How to Find Influencers for a D2C Brand in India
Finding the right creator is mostly a filtering job
Most D2C founders start the same way: scroll Instagram, save a few profiles that look good, send a handful of DMs, and hope. It sometimes works, but it is slow, and it is hard to tell afterwards why a campaign did or did not sell.
A better way is to treat it as a funnel. You decide what you need, collect a long list from a few good places, cut it down with a simple checklist, and only then pay anyone. This guide walks through that process in the order you would actually do it.
Step 1: Write a five-line brief before you search
If you search before you know what you want, every profile looks plausible. Spend ten minutes answering these five questions in writing:
- Goal: sales, app installs, launch awareness, or content you can reuse in your own ads? Each one points to a different kind of creator.
- Customer: who buys from you, in which cities, at what age, and at what price point?
- Budget: a total for the first test, and a rough number per creator. Our Campaign Budget Calculator can help you split it.
- Deliverable: Reels, static posts, Stories, YouTube integration, or UGC videos you will run as ads.
- Timeline: when the content must go live, and whether it ties to a launch or sale.
This brief also becomes the first message you send to creators, so it saves time twice.
Step 2: Know where to look
No single source is enough. Use three or four of these and you will end up with a list that is wider and better than any one of them.
A creator marketplace or directory
The quickest start is a platform where creators have already listed their niche, city, follower numbers and rates. You can filter instead of guessing, and you see prices before you reach out. Browse RelayCollab’s creator directory by platform and niche to build a first list in an afternoon.
Instagram and YouTube search itself
Search the words your customer uses, not just your product name. Look at hashtags and the Reels shown under them, then follow the account recommendations Instagram starts showing you. Creators who keep appearing for your category are usually the ones the algorithm already trusts with that audience.
Your own customers and tagged posts
Check who has already tagged your brand, mentioned you in Stories, or bought and posted about your product. These people are the easiest to win over because they already like what you sell, and their content tends to feel natural.
Competitors and neighbouring brands
Look at who tags or collaborates with brands similar to yours. This is not about copying. It shows you which creators your future customers already watch, and which ones work with brands in your price range.
Communities and referrals
Ask other founders in WhatsApp groups, D2C communities and networking events who they have worked with. A direct recommendation tells you something no profile can: whether the creator replied on time, delivered what they promised and was easy to work with.
An agency, when the campaign is large
If you need twenty or more creators at once across several cities, an agency can handle the coordination. For smaller tests the fee usually is not worth it, and you learn less about your audience.
Step 3: Cut the list with a vetting checklist
A follower count tells you very little. Run each name on your long list through the checks below. Anything that fails two or more can be dropped without a second look.
| Check | What to look for | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Niche fit | Most of their content is about your category or a close one | Posts about everything, with your product as an odd one out |
| Audience location | Most followers in India, ideally in your delivery cities | Large share of followers from countries you do not ship to |
| Engagement | Likes, comments and views are healthy for their size | Many followers but very few views or likes on recent posts |
| Comment quality | Real questions, opinions and replies from the creator | Only emojis, “nice pic” or the same words repeated |
| Follower growth | Steady, with small bumps after popular posts | Sudden jumps with no clear reason |
| Past brand posts | Ads look natural and get similar response to normal posts | Constant ads with little reaction, or many competing brands in a row |
| Content quality | Clear visuals, good sound, a style that suits your brand | Poor quality that you could not reuse in your own channels |
| Professionalism | Clear rates, quick replies, a media kit or a profile page | Vague pricing, slow replies, no clear deliverables |
Do the engagement maths yourself
Add up the likes and comments on a creator’s last 10 to 12 posts, divide by the number of posts, then divide by their followers and multiply by 100. Compare the result with other creators of a similar size in the same niche, not with a single “good” number. The free Engagement Rate Calculator does this for you.
For Reels, also compare average views with followers. A creator with 50,000 followers who regularly gets 2,000 views has a different kind of audience from one who gets 30,000.
Ask for proof where it matters
It is normal to ask a shortlisted creator for a screenshot of their audience insights (location, age, gender) and the results of one or two recent brand posts. Genuine creators share these without fuss.
