators who post anyway are telling you something about fit. 3. **Ask them to disclose.** A free product is still something of value. Our guide to [disclosure on Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules) covers the labels. 4. **Give each creator their own link or code.** So visits and sales can be traced to the post that caused them. 5. **Read the comments, not only the views.** Questions about where to buy, what it costs and whether it suits someone's situation are the signal you want. 6. **Pay the ones that worked.** Offer paid posts to the creators whose posts produced interest, and only then try a second platform. ## Where Nakodo fits Nakodo searches YouTube, Instagram and TikTok with the same keywords from one brief, so you can see what turns up on each before you commit. Each creator is scored on their own platform's numbers. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans, and the details are on [pricing](https://nakodo.app/pricing). ## Questions ### YouTube vs Instagram vs TikTok: which is best for influencer marketing? None is better for every brand. YouTube suits products people research and compare, because videos keep being found through search. Instagram suits products bought on looks and trust. TikTok suits products that sell in a short demonstration to people who weren't looking. Choose by how your customer buys, then test one platform first. ### Is TikTok or Instagram better for brands? TikTok, if your product can be understood in a short video by someone who has never heard of you, because its feed shows videos to people who don't follow the creator. Instagram, if customers want to trust someone's taste first, and Stories links and a creator's profile suit the way you sell. ### Which social media platform is best for small business influencer marketing? The one your customers use in the week before they buy, tested cheaply. For a small business that usually means sending products to a small batch of creators on one platform with no obligation to post, watching what they make and how their audience reacts, and only then paying for posts. ### Why does follower count matter less on TikTok? TikTok's For You feed shows videos to people who don't follow the account, and TikTok has said follower count isn't a direct factor in what it recommends. Views on recent videos, and likes and comments per view, tell you more about what a creator's next post is likely to reach. ### Should I work with creators on all three platforms at once? Not at first. Three platforms means three sets of formats, prices and ways of measuring, and a small budget split three ways tells you little about any of them. Start where your customer's buying habits point, learn what works, then add a second platform. --- # Do I need an influencer marketing platform? Source: https://nakodo.app/blog/influencer-marketing-platform-or-diy Updated: 2026-10-03 Not at first. A small brand can run its first rounds of influencer marketing by hand: a spreadsheet, your own inbox and a follow-up date in a column. A tool earns its place once the volume of searching, following up and bookkeeping is what holds you back, rather than the offer or the budget. Before choosing one, ask where its contact data comes from, whether it explains its scores, and who sends the emails. ## Start by hand Our view, as people who sell a tool: do your first rounds of creator marketing by hand. Not because tools are bad, but because the first rounds teach you what no tool can. Which offer gets replies. Which creators' audiences buy. Whether a free product is enough or a fee is needed. What a post that sells looks like for your product. Buy software before you know those things and you automate a process you don't have yet. A tool will send a weak offer to more creators, faster; it won't make the offer better. If you haven't chosen a platform to start on, our post on [YouTube, Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/blog/youtube-vs-instagram-vs-tiktok) comes first. ## What doing it yourself looks like One spreadsheet, a fixed slot in your week, and your own inbox. The workflow: 1. Search the platform the way your customer does, and add every plausible creator. 2. Fill in numbers from their recent posts, and cut anyone who doesn't fit. 3. Find the business email each creator publishes. No published email means no email, unless they offer another route. 4. Write to a few creators at a time, each about something specific they made. 5. Follow up once or twice on set dates, then stop. Record every no. The columns worth keeping: | Column | What goes in it | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | Creator and platform | Handle, platform and profile link | One row per account, so one person on two platforms is two rows. | | Found by | The search that turned them up | Shows which searches find good creators. | | Followers | As shown on the profile | To check against your range, not as a measure of quality. | | Recent engagement | Likes and comments per view, or per follower on Instagram | The [TikTok](https://nakodo.app/tools/tiktok-engagement-rate-calculator) and [Instagram](https://nakodo.app/tools/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator) calculators do the arithmetic. | | Last post | Date of the newest post | Inactive accounts drop out here. | | Why they fit | One sentence in your own words | If you can't write it, they probably don't fit. | | Where the email is published | Bio, link page or website contact page | So you can check it's still there before you write. | | Status | To contact, contacted, replied, yes, no | The column you filter by every week. | | First email and next follow-up | Two dates | The follow-up date is the one that slips first. | | Offer | Product, fee or commission, and the ask | So creators in one round aren't offered different things by accident. | | Do not contact | Yes, with the date | Anyone who said no or asked you to stop. Never cleared. | ## Signs the spreadsheet is now the bottleneck A tool earns its place when the work around the outreach, not the outreach itself, is what's slowing you down. The signs: - Follow-up dates pass without a follow-up, because there are too many rows to watch. - You write to creators in other time zones at whatever hour suits you. - You've emailed someone who said no in an earlier round, because the no was in a different sheet. - Searching and filling in numbers takes longer than writing the emails. - You run outreach for several brands or clients, and their sheets have started to overlap. If none of those is true yet, the spreadsheet is still the cheaper tool. ## The kinds of tool on offer The word "platform" covers very different products. Roughly five kinds: - **Creator databases with search filters:** A large index of accounts filtered by niche, size, location and engagement. Quick for finding names. Ask how the data and any contact details were collected, and how often they're refreshed. - **All-in-one suites:** A database plus a CRM, contracts, payments and campaign reporting in one place. Useful when many partnerships run at once. Usually more than a small brand's first rounds need. - **Marketplaces where creators apply:** You post a brief, creators who've signed up apply, and you choose. Everyone there wants brand work, which helps. But the pool is whoever signed up, not necessarily the creators your customers already watch. - **Agencies:** People who plan and run campaigns for you. You pay for their judgement and relationships, and learn less yourself. Worth it when you have budget and no time. - **The platforms' own marketplaces:** [TikTok One](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/how-to-find-creators-in-tiktok-one) lets brands search, filter and invite creators to projects, and Meta runs a [creator marketplace for Instagram](https://about.fb.com/news/2024/02/creator-marketplace-for-brands-and-creators-to-collaborate-on-instagram/) inside Meta Business Suite. They draw on the platform's own data. Each covers only its own platform, the creators who've joined, and the countries where it's offered. ## Questions to ask any tool Whatever you look at, including us, these questions sort the options: - **Where does the contact data come from?