How to choose a blogger for advertising your project

Modern marketers are increasingly favoring advertising with bloggers over traditional promotion channels. And for good reason: research confirms that the influence of opinion leaders can be significantly more effective.

For example, Nielsen, in its report on trust in advertising, found that recommendations from bloggers evoke 58% more trust than television advertising. Market research also shows that 80% of users have made a purchase at least once based on an influencer's advice, while traditional methods worked only in 45% of cases.

But here lies the main question: how to choose a blogger who will truly deliver results? After all, not every influencer is capable of generating real sales.

It is impossible to state the exact number of blogger accounts — the criteria are too vague. According to GrowthBadger, there are over 600 million creators in the world. This figure includes:

• Text pages

• Video platforms (YouTube, TikTok)

• Authors on social media (Instagram*, Telegram, Twitter)

Speaking of Russia, according to MediaKix, about 38 million people blog in the country. But does a person who simply posts photos and has a couple of thousand followers qualify as a blogger? There is no definitive answer.

One thing is clear: the influencer marketing market is huge, but only a small part can truly benefit businesses.

According to HypeAuditor's analysis, a platform for checking influencers, every third account (with an audience of 10-100 thousand followers) has 30% to 70% bots in its statistics. Among the top profiles with a million followers, one in five inflates views and likes.

If you are wondering how to find bloggers for advertising, let's delve into it.

Is it worth ordering advertising?

Promotion through authors works on the principle of word-of-mouth. When an influencer simply mentions a product or gives advice, it generates instant interest among the audience. Unlike traditional formats, such a presentation is perceived as a personal recommendation rather than intrusive sales content.

Viewers often perceive bloggers as friends: they follow their daily lives, know their habits, surroundings, and even plans. This closeness creates a trust effect, which companies leverage to promote products. For example, they can:

• Announce new products in the store;

• Increase sales of niche products;

• Attract followers on social media for further engagement.

However, trust in the industry has shaken after a series of scandals. Remember the story when top influencers widely recommended cosmetics with dangerous ingredients? After such incidents, trust levels decreased, but the influence mechanism remains powerful.

But there is another problem. People strive to gain reach at any cost to start monetizing their accounts. If subscriptions are bought and engagement is artificially inflated, advertisers receive empty views instead of real customers.

Let's analyze a practical example. A girl blogs about life with her husband and dogs, some of her videos garner millions of views, but her follower count remains around 5 thousand for a long time. Suddenly, overnight, she gains 7 thousand new accounts, and a couple of weeks later she is already offering integrations.

The question is: how honest are such methods? It's clear that artificial audience growth reduces effectiveness, but not all advertisers know how to track this.

This is the main reason for failed campaigns — dishonest promotion methods. Many people buy followers or inflate views to appear more popular. As a result, they pay for impressions, but there are no sales — because bots don’t buy. But if you know how to analyze statistics (real activity, engagement, geography), such tricks are easy to spot.

Who can businesses collaborate with? Analyzing types and their effectiveness

Finding bloggers for advertising is a key stage in business promotion. The success of the campaign depends on account sizes, the level of trust among followers, and the thematic relevance.

Authors can be conditionally divided into four categories:

• Nano (1–10 thousand followers)

• Micro (10–50 thousand followers)

• Macro (50 thousand – 1 million followers)

• Mega (celebrity) (1 million+ followers)

Each type is suitable for different goals, budgets, and business niches.

Nano bloggers

These are typically the most accessible yet underrated partners. Their main advantage is a high degree of trust. For small local businesses, such as cafes, boutiques, or beauty service providers, these profiles become an ideal option. Although the follower group is small, they are very loyal — people perceive recommendations as personal advice.

Financial accessibility is another significant argument: often, barter can suffice, and monetary rates rarely exceed 5-10 thousand rubles per mention.

However, it’s essential to understand that nano bloggers will not provide mass reach. Their strength lies in the depth of interaction with followers.

Micro bloggers

Such authors already have a stable base of loyal followers but have not yet turned into “media personalities,” whose brand mentions may be perceived as overtly sales-driven.

Micro bloggers are particularly effective for niche projects. For example, brands in sports nutrition, cosmetics, or gadgets should look for authors who specialize in these topics. Here, users are already interested in a specific category of products, meaning the conversion to purchases will be higher. Budgets in such blogs range from 5 to 50 thousand rubles depending on the platform and content format.

Macro bloggers

Hundreds of thousands of followers represent a serious promotional tool suitable for large brands. Their main advantage is the ability to quickly disseminate information to a vast number of people.

But there are risks here too. The more people, the harder it is to maintain a personal connection, meaning the level of trust may be lower.

Additionally, many of them eventually start developing their business projects: launching courses, info products, creating clothing or cosmetics brands, or even opening restaurants. This creates certain complexities for advertisers.

For example, an influencer with their own line of cosmetics is unlikely to recommend similar products from other brands. The same goes for authors who earn from online courses — they prefer to promote only their programs.

Mega bloggers and celebrities

Profiles count in millions, and a brand mention in such a blog instantly creates hype. However, it is crucial to understand that a high cost — from 500 thousand to several million rubles per post — does not always guarantee direct sales. Most often, such collaborations work for increasing brand awareness.

