Choosing the Right Creators Near Your Store
For local businesses, follower count matters less than fit. A 5-question checklist for picking creators who'll actually bring customers in.
Follower count is the wrong filter for local businesses
A creator with 50,000 followers spread across the country brings less to your single-location coffee shop than one with 3,000 followers who all live within a 30-minute drive. For local businesses, geographic relevance and audience fit matter more than reach.
The 5-question checklist
1. Does their audience actually live near you?
Look at the comments on their last 10 posts. If the commenters are tagging local landmarks, complaining about local traffic, or mentioning nearby shops, you're looking at a local audience. If everyone's asking "where is this?" — they're not local.
2. Do they already post about businesses like yours?
A food creator who's only ever posted about pizza may struggle to make your salad bar look exciting. Look for a creator whose existing content already overlaps with what you sell.
3. Are their captions specific or generic?
Generic captions ("great vibes!! 💯") suggest they don't put much thought into each post. Specific captions ("the fermented chili oil here actually tastes like the one my grandma made") suggest they'll write something memorable about your business too.
4. How fast do they reply to comments?
Check whether the creator engages with their own commenters within 24 hours. A creator who ignores comments will treat your campaign the same way.
5. What did their last 3 sponsored posts look like?
Look for creators who clearly disclose paid partnerships, and whose paid content still feels like them — not a brand script. You want their voice, not a billboard.
Red flags to walk away from
- Engagement rate that looks suspiciously high (>15%) for follower count — likely bots
- Comments that are all from accounts with no profile pictures
- A grid of obviously sponsored posts with no organic content in between
- Refuses to disclose past brand partnership rates
How many creators to start with
Two. Not one (you can't compare). Not five (you can't learn from each one). Two is the sweet spot for understanding what works, then scaling the winner.