** Addresses creators published for business, addresses copied in bulk from profiles, or addresses guessed from name patterns? Only the first is worth writing to; we make the case in [our post on buying email lists](https://nakodo.app/blog/buying-influencer-email-lists). - **Does it hand you addresses copied from profiles in bulk?** A tool that exports thousands of creators' emails is a list seller with a search box, and the deliverability and data protection risk become yours. - **Does it explain its scores?** A number without reasons is a ranking you can't check. Ask what each part measures, and whether the same creator gets the same score in every campaign. - **How long is the contract?** Can you leave after one round if it didn't work? - **Who sends the emails?** You from your own inbox, the tool from its own domain in your name, or an agency. Each puts the sending reputation, and the replies, in a different place. - **What happens after a no?** Is it remembered across your campaigns, and across other brands using the same tool? ## Where Nakodo sits, and where it doesn't fit Nakodo covers the step between the spreadsheet and the suite: finding and contacting creators. It writes a brief from your website, searches YouTube, Instagram and TikTok with the same keywords, and scores each creator from 0 to 100 with written reasons. It emails creators on your behalf from an address of its own for each conversation, with your name as the sender: the best-scored fits automatically, or only the creators you pick. First emails wait for your approval by default. It follows up, answers what it can from your offer, and introduces you when a creator says yes. Creators' addresses are never shown to you; you get one through that introduction. The full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). It isn't the right fit if you need any of these, because it doesn't do them: - **Payments and contracts.** After the introduction, agreeing terms and paying the creator happens between you and them. - **Campaign reporting.** Nakodo doesn't track posts, clicks or sales once a deal is agreed. Your own links and codes do that. - **UGC production.** If you want creators to make videos for your own ads rather than post to their audience, that's a different kind of service. - **Ad management.** Running a creator's post as an ad happens in TikTok's and Meta's own ad tools; our guide to [Spark Ads and partnership ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads) covers the rights you'd need. If those are the hard part, a suite or an agency will suit you better. If the hard part is finding the right creators and keeping outreach polite and on schedule, that's what we built Nakodo for. ## Questions ### Do I need an influencer marketing platform? Not for your first rounds. A spreadsheet, your own inbox and a fixed slot each week will handle a small number of creators and teach you which offers and creators work. A tool earns its place once searching, following up and keeping track is what slows you down, rather than the offer or the budget. ### Can a small business do influencer marketing without an agency? Yes. Search for creators the way your customers search, check their recent posts, write to the business email they publish, follow up once or twice and record every answer. An agency adds judgement and relationships at a price, which suits brands with budget and no time. ### What is the difference between influencer marketing software and an influencer database? A database is an index of creator accounts you search and filter, sometimes with contact details attached. Software may add outreach, a CRM, contracts, payments or reporting. Ask any of them where their contact data comes from and whether they explain how creators are scored. ### What should I track in an influencer marketing spreadsheet? One row per creator account: platform and link, the search that found them, followers, recent engagement, last post date, why they fit, where their email is published, status, first email and next follow-up dates, the offer, and a do-not-contact column that is never cleared. ### Are TikTok One and Meta's creator marketplace enough on their own? They can be, if you work on one platform and the creators you want have joined. Each draws on its own platform's data and covers only that platform, in the countries where it's offered. Creators who haven't joined won't appear, so you may still search the platform itself. --- # UGC creators vs influencers: which does your brand need? Source: https://nakodo.app/blog/ugc-creators-vs-influencers Updated: 2026-10-03 A UGC creator makes videos for your brand to post or run as ads, so the size of their own audience doesn't matter: you're buying content and the right to use it. An influencer posts to their own followers, so you're buying that audience's attention. Our view: unless you already spend steadily on ads, start with creators whose audience fits, then pay to run their best posts as ads. ## Two different things to buy The names make these sound like two kinds of person. They're really two kinds of purchase, and the same creator can sell either. The question is what you're paying for: content you'll publish yourself, or a post to an audience someone else has built. | Question | UGC creator | Creator with an audience | | --- | --- | --- | | Who sees it | Whoever you show it to: your account, ads and product pages | Their followers, and whoever the platform recommends the post to | | What you pay for | The video or photos, and the right to use them | The post, and the audience's attention and trust | | Does their audience matter? | No. Their own account can be tiny | It's most of what you're buying | | What to judge them on | Past work, delivery on camera, editing, speed, following a brief | Who follows them, where, how many watch and how they respond | | How it's priced | Per video or photo set, plus usage rights | On the audience: cost per 1,000 views, plus extras | ## What a UGC creator is UGC stands for user-generated content: originally, posts real customers made without being asked. Paid UGC borrows the look of those posts. A UGC creator films a demo, an unboxing, a before and after or a straight-to-camera recommendation, and hands you the files. You post them on your account, put them on product pages or run them as ads. So their own audience is beside the point. A UGC creator with 400 followers can be exactly right if they're convincing on camera, deliver on time and can shoot ten opening lines for you to test. You judge a portfolio, not a profile. The name hides one rule worth knowing: paid UGC is still an endorsement, and the person in it has to mean it. The FTC's [answers on endorsements](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking) say you can't talk about your experience with a product you haven't tried, and if you've only tried it once you can't suggest you use it regularly. They add that an ad featuring a paid endorser is usually misleading unless the connection is made clear. So send the product early, and never script experiences the creator hasn't had. ## What a creator with an audience is This is what the other word in the title usually means: a creator who posts to their own followers. You pay for the post, but mostly for the audience, people who chose to follow this person and take their recommendations seriously. The content lives on the creator's account, with real comments under it. Here audience fit is everything. A beautiful video shown to the wrong followers sells nothing, so you judge who follows, where they are, how many watch a typical post and how they respond. The label matters more here too. The ASA's [guide to making clear that ads are ads](https://www.asa.org.uk/resource/influencers-guide.html) notes that content on a brand's own channels is often already clearly advertising in that context. A post on a creator's account isn't, so it needs a clear label: see [disclosing paid posts on Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules). ## Why they're priced differently Neither has a going rate, so these numbers are made up to show the method. **An audience post is priced on the audience.