The audience here is extremely heterogeneous. Yes, the reach will be massive, but not all followers will genuinely be interested in the product. Furthermore, the cost can reach millions of rubles, making it accessible only to large players in the market.

Where to find bloggers?

This process requires time and attention. On average, it takes several hours to several days, depending on the scale. Several proven options exist for finding bloggers for advertising.

Specialized search services

These services provide convenient platforms where companies and influencers can find each other.

Popular services include:

GetBlogger — the largest database of profiles from Instagram, YouTube, Telegram, and other platforms. It allows you to:

• Specify budget and conditions upfront

• Receive ready offers from authors

• Automate the approval process

LabelUp — a service that specializes in working with bloggers from banned social networks. It provides:

• Detailed analytics for each account

• Data on real audience engagement

• Filters by niches and themes

Telega.in — a service for finding Telegram channels. Features:

• Free access to the database of channels

• Quick posting options

• Transparent rates and conditions

Important! Not all services thoroughly verify accounts. Always conduct additional checks:

• Analyze statistics

• Study real comments

• Check publication history

Telegram chats and communities

In such communities, you can find not only lists of profiles but also real reviews about collaborating with them. This is a valuable source of information that allows you to learn about the nuances of working with a specific influencer firsthand. However, it’s important to approach such information critically — chats may contain both genuine reviews and fakes.

Popular chats include:

• Instalogiya Chat

• Otzovik_blogger

• Reviews on bloggers

Competitor analysis

If you see that a particular author has already worked with a similar product, there is a high likelihood that their followers will be receptive to your offer as well. This method is especially effective for niche markets where the pool of suitable influencers is limited.

Independent search on social media

The most labor-intensive yet reliable way is to independently find bloggers for advertising on social media. This involves working with hashtags, geolocations, analyzing reviews, and recommendations. This approach allows you to not only find accounts with suitable statistics but also to deeply study their content, communication style, and presentation style. We recommend observing the person for some time — this gives insight into how organically your product can fit into their content.

As practice shows, the best results come from a combined approach that combines the use of services with independent analysis. Although it requires more time, this strategy allows you to find genuinely suitable influencers where people are most likely to respond to the offer.

How to choose a blogger for advertising

Choosing for product promotion requires a comprehensive approach, where quantitative indicators are only part of the equation. It is much more important to understand how organically your brand can fit into the content.

Target audience

The first and most important step is to ensure that the users fit your target group.

• Look at age, geography, interests

• Analyze comments under posts

• Pay attention to the activity of discussions

Ask the blogger to provide audience statistics (age, geolocation, interests).

Large bloggers usually openly share such information. If an influencer refuses to provide data — this is a warning signal, and it is better not to collaborate with them.

Carefully study the mood of the profile. For example, an author may formally fit in terms of age and geography, but if their content is built on crude humor and sarcasm, while your brand positions itself as premium and solid, such a collaboration risks appearing inorganic.

Comments

Comments under posts are one of the most crucial criteria for engagement. They help understand how genuinely interested followers are in the content or if their activity is artificially inflated.

Signs of a live audience:

• Followers ask questions related to the post, share personal experiences, argue or support each other.

• People not only praise but analyze the information

• The author responds to comments, engages in conversation, jokes, or provides additional advice.

Always pay attention to warning signals!

Comments like “Cool!”, “Top”, “Well done” without context to the content are often a result of inflating or mutual promotion among profiles. If identical messages from users with empty profiles are repeated under every post — those are bots.

Real engagement is when followers meaningfully interact with the content, not just ticking a box for statistics. If comments appear fake, the ads risk being a waste of budget.

Profile statistics

Before integration, check the profile statistics. Because hundreds of likes on a million-account profile are not as good as it may seem.

First, calculate the engagement rate.

What is it? An indicator that reflects how actively users engage with the content. It is calculated using the formula: ER = (Likes + Comments + Reposts) / Followers × 100%

If a blogger has 100 thousand followers, and a post garners 3 thousand likes and 100 comments. ER = (3000 + 100) / 100,000 × 100% = 3.1% — this is a good indicator. But if, with the same 100 thousand followers, the post only gathers 100 likes, the ER will be 0.1% — a clear sign of bots or a dead audience.

You can collect detailed analytics for the account in our service Postmypost! We have a wide range of functions for analyzing statistics. New users get 7 days of free access.

Tone of Voice (TOV)

The communication style should align with your brand's values. For instance, it is not advisable to promote eco-products with an author who has never raised this topic.

Why is this important?

• People may not perceive the ad as honest opinion if it deviates from their usual content.

• The blogger may unknowingly make factual errors, damaging the product's reputation.

Conduct an audit of the content over the last 3-6 months:

• What themes dominate?

• What is the delivery style (expert, entertaining, provocative)?

• Are there similar products to yours in the publications?

Step-by-step collaboration plan

Choosing the right influencer is just the first step. To ensure the integration yields results, it is essential to organize the collaboration process correctly. This section provides a detailed step-by-step plan and a ready template for the blogger's advertising brief.