Step 4: Build a small, mixed shortlist
From your long list, pick five to eight creators. Spread them across tiers rather than putting everything on one name. Smaller creators usually cost less and talk to a tighter community, while bigger ones bring faster reach. Our guide to nano, micro and macro influencers explains how to split a budget between them.
Try to include different content styles too: one honest review, one how-to or routine video, one lifestyle post. After the first round you will see which style your customers respond to.
Step 5: Reach out in a way creators answer
Creators get a lot of copy-pasted messages. A short, specific one stands out. Say who you are, why you picked them, what you want, when, and what you can offer. Then make it easy to say yes or no.
“Hi Meera, I’m Rohan from [Brand], a skincare brand for sensitive skin. I’ve been following your routine videos and the one on monsoon skincare was really helpful. We’d love to work with you on one Reel showing how you’d use our [product] in your routine. We’d cover [₹ amount or free product], and the content would go live in the first week of November. If this interests you, could you share your rates and a media kit? Happy to send the brief.”
For more wording you can adapt, see our Instagram collaboration request templates. Always agree deliverables, dates, usage rights and payment terms in writing before work starts. Our collaboration agreement guide covers what to include.
Step 6: Start small and track each creator
Do not put the whole budget into the first round. Run a test with small, clearly scoped deals, then put more behind whoever performs. To know who that is, track each creator on their own:
- Give every creator a unique discount code.
- Use a separate link with UTM tags for each creator.
- Ask for a screenshot of reach, views, saves and link clicks after a week.
- Compare what you paid with the orders you can trace, but also note saves, shares and new followers, since many buyers purchase later through search.
Keep a simple sheet with the creator, cost, content type, code uses, link clicks and orders. After a round or two it shows you what to repeat.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing by followers alone. A smaller, engaged audience that matches your customer beats a large one that does not.
- No brief. If the creator has to guess what you want, the content will be generic.
- Over-controlling the script. Share key points and must-haves, then let the creator speak in their own voice. That is why their audience trusts them.
- Ignoring disclosure. Paid and gifted posts should be marked clearly, in line with ASCI guidelines for influencer advertising.
- One-off bookings. The best results often come from working with the same creators more than once.
- Judging only on day-one sales. Reels and YouTube videos keep getting views for weeks.
Build your first shortlist today
Filter creators by platform, niche and city, with rates already listed.
Frequently asked questions
How many influencers should a small D2C brand start with?
Most small brands do better starting with 5 to 8 creators on small, clearly scoped deals than with one big booking. You learn which content style, niche and price actually sells before you commit a larger budget.
Should I pay creators or send free products?
Both work, for different jobs. Gifting suits nano creators who already like your category and gives you honest, low-cost content. Paid deals suit creators whose audience you specifically want to reach, because you can ask for set deliverables and dates. Our barter guide explains how creators judge free-product offers, which helps you make one they will accept.
How do I check if a creator has fake followers?
No single check is perfect. Look for a big gap between followers and typical likes and views, comments that are all emojis or generic phrases, sudden follower jumps, and an audience that does not match your market. Ask for a screenshot of audience location and age from their insights, and compare views on recent Reels with their follower count.
What engagement rate is good enough?
It depends on the creator’s size and niche, and smaller accounts usually score higher. Rather than a fixed cut-off, compare the creator with others of a similar size in the same niche. You can work out the number with our Engagement Rate Calculator.
How do I track whether an influencer actually sold anything?
Give each creator their own discount code and a link with UTM tags, and ask them to share a screenshot of their post insights after a week. Compare orders from the code and the link with what you paid. Sales are only one signal, so also watch saves, shares and branded searches.
Is it better to use an agency or find creators myself?
Agencies save time on large, multi-creator campaigns but add their fee on top. For a small D2C brand, finding creators yourself on a marketplace or through direct outreach usually costs less, and you learn your audience faster.
Where RelayCollab fits in
RelayCollab lists creators with their niche, platform and rates in one place, so you can build and compare a shortlist without agency fees or a long chain of messages to find out what something costs. Creators can also list their own profile, which brands see before they send the first message.
Find creators who fit your brand
Browse creators across niches and platforms, or list your brand to get discovered.