** Divide the fee by the median views of the creator's recent posts and multiply by 1,000. A £400 TikTok from a creator whose videos get a median of 20,000 views costs £20 per 1,000 views, which you can check against your break-even. See [paying TikTok and Instagram creators](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-much-to-pay-tiktok-and-instagram-creators). **UGC is priced per asset, and the views come from your ad budget.** A UGC video has no views until you pay for them. Say a creator charges £250 for a video with 90 days of paid usage, and you spend £1,500 running it. The real cost is £1,750, and at £15 profit per sale it needs about 117 sales to break even. Compare the £250 with what it would cost you to make an ad that good, not with an audience creator's fee. The expensive mistake is mixing the two up: paying an audience fee for a video you'll only ever run as an ad, or paying a UGC fee and expecting sales from a post to a few hundred followers. ## Usage rights decide which deal you're in The line between the two is drawn in the agreement, by what you may do with the content: - **A post on the creator's account.** The default for an audience deal, and nothing more. - **Reposting on your own accounts,** with credit, for a set period. - **Paid ads from the creator's handle.** On TikTok that's a [Spark Ad](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/spark-ads), which the creator authorises for a period you agree. On Instagram it's a partnership ad, which needs the creator's [permission](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/442108830566254) for one post or their whole account, and which they can withdraw. - **Paid ads from your own account, and the raw files.** The full UGC package: footage you can cut, caption and run as you like. - **Exclusivity, territory and duration** for each of the above. The further down that list, the more you're buying content rather than audience, and the more it should cost. See [Spark Ads and partnership ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads) for the setup. ## When we'd choose which Our position, plainly: for a brand that isn't already spending steadily on paid social, UGC is content with nowhere to go. A folder of good videos sells nothing until you pay to show them. For that brand we'd start with creators whose audience fits. - **Choose UGC when:** You already run ads and fresh creative is the bottleneck. You need many versions to test, videos for product pages, or full control of the script. - **Choose creators with an audience when:** Few people know your brand yet, your budget can't carry ad spend on top of fees, or you sell to a community, such as home baristas or trail runners, that already follows particular creators. One post brings reach, credibility and real comments. - **Choose the hybrid when:** You want both. Pay a creator with a fitting audience for a post plus a short window of Spark Ads or partnership ads. See which posts do well with their own audience, then extend the window only for those and put your ad spend behind them. The hybrid is what we'd recommend to most small brands: it tests creative on a real audience before you spend on ads. ## Where Nakodo fits, honestly Nakodo finds creators by their audience. It scores each from 0 to 100 on how closely their posts match your brief, whether their following fits your size range and markets, how their audience engages and how recently they post. Then it emails the best fits, or the ones you pick, on your behalf, and introduces you to the ones who say yes. That makes it a tool for the second kind of deal, and for the hybrid that starts from it. It isn't built for hiring pure UGC producers. It doesn't look at portfolios or judge anyone's delivery on camera, and a UGC creator with a small account would likely fall outside your follower range or score low on audience fit, as it should. If UGC is what you need, a casting call on your own channels is a better start. If you want creators whose followers already look like your customers, [here's how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). ## Questions ### What is a UGC creator? A UGC creator makes photos and videos for a brand to publish itself, on its own accounts, product pages or ads. The style copies content real customers make, but it's commissioned and paid for. The creator's own audience doesn't matter, so brands judge them on past work, delivery and speed. ### What's the difference between UGC creators and influencers? A UGC creator sells content and the right to use it, and the brand does the posting. A creator with an audience sells a post to their own followers, so the brand is mainly paying for that audience's attention. The first is priced per asset plus usage rights, the second on the views their posts get. ### Is UGC cheaper than influencer marketing? The fee for a video can be lower, but it isn't the whole cost. UGC has no audience of its own, so every view comes from your ad budget. Add the media spend to the fee before comparing it with a creator's post, which arrives with its own audience. ### Can an influencer also be a UGC creator? Yes, and one deal can include both. A creator can post to their followers and also license the video to you as a Spark Ad or partnership ad, or sell you the raw files. Price each right separately and write down how long each one lasts. --- # Modash alternatives: find creators and have them emailed for you Source: https://nakodo.app/alternatives/modash Updated: 2026-10-03 The right Modash alternative depends on the job. Modash's website describes a Shopify-first platform to find creators, manage partnerships, track performance and pay creators, with the emails creators list publicly shown to you. If you want creators who fit your brand found and emailed for you, without handling their addresses, Nakodo does that one job and stops at the introduction. For another suite, compare Upfluence, HypeAuditor and GRIN by the jobs you need. ## What Modash says it does This page describes Modash from its own website as of October 2026, and links each statement to the page it came from. Features change, so check those pages before you decide. Nakodo isn't affiliated with Modash. Product names belong to their owners. Modash's [homepage](https://www.modash.io/) calls it "Shopify-first" and says it is built "to find creators, manage partnerships, track performance, and pay creators from one place". Its site describes these parts: - **Discover:** [Search across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube](https://www.modash.io/features/influencer-discovery) in your own words or with filters, with followers' age, gender and location, lookalikes, and the brands a creator has worked with. - **Email:** An [inbox that syncs with Gmail or Outlook](https://www.modash.io/features/inbox), with bulk email and sequences that stop when a creator replies. - **Manage:** A [shared record of every creator](https://www.modash.io/features/influencer-management) with statuses, notes and