Step 1. Discussing conditions

At this stage, it is important not only to understand if the influencer is ready for partnership but also to clearly agree on all basic conditions.

The format is the first thing to discuss. There may be several options: a classic post in the feed, a series of stories, a full video review, or integrating the product into the “life of the author” to keep it natural.

Deadlines are another critically important aspect. You need to determine a specific date in advance, and if detail approvals are required, set deadlines for revisions. If each party knows what and when they need to provide, it becomes more convenient for everyone.

The budget also requires special attention. You should agree on the payment form in advance: a fixed sum or a percentage of sales if it’s a partnership program.

It’s also worth discussing any unique conditions. For instance, if it's crucial for you that the person does not post competitors within a certain period, this should be specified right away.

And the main rule: it’s better to document all agreements, even verbal ones, in writing. This will help avoid misunderstandings in the future and serve as the basis for an official contract.

Step 2. Preparing the brief for the blogger

The technical assignment (brief) is an instruction that describes all processes and is created to ensure that all parties are satisfied with the collaboration.

• Title

• Product/service (brief description)

• Target users (who we want to attract)

• Type of content (post, +3 stories, video review, etc.)

• Publication date (+ whether it can be postponed)

• What to emphasize (main advantages of the product)

• What not to mention (for example, comparisons with competitors)

• Style of delivery (humor, expertise, personal experience)

• Mandatory elements (logo, hashtags, link)

• Prohibited phrases (for example, “the best on the market” — if there is no evidence)

• Mention of other social networks (for example, “Subscribe to our Telegram”)

• Conditions for the giveaway (if applicable)

Basic information:

• Brand
• Product: Protein bar with natural ingredients
• Target group: Athletes, healthy lifestyle enthusiasts, dieters aged 18–35

Format and deadlines:

• 5 stories to be published on June 15. Postponement is undesirable.

Key messages:

• Emphasize: natural ingredients, convenient snacks after workouts, 3 flavors

• Do not mention: comparison with specific competitors

Visuals and text:

1. Story 1: “Tired of mysterious ingredients and mountains of sugar? Tried the new product”

2. Story 2: Close-up of the bar, showing the ingredients

3. Story 3: Personal experience of consumption after a workout

4. Story 4: Poll “Which flavor do you want to try?” (options: chocolate, coconut, peanut)

5. Story 5: Link to the website with a promo code.

Step 3. Content approval

Options for collaboration:

• Full creative freedom (you trust the influencer and do not make edits)

• Preliminary approval (the blogger sends a draft, you correct it)

• Control (you provide the ready text and storyboard)

Which one to choose?

• If the blogger knows their audience well, give them freedom.

• If the product is complex (medicine, finance), it's better to agree on the text.

Step 4. Publication

What to check after the ad is released:

• Does the post comply with the brief?

• Are all links/hashtags in place?

• Reactions (comments, saves)?

• Is there a label? Don't forget that in Russia all advertising must be officially registered and labeled. This is important, or there may be fines.

How to assess the effectiveness of advertising with a blogger

After launching the integration, the most crucial stage begins — analyzing effectiveness. However, many brands make a critical mistake: they evaluate results incorrectly, leading to unfounded conclusions and disappointments. Let’s figure out how to properly measure the success of a campaign.

Main metrics for evaluation

• Reach and impressions — a basic indicator that shows how many unique users saw the content.

• CTR (Click-Through Rate) — the percentage of clicks on the link. It is calculated as the ratio of the number of clicks to the number of impressions. For stories, a good indicator is considered to be 1.5-3%, for posts — 0.5-1.5%.

• ER (Engagement Rate) — the level of engagement. Formula: (likes + comments + reposts) / followers × 100%. A rate below 1% signals problems with content or page quality.

Comparison with KPIs

For traffic:

• How many unique visitors came to the site? Always add UTM tags to the link!

• How much time did they spend on the page?

• What is the bounce rate? (If it's high — perhaps the landing page doesn't meet expectations)

For sales:

• Number of activated promo codes

• Conversion to purchase

• Average check (compare with regular customers)

For brand awareness:

• Growth in followers on social media

• Increase in search queries for the brand name

• Number of mentions on social media.

Why doesn’t the integration meet expectations?

Consider the sales funnel. It may take 7–12 touches from the first contact to the purchase. Advertising is often just the first step. Perhaps you should not expect quick results but look at the long-term perspective.

Analyze the entire chain. If there are many clicks but no sales — the problem may lie in:

• The offer (not attractive enough);

• The landing page;

• The sales department's performance.

Compare with industry standards. The average conversion from traffic to purchase in e-commerce is 1–3%. Expecting 10% is unrealistic.

Conclusion

To answer the question of how to find bloggers for advertising, do not expect the answer to be simply to choose those with a lot of followers. That won’t work.

It is not just about selecting an account with a large audience. It is a systematic process that requires attention to detail at every stage: from analyzing statistics to assessing results. For everything to work effectively, it is essential to control the entire interaction chain.

Remember: successful integration is not a coincidence, but the result of a thoughtful strategy and careful approach. Use data, set clear KPIs, and choose only those influencers who are genuinely interested in your product.

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