How To Find Influencers In Canada: 6 Proven Methods
Looking to grow your brand in Canada through influencer marketing? You’re not alone. With so many creators across different platforms, knowing where to begin can feel overwhelming. So, how to find influencers in Canada the easy way?
With the right tools and strategies, finding the perfect influencer match doesn’t have to be complicated. In this article, we will provide everything you need to run a successful influencer marketing in Canada.
No matter if you’re starting from scratch or looking to refine your current strategy, this guide can help you. You’ll find tips, tools, and city-specific advice to make the process easier and more focused.
How to Find Influencers in Canada
Finding the right influencers in Canada might seem challenging, but with a strategic approach, you can identify great partners for your brand. Here are some proven tips on how to find influencers in Canada for your marketing campaigns.
1. Define Your Goals and Target Audience
Before you start your search, clarify what you want from an influencer partnership. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive local foot traffic, or boost online sales?
Think about your audience’s demographics, such as age, location, and interests. This will help you focus on influencers who speak to the people you want to reach.
2. Search Social Media Platforms
One of the simplest ways to find social media influencers in Canada is by using the features each platform provides. In the following, we will check out Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
On this app, you can use the explore page and hashtag search to find related creators. Let’s imagine you are searching for Canadian food influencers on Instagram. You can try Canadian-specific hashtags like #TorontoBlogger, #VancouverFoodie, or niche tags #Canadafood and #CanadaRestaurants.
Scroll among top posts tagged in Toronto or Montreal to spot local influencers. You can also check who popular Canadian accounts follow or tag.
TikTok
If you are searching for TikTokers, go to the Discover tab and search for keywords plus “Canada” or use trending hashtags. For example, to find Canadian fitness influencers, search Canada Gym, Canada Fitness, or Vancouver Fitness.
TikTok’s algorithm might also show you viral Canadian creators if you engage with Canada-related content.
YouTube
Similar to previous platforms, you can search for related keywords and queries like “Canadian [niche] YouTuber”. You can filter results by upload location (if available) or look at the channel’s ‘About section’ for location info.
3. Leverage Influencer Marketplaces and Tools
There are some influencer marketing platforms that provide a database of creators across different platforms. Using these tools, you can filter influencers by location, follower count, category, etc. Some of these tools also allow you to pay influencers inside the app and track the results.
Ainfluencer is a great free influencer marketing platform to connect with Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube influencers, whether you are searching for Canadian macro influencers or nano influencers. It provides a massive database of over 5M creators and allows you to follow every step of your campaign in one place.
4. Google and Social Media Searches
Don’t underestimate the traditional Google search method. You are probably familiar with how to find influencers in Canada, but let’s take a quick look at this method. Try searching “top [niche] influencers in Canada” or “best Canadian [industry] influencers”, (like top Canadian golf influencers.)
Often, you’ll find blog posts or articles listing Canadian influencers in specific fields. LinkedIn can also be useful for finding B2B or professional influencers.
5. Check Who’s Talking About Your Brand or Competitors
Some of the best influencer partners might already be fans of your product! A quick way to find micro-influencers in Canada who are organically following you. Also, monitor mentions of your brand or related keywords on social media to find creators with a significant following.
If someone is already creating content about your industry, they could be a great collaboration candidate.
6. Attend Local Events and Networks
In major Canadian markets, there are often networking events, workshops, or conferences that attract influencers. It can be a great opportunity for brands to connect with different types of influencers and discover local creators.
How to Find Local Influencers in Canada’s Major Cities
According to a study by Statista, 73% of Canadians have purchased a product because of an influencer’s recommendation. That shows us the direct impact of influencer marketing on sales.
Now that you know how to find influencers in Canada, let’s be a little more specific and focus on different cities. If your business targets a specific city or region, partnering with local influencers can be incredibly effective.
Toronto
Canada’s largest city (also called the six) has a thriving influencer scene spanning fashion, food, sports, and more. Here are some strategies to find Toronto influencers:
- Use Instagram location tags to see who’s posting frequently. You can search for Toronto or popular spots like the CN Tower, Yorkville, etc.
- Look at hashtags such as #TorontoInfluencer, #TorontoBlogger, and #6ixBuzz, which is slang for Toronto, or neighborhood tags like #DowntownTO.
- Focus on niche communities, for example, #TorontoFoodie for food bloggers.
- Additionally, you can filter by location on influencer platforms. For example, if you are using Ainfluencer, you can easily set the location filter to Toronto.
Vancouver
Are you searching for Vancouver influencers? These creators often emphasize the outdoors, health, and West Coast lifestyle, reflecting the city’s culture. Here are some strategies that can help you:
- Try hashtags like #VancouverInfluencer, #VanCity, or #VancouverLife.
- Popular locales (Stanley Park, Granville Island, etc.) as Instagram location searches can reveal content creators who regularly post in those spots.
- On TikTok, searching for Vancouver brings up creators showcasing the city’s scenery or lifestyle.