conversation history. - **Track:** [Automatic collection of creators' posts](https://www.modash.io/features/influencer-tracking), and sales attributed through Shopify codes and links. - **Pay:** [Payments to creators in their local currency](https://www.modash.io/influencer-payments), with invoices collected for you. - **Shopify:** An [integration](https://www.modash.io/shopify) for discount codes, product gifts ordered through one link, and affiliate commissions. Modash publishes its prices on its [pricing page](https://www.modash.io/pricing). ## Modash and Nakodo, job by job The Modash column comes from the linked pages on Modash's site. The Nakodo column is how Nakodo works today; the full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). | Job | Modash, from its site | Nakodo | | --- | --- | --- | | Find creators | You search a database of public profiles with [AI search, filters and lookalikes](https://www.modash.io/features/influencer-discovery). | Writes a brief from your website and searches its keywords on each platform. No database to browse. | | Judge fit | [Audience data and authenticity checks](https://www.modash.io/features/influencer-discovery). | Scores each creator from 0 to 100 with written reasons. No audience demographics. | | See email addresses | Shows the email a creator [lists publicly](https://www.modash.io/features/influencer-discovery). Lists [export to CSV](https://www.modash.io/pricing). | No. You get an address only through the introduction, when a creator says yes. | | Contact creators | From your own [Gmail or Outlook](https://www.modash.io/features/inbox), one at a time or in bulk. | Emails on your behalf from its own address for each conversation, with your brand's name as the sender. You approve first emails by default. | | Follow up | [Sequences](https://www.modash.io/features/inbox) that stop when a creator replies. | 2 by default (0 to 3), on days 4, 11 and 21, in the creator's working hours. | | Manage relationships | A [shared creator record](https://www.modash.io/features/influencer-management) with statuses, notes and history. | No. Nakodo steps out after the introduction. | | Codes, gifting and store | [Shopify integration](https://www.modash.io/shopify) for codes, gifts and affiliate commissions. | No. Nakodo has no store integration. | | Pay creators | [Payments](https://www.modash.io/influencer-payments) in creators' local currencies. | No. You agree terms and pay the creator directly. | | Track posts and sales | [Automatic tracking](https://www.modash.io/features/influencer-tracking) of posts and Shopify sales. | No. Your own codes and links do that. | | Platforms | [Instagram, TikTok and YouTube](https://www.modash.io/). | YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans. | ## The main difference: who holds the email address Both start from addresses creators chose to publish. Modash's [discovery page](https://www.modash.io/features/influencer-discovery) says it only shows emails creators have intentionally listed in their bios, and doesn't access emails behind logins, paywalls or CAPTCHAs. Nakodo also reads only what creators publish for business. What differs is what happens next. With Modash, the address comes to you. You write from your own inbox and the conversation sits in Modash's creator record with your notes. That suits a team running creator partnerships as a standing channel, under its own name from the first email. With Nakodo, the address stays with Nakodo until the creator agrees to talk. Each first email says where Nakodo found the address, such as "in your Instagram bio". If the creator says yes, Nakodo sends one introduction in the same thread with you in Cc, then steps out. Opted-out and bounced addresses are never emailed through Nakodo again, and a creator who declined you isn't contacted on your behalf for 180 days. The trade-off is real. Nakodo gives you less: no list of addresses and nothing to export. In return you never hold contact details for creators who didn't want to hear from you, and sending, follow-ups and opt-outs are Nakodo's job. ## When Modash is the better choice If you want any of these, Modash's site describes them and Nakodo doesn't do them: - You want to browse and filter creators yourself, by audience age, gender or location, or by lookalikes of a creator who worked well. - You want creators' published addresses in your own hands, and to write from your own inbox. - You sell on Shopify and want discount codes, gifting and affiliate commissions next to your creator list. - You need to pay creators, collect invoices, and track posts and sales once a deal is agreed. - Several people on your team work with the same creators and need one shared record. ## When Nakodo is the better choice - You'd rather describe your brand once than build searches. Nakodo reads your homepage and up to 5 key pages and writes the brief for you to edit. - You want each creator scored against that brief with written reasons. Creators scoring 55 or more count as a fit, and a score means the same thing in every campaign. - You want the emailing done for you: sent in the creator's working hours, followed up on a fixed rhythm, paused for out-of-office replies and stopped when they answer. - You'd rather not handle creators' addresses at all, and only meet the ones who said yes. - Your hard part is starting conversations, and you'll handle the deal, payment and tracking yourself. Our page for [Shopify stores](https://nakodo.app/for/shopify-stores) covers the codes and reports you'd use alongside Nakodo. What each Nakodo plan includes is on the [pricing page](https://nakodo.app/pricing). ## Other options Each line comes from the company's own site as of October 2026. - **Upfluence** describes an AI agent, Jaice, that [finds creators, writes outreach and follows up](https://www.upfluence.com/manage-influencers), with affiliate tracking, store integrations and creator payments in the same platform. - **HypeAuditor** describes [reports on creators' audiences](https://hypeauditor.com/reports/), with quality scores and fraud detection, alongside discovery, outreach and campaign management. - **GRIN** describes a [platform that connects creator discovery, programmes, deals, payments, content and measurement](https://grin.co/platform), operated with its AI agent, Gia. - **By hand.** A spreadsheet and your own inbox go a long way for the first rounds. Our guides to finding creators on [Instagram](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-instagram-influencers) and [TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-find-tiktok-influencers) show the method, and [do you need a platform at all?](https://nakodo.app/blog/influencer-marketing-platform-or-diy) covers when a tool earns its place. ## Questions ### What are the best Modash alternatives? It depends on the job. For another suite covering discovery, outreach, relationship management and payments, compare Upfluence, HypeAuditor and GRIN against the jobs you need, using each company's own site. If you mainly want creators found and emailed for you, without handling their addresses, Nakodo does that. For a first round, a spreadsheet and your own inbox also work. ### What is the difference between Modash and Nakodo? Modash's website describes a platform where you search creators yourself, see the emails they list publicly, write from your own Gmail or Outlook, and manage, track and pay creators. Nakodo finds and scores creators from a brief, emails them on your behalf, follows up and introduces the ones who say yes. It never shows you their addresses. ### Does Nakodo show influencers' email addresses like Modash does? No. Nakodo never shows, sells or exports creators' addresses. It emails creators for you at the address they publish, and the first email says where it was