Top 10 Ways to Find the Right Creators for Your Brand in 2025

Jun 30, 2025

Let’s be honest…

Finding the right creators isn’t about who has the biggest following anymore; it’s about who can actually move the needle for your brand. In 2025, brands are shifting from influencer trial-and-error to data-backed decisions.

Whether you're managing your own TikTok Shop or running affiliate campaigns for clients, this guide will walk you through the top 10 ways to find creators who align with your brand, drive conversions, and build long-term value.

1. Define Your Creator Goals First

Before searching, know what you're looking for.

Do you want creators who generate sales?
Or those who boost brand awareness?

Setting goals upfront helps you narrow the field and measure results later.

2. Use TikTok Shop’s Affiliate Tools

If you're selling through TikTok Shop, use the built-in Affiliate Center. The Affiliate Center shows you creators who are already active and lets you see their performance, a great place to start.

3. Search Smart, Not Just Wide

Hashtags and TikTok’s search bar can still be your friend. But don’t just scroll aimlessly. Look for creators who post regularly, engage with their audience, and actually tag products or link to their TikTok Shop.

4. Focus on Past Performance, Not Just Aesthetic

Pretty content is great, but does it convert?
Look for creators who have worked on affiliate campaigns before and delivered results. Check if people in their comments are saying things like, “Just ordered this!” or “Adding to cart now.”

5. Use a Discovery Tool (Like KikReach.ai)

Manually tracking down creators can be overwhelming, especially at scale. Discovery platforms like KikReach.ai take the guesswork out of it by surfacing creators based on what matters: real sales, link activity, engagement, and product fit.

6. Ask Your Customers

Sometimes the best insights come from the people already buying from you.

Post a quick poll on X or send out a short email asking, “Which creators do you trust for product recommendations?”

Your audience can point you toward creators they already follow and trust, which often leads to valuable partnerships you might not find through traditional research.

7. Think Niche First, Not Follower First

A creator with 15K followers in your space can easily outperform someone with 150K who posts about everything. Why? Their audience is more focused and more likely to trust their recommendations.

8. Look at Their Comments, Not Just Their Views

You can spot a good creator by the way their audience responds. Are people asking questions? Tagging friends? Saying they bought something? That kind of interaction is worth way more than passive likes or shares.

9. Look for Conversion Clues

These are narrow but important:

Do they use TikTok Shop regularly?

Are they linking products in their bio?

Are they using discount codes or tracking links?

These signs show they know how to turn views into action.

10. Build Relationships, Not Just Campaigns

The best creator partnerships are built on trust. Don’t treat creators like transactions. Share your vision. Be clear about expectations. And work with people you genuinely see as a long-term fit, not just a one-off promotion.

Wrapping it up

In 2025, finding the right creators is less about chasing popularity and more about finding the right fit—people whose content aligns with your brand, is backed by real data, and tells a story your audience connects with. When you approach discovery with intention and the right tools, you don’t just find content creators; you find clever partners who can truly support your growth.