- You can also use community hashtags like #WestCoastCreatives or #VancouverBloggers.
Montreal
With a bilingual (French-English) culture, Montreal has a unique influencer landscape. Many Montreal influencers create content in French, English, or both. Let’s see how to discover these creators.
- Search hashtags like #Montréal or #MontrealInfluencer, as well as French tags like #influenceurQuébécois (Quebec influencer) or #blogueuseQuébécoise.
- Montreal’s fashion and food scenes are big, so tags like #MTLfashion and #MTLfood can be fruitful.
- On YouTube or TikTok, you might search for creators who mention they are in Montreal or use Quebec-related keywords.
- Also, consider location-based Instagram searches.
Calgary
Calgary’s influencers often highlight lifestyle, fitness, and the Alberta vibe. Let’s see how to find them.
- For Calgary, use hashtags such as #CalgaryInfluencer, #YYC, #YYCblogger, #YYCfitness, etc. S
- earch for Instagram posts tagged in Calgary or well-known spots like Banff.
- Checking who posted popular content during Stampede week could lead you to some prominent Calgary content creators.
- On TikTok, look for trends or challenges with “YYC” or “Calgary” in the title.
- Additionally, local publications or tourism boards sometimes feature “Meet our Calgary ambassadors/influencers”.
How to Vet Influencers Before Outreach (Free Checklist)
Knowing how to find influencers in Canada is not enough. You need to evaluate their quality, authenticity, and fit for your brand. Use this free influencer vetting checklist to ensure you’re choosing the right collaborator:
- Audience Authenticity: Examine the influencer’s followers for red flags. Do they have a suspiciously high follower count with very low engagement? Use tools or manual scan to see if their followers look like real people.
- Audience Demographics: Check if their followers match your target market. Check metrics such as age, gender, location, etc.
- Content Quality & Brand Fit: Review their content with a critical eye. Is it professionally shot and well-edited, or more raw and relatable? Does that style suit your brand?
- Engagement Quality: It’s not just the number of likes or comments, but the quality of engagement that matters. Also, see if the influencer responds to comments and engages back.
- Consistency and Professionalism: Influencers who post regularly tend to maintain their audience’s interest better than those who go silent for months.
- Past Collaborations and Reputation: Look for hints of previous partnerships. If they’ve done sponsored posts, how were the engagement and sentiment?
- Platform Analytics (if available): Sometimes, you might ask the influencer for a screenshot of their analytics
- Content Mix and Voice: Ensure the influencer’s voice and type of content will present your brand appropriately.
Ainfluencer: The Best Platform to Find Influencers in Canada
Up to here, we showed you different solutions on how to find influencers in Canada. Finding and managing influencers can be time-consuming if you do it all manually. But with tools like Ainfluencer, it’s so much easier now.
Ainfluencer is a free, end-to-end influencer marketing tool that provides everything you need to create and manage campaigns in one place. Let’s see why this tool stands out.
- The platform boasts over 5 million influencers on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube globally, with thousands of Canadian influencers across all major niches.
- You can search specifically for influencers in Canada or even filter down to city-level.
- Ainfluencer provides detailed profiles with analytics of each creator, including follower count, engagement metrics, audience demographics, and even past collaboration ratings.
- It has a built-in chat and negotiation feature, so you can message influencers directly through the platform.
- This platform provides an escrow payment system. This means that when you agree to pay an influencer, the money is held securely by the platform and only released when you monitor campaign results.
- You can manage multiple influencer partnerships simultaneously and manage all campaigns in one place.
- You can track the status of each collaboration and monitor campaign results.
- On Ainfluencer, you can get help from their team or even hire a campaign manager if you ever need hands-on assistance.
Overall, Ainfluencer is a game-changer for finding influencers in Canada quickly and efficiently. The best part is that it’s completely free, and you can use all the features with zero cost.
Conclusion
Finding influencers in Canada doesn’t have to be a guessing game. With the right mix of research, tools, and local know-how, you can discover creators who align with your brand and genuinely connect with your audience.
And if you want to simplify the process even further, tools like Ainfluencer offer everything you need to launch and manage influencer campaigns.
FAQs
1. How Do I Find Social media influencers in Canada for my brand?
To find social media influencers in Canada, start by looking on the platforms where your target audience spends time. Use Instagram’s search and TikTok’s Discover page to spot popular Canadian creators in your niche. You can also use free influencer discovery tools such as Ainfluencer.
2. How Do I Know If a Canadian Influencer Is Legit?
Look beyond just their follower count. Check their engagement; do people comment genuinely? Do they reply? Also, see if their content feels real and consistent. If you’re still unsure, you can ask for a media kit or analytics screenshot to get a better picture of their reach and audience.
3. Is It Better to Work With Micro-Influencers or Big Names?
It really depends on your goals. Canadian micro-influencers often have stronger connections with their followers and can drive better engagement. Bigger influencers offer more reach, but they can also come with a higher price tag and less personal interaction. Sometimes, a few smaller creators can give you more bang for your buck.