found. You get a creator's address when they say yes and Nakodo introduces you, with you in Cc. ### Can I use Modash and Nakodo together? Yes, they do different jobs. Nakodo starts conversations and introduces you to the creators who say yes; you could then add them to whatever you use to manage, pay and track creators. Nakodo doesn't connect to Modash, so that step is by hand. ### Is this Modash comparison up to date? It reflects Modash's website as of October 2026, and every statement about Modash links to the page it came from. Software changes often, so check those pages before you decide. If something here has gone out of date, our about page says how to reach us. --- # Upfluence alternatives for emailing creators Source: https://nakodo.app/alternatives/upfluence Updated: 2026-10-03 The right Upfluence alternative depends on how much of the programme you want in one tool. Upfluence's website describes an AI agent that finds creators, writes outreach and follows up, plus a marketplace, affiliate tracking, store integrations and payments. Nakodo does a narrower job: it finds creators who fit your brand, emails them for you from its own address, follows up and introduces the ones who say yes. It never shows you their addresses and stops at the introduction. ## What Upfluence says it does This page describes Upfluence from its own website as of October 2026, and links each statement to the page it came from. Features change, so check those pages before you decide. Nakodo isn't affiliated with Upfluence. Product names belong to their owners. Upfluence's [homepage](https://www.upfluence.com/) describes a platform for affiliate programmes, creator management, user-generated content and brand ambassadors, run with an AI agent it calls Jaice. Its site describes: - **Search** across [Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, Pinterest and X](https://www.upfluence.com/influencer-search), by filters or by describing your brief to Jaice. You can also paste your brand's URL for a shortlist, or find creators among your store's customers. - **A marketplace** where you [post a campaign brief and creators apply](https://www.upfluence.com/creator-marketplace), plus [sign-up pages](https://www.upfluence.com/influencer-search) for your own site. - **Outreach:** Jaice [writes outreach in your voice and follows up automatically](https://www.upfluence.com/manage-influencers), with Gmail or Outlook connected. - **Relationship management** with a [history, status and next step for every creator](https://www.upfluence.com/manage-influencers), and [contract and email templates](https://www.upfluence.com/). - **Stores and codes:** promo codes for [Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce or Amazon](https://www.upfluence.com/), and [product seeding](https://www.upfluence.com/manage-influencers) that creates orders in your store. - **Sales and payments:** [revenue, clicks, conversions and order values per creator](https://www.upfluence.com/analytics), and payments in any currency with tax forms collected. Upfluence's [pricing page](https://www.upfluence.com/pricing) says its pricing is modular and custom-quoted. ## Upfluence and Nakodo, job by job The Upfluence column comes from the linked pages on Upfluence's site. The Nakodo column is how Nakodo works today; the full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). | Job | Upfluence, from its site | Nakodo | | --- | --- | --- | | Find creators | [Filters, a brief described to Jaice, or your brand's URL](https://www.upfluence.com/influencer-search). | Writes a brief from your website and searches its keywords on each platform. | | Creators who come to you | A [marketplace](https://www.upfluence.com/creator-marketplace) where creators apply to your brief. | No. Nakodo only writes to creators; they can't apply through it. | | Write and send outreach | Jaice [writes outreach in your voice](https://www.upfluence.com/manage-influencers), with Gmail or Outlook connected. | Writes each first email for one creator and sends it from its own address, with your brand's name as the sender. | | Follow up | Jaice [follows up automatically](https://www.upfluence.com/manage-influencers). | 2 by default (0 to 3), on days 4, 11 and 21, in the creator's working hours. | | Manage relationships | [History, status and next step](https://www.upfluence.com/manage-influencers) for every creator. | No. Nakodo steps out after the introduction. | | Stores, codes and seeding | [Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce and Amazon](https://www.upfluence.com/pricing). | No store integration. | | Pay creators | [Payments in any currency](https://www.upfluence.com/analytics), with tax forms collected. | No. You agree terms and pay the creator directly. | | Track sales | [Revenue and conversions per creator](https://www.upfluence.com/analytics). | No. Your own codes and links do that. | | Platforms | [Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, Pinterest and X](https://www.upfluence.com/influencer-search). | YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans. | ## Both automate outreach. Here is what differs Upfluence and Nakodo both describe software that writes to creators and follows up for you, and both can start from your website: Upfluence's [search page](https://www.upfluence.com/influencer-search) offers a shortlist from your brand's URL, and Nakodo writes its brief from your site. The differences are in the details of sending. - **Whose address sends it:** Upfluence's site describes [connecting Gmail or Outlook](https://www.upfluence.com/manage-influencers). Nakodo sends from an address of its own for each conversation, on its sending domain, with your brand's name as the sender, so replies come back to Nakodo and are matched to the right creator. - **How much runs without you:** Upfluence's [Jaice page](https://www.upfluence.com/jaice-ai-influencer-marketing) describes Jaice sourcing creators, sending invitations and following up while your team is offline, and flagging anything unusual for review. Nakodo waits for your approval on each first email by default. If you let first emails go out automatically, each still waits 60 minutes, during which you can edit or stop it. - **The creator's address:** Upfluence's [automation page](https://www.upfluence.com/manage-influencers) lists "finding contact details" among the admin to automate, and says "Upfluence automates the admin". Nakodo never shows you the address; you get it through the introduction when a creator says yes. Our post on [automated creator outreach](https://nakodo.app/blog/automated-influencer-outreach) sets out which parts of this we think should stay with a person, whichever tool you use. ## When Upfluence is the better choice If you want any of these, Upfluence's site describes them and Nakodo doesn't do them: - Creators coming to you as well, through a marketplace or a sign-up page on your site. - Affiliate or ambassador programmes, with codes, commissions, tax forms and payouts handled in one place. - Promo codes for several store platforms, including Amazon, and sales tracked per creator. - Searching beyond YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, for example Twitch or Pinterest. - Outreach connected to your own Gmail or Outlook. ## When Nakodo is the better choice - Your hard part is starting conversations with creators who fit, and you'll agree terms, pay and track results yourself. - You want every creator scored from 0 to 100 against your brief with written reasons, on fixed thresholds that mean the same in every campaign. - You'd rather not hold creators' addresses, or send outreach from your own domain. - You want a person to approve first emails by default, and follow-ups on a fixed rhythm that pause for out-of-office replies. - You want limits on how often a creator hears from brands: one open conversation per creator across all of Nakodo, 14 days between two brands, and 180 days before a brand they declined can write through Nakodo again. - You want to start on a free plan. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans, as the [pricing page](https://nakodo.app/pricing) shows. If you sell on Amazon, our page for [Amazon sellers](https://nakodo.app/for/amazon-sellers) covers Amazon's own rules on creators and reviews, which apply whichever tool you use. ## Other options Each line comes from the company's own site as of October 2026. - **Modash** calls itself [Shopify-first](https://www.modash.io/), with search across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, an inbox synced with Gmail or Outlook, tracking and creator payments. - **GRIN** describes a [platform that connects creator discovery, programmes, deals, payments, content and measurement](https://grin.co/platform), operated with its AI agent, Gia. - **Aspire** describes an [all-in-one creator marketing platform](https://www.aspire.io/), from first search to final report, with a marketplace that brings creators to you. - **By hand.** For the first rounds, a spreadsheet and your own inbox work. Our [outreach email and DM templates](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-outreach-templates) give you the words, and [do you need a platform at all?](https://nakodo.app/blog/influencer-marketing-platform-or-diy) covers when a tool earns its place. ## Questions ### What are the best Upfluence alternatives? It depends on the job. For another suite with search, outreach, relationship management and payments, compare Modash, GRIN and Aspire against the jobs you need, using each company's own site. If you mainly want creators found and emailed for you without handling their addresses, Nakodo does that. For a first round, a spreadsheet and your own inbox also work. ### What is the difference between Upfluence and Nakodo? Upfluence's website describes a platform covering search, a creator marketplace, outreach through an AI agent, relationship management, store integrations, sales tracking and payments. Nakodo finds creators from a brief it writes from your website, emails them from its own address on your behalf, follows up and introduces the ones who say yes. It stops at the introduction. ### Does Nakodo send influencer outreach automatically like Upfluence? It can. In automatic mode, the default, Nakodo contacts the best-scored fits that publish an email, strongest first, within a daily quota. First emails wait for your approval unless you let them go out after a 60-minute window in which you can still edit or stop them. Follow-ups are automatic and stop when the creator replies. ### Does Nakodo work with Shopify or Amazon? No. Nakodo has no store integrations and doesn't track codes, orders or sales. It finds creators, emails them and introduces the ones who say yes. Codes, links and attribution stay in your store's own tools. ### Is this Upfluence comparison up to date? It reflects Upfluence's website as of October 2026, and every statement about Upfluence links to the page it came from. Software changes often, so check those pages before you decide. If something here has gone out of date, our about page says how to reach us. --- # HypeAuditor alternatives: vetting creators or reaching them Source: https://nakodo.app/alternatives/hypeauditor Updated: 2026-10-03 The right HypeAuditor alternative depends on whether you need to vet creators or to reach them. HypeAuditor's website describes reports on creators' audiences, quality scores and fraud detection, alongside discovery, outreach, campaign management and competitor analysis. Nakodo does a different job: it finds creators who fit your brand, scores them with written reasons, emails them for you and introduces the ones who say yes. It doesn't analyse audiences or check for fake followers. ## What HypeAuditor says it does This page describes HypeAuditor from its own website as of October 2026, and links each statement to the page it came from. Features change, so check those pages before you decide. Nakodo isn't affiliated with HypeAuditor. Product names belong to their owners. HypeAuditor's [homepage](https://hypeauditor.com/) describes a platform to "find, vet, and activate creators, analyze competitors, and leverage emerging trends". Its site describes: - **Reports:** [Account reports](https://hypeauditor.com/reports/) with the creator's contact details, audience age, gender and country, quality scores from 1 to 100 for Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, a machine-learning model to detect low-quality followers, and an estimated price per post. - **Discovery:** [Search across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Twitch](https://hypeauditor.com/discovery/) by keyword, audience and quality filters, lookalikes and brand mentions, with lists you can download as CSV. - **Outreach:** [Bulk outreach](https://hypeauditor.com/campaign-management/influencer-outreach/) with templates, an AI drafting assistant and follow-up sequences that stop when a creator replies. - **My Network:** A [creator relationship record](https://hypeauditor.com/my-network/) with stages, Gmail or Outlook sync, and a Campaign Fit Score that explains each creator's score in plain language. - **Campaigns:** [Proposals, contracts, content approval and tracking](https://hypeauditor.com/campaign-management/), [PayPal payments](https://hypeauditor.com/campaign-management/payments/), and [Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento](https://hypeauditor.com/campaign-management/e-commerce/) for samples, codes and sales. - **Market analysis:** [Competitor research](https://hypeauditor.com/market-analysis/) on other brands' creator activity. HypeAuditor's [pricing page](https://hypeauditor.com/pricing/) invites you to book a demo with its team. ## HypeAuditor and Nakodo, job by job The HypeAuditor column comes from the linked pages on HypeAuditor's site. The Nakodo column is how Nakodo works today; the full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). | Job | HypeAuditor, from its site | Nakodo | | --- | --- | --- | | Find creators | [Search with filters](https://hypeauditor.com/discovery/) you set, or lookalikes. | Writes a brief from your website and searches its keywords on each platform. No database to browse. | | Check who follows a creator | [Audience location, age and gender](https://hypeauditor.com/reports/) in each report. | No. Nakodo doesn't estimate audience demographics. | | Check for fake followers | [Fraud detection](https://hypeauditor.com/reports/) and quality scores. | No fake-follower check. Engagement is scored from the creator's own likes, comments and views. | | Judge fit with your brand | A [Campaign Fit Score](https://hypeauditor.com/my-network/) with plain-language explanations. | A score from 0 to 100 against your brief, with written reasons. 55 or more counts as a fit. | | Contact creators | [Bulk outreach](https://hypeauditor.com/campaign-management/influencer-outreach/) from email accounts you connect. | Emails on your behalf from its own address for each conversation, with your brand's name as the sender. Addresses are never shown to you. | | Follow up | [Sequences](https://hypeauditor.com/campaign-management/influencer-outreach/) on a schedule you choose. | 2 by default (0 to 3), on days 4, 11 and 21, in the creator's working hours. | | Contracts, payment, sales | [Contracts](https://hypeauditor.com/campaign-management/), [PayPal](https://hypeauditor.com/campaign-management/payments/) and [store sales](https://hypeauditor.com/campaign-management/e-commerce/). | No. Nakodo stops at the introduction. | | Research competitors | [Market analysis](https://hypeauditor.com/market-analysis/). | No. | | Platforms | [Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Twitch](https://hypeauditor.com/discovery/). | YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans. | ## Vetting a creator and reaching one are different jobs HypeAuditor's [reports](https://hypeauditor.com/reports/) set out a creator's audience by age, gender and country, and its authenticity. That answers a question you have once you have a name: is this account worth the fee? Nakodo answers an earlier one: which creators talk about what you sell, and will they talk to you? Nakodo's score uses only what a creator publishes. Relevance compares their recent titles or captions with your brief's keywords. Audience fit checks followers against your range, plus language and country on YouTube and TikTok; Instagram shares neither, so both count as neutral. Engagement is likes and comments per view on YouTube and TikTok, and per follower on Instagram, using medians of posts at least 3 days old. Recency looks at how recently and how often they post, and on YouTube comment quality samples recent comments. The thresholds are fixed, so a score means the same in every campaign. That score won't tell you a creator's audience is mostly in another country, or that half their followers were bought. If that's your worry, a report from an analytics tool is the right check, or you can do it by hand with our guide to [spotting fake followers](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-spot-fake-followers). Both kinds of fit score come with reasons: HypeAuditor's [Campaign Fit Score](https://hypeauditor.com/my-network/) explains itself in plain language, as Nakodo's does. ## When HypeAuditor is the better choice If you want any of these, HypeAuditor's site describes them and Nakodo doesn't do them: - You already have a shortlist and want to check each creator's audience and authenticity before you spend. - Who follows a creator, by age, gender or country, matters more to you than the topics they cover. - You want to see which creators other brands in your market work with. - You work with creators on X or Twitch. - You need proposals, contracts, content approval, payments and sales tracking after the yes. ## When Nakodo is the better choice - You don't have a shortlist yet and want one built from your own website, with the keywords written for you to edit. - The work you want off your plate is writing, sending, following up and answering routine questions, not analysis. - You want a person to approve each first email by default. You can let first emails go out automatically, but each waits 60 minutes, during which you can edit or stop it. - You'd rather not hold creators' addresses, and only meet the ones who said yes. - You want to start on a free plan. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans, as the [pricing page](https://nakodo.app/pricing) shows. ## Other options Each line comes from the company's own site as of October 2026. - **Modash** describes [search across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube](https://www.modash.io/features/influencer-discovery) with audience data and authenticity checks, alongside email, tracking and payments. - **Upfluence** describes an AI agent, Jaice, that [finds creators, writes outreach and follows up](https://www.upfluence.com/manage-influencers), with affiliate tracking, store integrations and payments. - **CreatorIQ** describes itself as "[the operating system for creator-led growth](https://www.creatoriq.com/)", with brand safety, governance and compliance for brands and agencies. - **By hand.** Our guide to [vetting a creator](https://nakodo.app/guides/how-to-vet-a-youtube-creator) and the [Instagram engagement rate calculator](https://nakodo.app/tools/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator) cover the checks you can make yourself, and [do you need a platform at all?](https://nakodo.app/blog/influencer-marketing-platform-or-diy) covers when a tool earns its place. ## Questions ### What are the best HypeAuditor alternatives? It depends on the job, so compare by what each company's own site describes. Modash describes audience data and authenticity checks; CreatorIQ describes brand safety and governance; Upfluence describes outreach, payments and sales tracking. If you mainly want creators found and emailed for you, Nakodo does that. For a few creators, the checks can also be done by hand. ### What is the difference between HypeAuditor and Nakodo? HypeAuditor's website describes analytics on creators' audiences, fraud detection and competitor research, with discovery, outreach and campaign tools. Nakodo writes a brief from your website, finds and scores creators who fit it, emails them on your behalf, follows up and introduces the ones who say yes. It has no audience analytics and stops at the introduction. ### Does Nakodo check influencers for fake followers? No. Nakodo scores engagement from a creator's own likes, comments and views against fixed thresholds, and sets aside accounts that haven't posted in 6 months, but it doesn't run a fake-follower or audience-quality check. Our guide to spotting fake followers shows the checks you can make by hand before you agree a fee. ### Can I use HypeAuditor and Nakodo together? Yes, they do different jobs. You could look up a creator Nakodo found in an analytics tool before you approve the first email, or after they say yes and before you agree a fee. Nakodo doesn't connect to HypeAuditor, so that step is done by hand. ### Is this HypeAuditor comparison up to date? It reflects HypeAuditor's website as of October 2026, and every statement about HypeAuditor links to the page it came from. Software changes often, so check those pages before you decide. If something here has gone out of date, our about page says how to reach us. --- # GRIN alternatives when you only need outreach Source: https://nakodo.app/alternatives/grin Updated: 2026-10-03 The right GRIN alternative depends on how much of your creator programme you want one tool to hold. GRIN's website describes a platform that connects creator discovery, programmes, deals, payments, content and measurement, operated with an AI agent called Gia. Nakodo covers only the start: it finds creators who fit your brand, emails them for you, follows up and introduces the ones who say yes. Everything after the introduction is yours to run. ## What GRIN says it does This page describes GRIN from its own website as of October 2026, and links each statement to the page it came from. Features change, so check those pages before you decide. Nakodo isn't affiliated with GRIN. Product names belong to their owners. GRIN's [platform page](https://grin.co/platform) says it "connects creator discovery, programs, deals, payments, content, and measurement in one creator marketing platform", and that its AI agent, Gia, helps your team operate it "with human approval at consequential steps". Its site describes: - **Finding creators:** [search by criteria or by handle](https://grin.co/platform), personas you teach once, and creator applications. Its [discovery page](https://grin.co/product/influencer-discovery-platform/) describes search across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. - **Outreach:** Gia [prepares personalised outreach and follows up](https://grin.co/gia), and your team approves anything involving messages, money, contracts or brand risk. - **A marketplace:** the [GRIN Marketplace](https://grin.co/) connects brands to creators who opt into programmes through a free app built for them. - **Programmes and deals:** [seeding, paid, affiliate and UGC programmes](https://grin.co/platform), with contract terms negotiated in one deal record. - **Payments:** an [escrow wallet](https://grin.co/platform), with payouts released through Stripe when work is approved. - **Content and results:** [creators' posts collected automatically](https://grin.co/platform) with usage rights attached, Shopify connected in a click, and live dashboards with metrics you can ask for in plain English. GRIN publishes its plans and prices on its [pricing page](https://grin.co/pricing), which describes usage-based pricing. ## GRIN and Nakodo, job by job The GRIN column comes from the linked pages on GRIN's site. The Nakodo column is how Nakodo works today; the full method is on [how Nakodo works](https://nakodo.app/how-it-works). | Job | GRIN, from its site | Nakodo | | --- | --- | --- | | Find creators | [Search, trained personas and applications](https://grin.co/platform), with Gia sourcing against them. | Writes a brief from your website, searches its keywords and scores each creator from 0 to 100 with reasons. | | Creators who come to you | The [GRIN Marketplace](https://grin.co/) and a free app for creators. | No. Nakodo only writes to creators; they can't apply through it. | | Contact and follow up | Gia [prepares outreach and follows up](https://grin.co/gia), with your approval for messages. | Emails on your behalf with your brand's name as the sender, and follows up twice by default (0 to 3). | | Manage relationships | [One shared record](https://grin.co/platform) of each creator's history. | No. One introduction with you in Cc, then Nakodo steps out. | | Contracts and payment | [Negotiated terms, escrow and Stripe payouts](https://grin.co/platform). | No. You agree terms and pay the creator directly. | | Seeding, affiliate and store | [Seeding and affiliate programmes, and Shopify](https://grin.co/platform). | No. Nakodo has no store integration. | | Content and reporting | [Automatic content collection with usage rights, and dashboards](https://grin.co/platform). | No. | | Platforms | [Instagram, TikTok and YouTube](https://grin.co/product/influencer-discovery-platform/) for creator search. | YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans. | ## Where GRIN and Nakodo overlap Both describe software that finds creators and writes to them for you, with a person in control of the messages. GRIN's [Gia page](https://grin.co/gia) says messages, money and contracts don't move until you confirm. Nakodo waits for your approval on each first email by default; if you let first emails go out automatically, each still waits 60 minutes, during which you can edit or stop it. Nakodo writes from an address of its own for each conversation, with your brand's name as the sender, on weekdays between 9:00 and 19:30 in the creator's local time, and you never see the creator's address until they say yes. For how GRIN sends outreach, see its [Gia page](https://grin.co/gia). ## After the yes: what you'd run yourself The larger difference is what happens after a creator agrees. GRIN's [platform page](https://grin.co/platform) describes carrying on: the deal, escrow, payouts, content and results stay in one record. Nakodo stops. It sends one introduction in the same thread with you in Cc, and you agree the details from your own inbox. Before choosing Nakodo, be sure you're ready to handle these yourself: - **A written agreement:** deliverables, dates, fee or product, and approval rights. Put it in writing, even if it's a short email both sides confirm. - **Payment:** however you already pay suppliers. Nakodo doesn't hold or move money. - **Disclosure:** the creator needs to label the post clearly. Our guide to [disclosure rules on Instagram and TikTok](https://nakodo.app/guides/instagram-and-tiktok-disclosure-rules) covers which labels and rules apply. - **Usage rights:** if you want to run the post as an ad, agree that in writing first. See [Spark Ads and partnership ads](https://nakodo.app/guides/spark-ads-and-partnership-ads). - **Tracking:** a discount code or tagged link per creator, read in your own store or analytics. With a handful of partnerships, a spreadsheet and your own inbox can cover this. With many running at once, that is the job a system of record like GRIN's describes. ## When GRIN is the better choice If you want any of these, GRIN's site describes them and Nakodo doesn't do them: - One record for creators, deals, payments, content and results, shared by your team. - Programmes that mix seeding, paid, affiliate and UGC work. - Creators finding and applying to your programmes through a marketplace. - Escrow and payouts handled in the same platform. - Content collected with its usage rights attached. ## When Nakodo is the better choice - You need the first conversations, not a system to run a programme in yet. - You'd rather describe your brand once: Nakodo reads your website and writes the brief for you to edit. - You'd rather not hold creators' addresses, and only meet the ones who said yes. - You want the bookkeeping of outreach handled: working hours in the creator's time zone, follow-ups on days 4, 11 and 21, pauses for out-of-office replies, and opt-outs honoured across all of Nakodo. - You want to start on a free plan. The Free plan searches Instagram and TikTok; YouTube is on the paid plans, as the [pricing page](https://nakodo.app/pricing) shows. ## Other options Each line comes from the company's own site as of October 2026. - **Modash** calls itself [Shopify-first](https://www.modash.io/), with search across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, an inbox synced with Gmail or Outlook, tracking and creator payments. - **Upfluence** describes an AI agent, Jaice, that [finds creators, writes outreach and follows up](https://www.upfluence.com/manage-influencers), with a creator marketplace, affiliate tracking and payments. - **HypeAuditor** describes [reports on creators' audiences](https://hypeauditor.com/reports/), with quality scores and fraud detection, alongside outreach and campaign management. - **By hand.** For the first rounds, a spreadsheet and your own inbox work. [Do you need a platform at all?](https://nakodo.app/blog/influencer-marketing-platform-or-diy) covers the columns worth keeping and the signs you've outgrown them. ## Questions ### What are the best GRIN alternatives? It depends on the job. For another platform covering discovery, outreach, relationship management and payments, compare Modash, Upfluence and HypeAuditor against the jobs you need, using each company's own site. If you only want creators found and emailed for you, Nakodo does that. For a few partnerships, a spreadsheet also works. ### What is the difference between GRIN and Nakodo? GRIN's website describes a platform that holds the whole creator programme, from discovery and outreach to deals, payments, content and measurement, operated with its AI agent, Gia. Nakodo finds creators who fit your brand, emails them on your behalf, follows up and introduces the ones who say yes. It doesn't manage deals, payments or content. ### Can Nakodo pay influencers or manage contracts? No. Nakodo stops at the introduction: one email in the same thread with you in Cc. You agree the terms and pay the creator directly. If you need contracts and payouts handled in software, GRIN and similar platforms describe those on their own sites. ### Can I start with Nakodo and add a platform like GRIN later? Yes. Nakodo doesn't lock creators in: once a creator says yes and you're introduced, you have their address and the introduction in your own inbox, and you can add them to any system you choose. Nakodo has no export of creators' addresses, so only introduced creators move with you. ### Is this GRIN comparison up to date? It reflects GRIN's website as of October 2026, and every statement about GRIN links to the page it came from. Software changes often, so check those pages before you decide. If something here has gone out of date, our about page says how to reach us.