How to Find Great TikTok Creators

In the previous section, you learned what high-converting ads look like.

Now, we'll show you how to find TikTok creators to help you execute.

You'll learn:

1. How to prepare a content brief for creators: It's hard to manage quality control without a strategic framework. To get the best out of creators, you need to give them clear instructions. We'll show you how to prepare a creative brief that provides direction without stifling creativity.
2. ‍How to source content creators: There are many ways to source great content creators to help execute TikTok ads. We'll show you where to look and what to look for in a potential collaborator. We'll also give you a simple framework for paying creators.

By the end of this section, you'll know how to articulate your creative expectations to creators and find the right talent to turn your ideas into engaging content.

1. Manage the production process with a creative brief

Most brands take the approach of, "let's just get a whole bunch of people to submit content and see what happens." This quantity-over-quality approach doesn’t usually work out well because none of the videos hit exactly what the brand needs. Instead, we recommend you think more strategically about how you commission UGC for your creative assets.

As a matter of quality control, a creative brief will help you manage relationships with creators and helps minimize the chances of reshoots or ending up with a bad result.

Consider including the following information in your creative brief:

1. Specify deliverables: Define your advertising goal and specify the number of video assets you need. We recommend requesting 5-10 different video openers for each video you commission. The opening frame is the most critical part of your ad creative, and you'll need to test several hook options to find out which one performs best. This may sound like a big request, but remember, the opener is only a second or two long. It could even be a single static frame. Experienced TikTok creators understand the value of a strong hook.
2. ‍Key talking points: There's no need to provide a formal line-by-line script, but you need to consider the messaging points you want the creator to communicate. Which value props do you want them to emphasize?  Be specific, list your value props, and note any particulars on phrasing.
3. ‍Storyboard: Content creators may know how to create engaging TikTok content but may not position your products well enough to drive meaningful conversions. A simple, product-focused storyboard gives creators a framework to focus on the direct use case and show the product in action, rather than just talking about it or shooting a fun skit. Use your value props and customer research to answer the following questions. Notice how your answers naturally shape a story structure. ‍
   
   1. Define the situation: When and where is your product used? Who is your product supposed to help?‍
   2. State the problem: What problem(s) does your product solve?‍
   3. Explain the Process: How does your product work? What does it do?‍
   4. Show the solution: What results should the customer expect from the product? How does the product make their life better?‍
4. Set content guidelines:
   
   1. ‍‍Do's and don'ts: List any do's and don'ts you have around language and phrasing, competitor mentions, or buzzwords related to your brand.
   2. ‍Product knowledge: Make sure the creator knows how to use your product correctly, so they look comfortable using it on camera.
   3. ‍Editing: If they're responsible for editing video, provide direction on text overlays, video effects, and other postproduction details. E.g., use text overlays to call out benefits and feature the coupon code 'TIKTOK15' in a balloon at the end of the video.
5. ‍Share examples for inspiration: Browse TikTok's Ad Library for ad inspiration and include links to a few of your favorites. You can sort by industry,               region and see some basic engagement metrics to get a rough sense of performance.

Pro tip: Hop on a call with the person you're interested in working with before you make it official. We've found that creators really get it right when you're able to hop on a call first to align on content ideas and talk through the details of your creative brief.

→ Use this template to fill out your creative brief. If you plan on partnering with creators to run Spark ads, here's an easy step-by-step guide to include with your creative brief.

2. Finding TikTok content creators

When deciding what kind of talent to look for, we suggest filtering your search for product- fit and content quality, not the size of someone's following.

Remember, we're here to execute TikTok ads, not influencer marketing. That means our primary goal isn’t to tap into anyone's existing audience. We're looking to reach the right audiences as affordably as possible. To do that, it's more economical to recruit lesser-known influencers and hungry craftspeople over social media celebrities.

Lesser-known influencers give brands the most bang for their buck. And especially on TikTok, consumers see nano- and micro-influencers as “people like me,” making them more likely to trust and take action based on their recommendations.

Here's a rough breakdown of pricing-per-post based on the size of an influencer's follower count:

Less-known influencers are cheaper, which means you can commission a higher volume of creatives to test in your campaigns. And since many of them are either early in their careers or striving to work as creators full-time, they’ll work harder to deliver a result you’re happy with

The best place to source great content creators is also the most obvious one—right in the TikTok app.

If you haven't done so already, download TikTok and follow these steps:

Step 1: Search for creators in your niche:

Search for creators in your niche with 10k - 50k followers via relevant hashtags. For example, if you're an ecommerce store that sells cruelty-free skincare products, you'd quickly discover popular hashtags like #crueltyfreeskincare (17.5 million views) or #crueltyfreeskincareproducts (6 million views).

Step 2: Verify engagement

Next, cross-check their 20-30 videos to get a rolling average of engagement and weed out some of the               larger accounts with poor recent engagement. Since content creation is your primary goal, follower count and average views                aren't as important. However, since you’ll be negotiating rates with these creators, keep in mind that creators with substantial               followings typically request larger fees than creators with smaller followings.

Step 3: Make a list

Take note of any creators whose videos resonate and seem like they could be a good fit for your brand. Make sure to engage (like, comment, share) with content you want to see more of. That way, you'll see more videos just like it in your For You Page—a simple way to keep your creator pipeline full of new prospects.‍

Step 4: Personalize the outreach

On TikTok, you can't DM anyone unless they follow you. To get a creator's attention, comment on a few of their videos. Applaud something they did well. Then, send a message via Instagram DM or email (most creators list this info in their bio) and personalize your message to increase the response rate. Well-known creators are hit up by brands all the time. And even if you're targeting lesser-known accounts, a courteous, sincere message is more likely to get a response.‍

Step 5: Negotiate a deal

Reference the pricing chart above for a ballpark price range. If you sell a physical product, it's worth asking if they're open to gifting—exchanging your product for content. Lesser-known creators who are still trying to build a name for themselves are often open to it.

You shouldn't have any trouble sourcing content creators from the TikTok app.

For a more advanced search option or done-for-you content creation service, consider one of the following resources:

• TikTok Creator Marketplace (free to sign up): TikTok's official creator marketplace. There are over 50k content creators, and it's free to sign up. All creators have at least 100k TikTok followers, making this platform ideal for companies looking for more conventional influencer partnerships. Deals are negotiated directly through the platform.
• Billo (value option): Billo is like Upwork for ecommerce video content creators. You can get started with $59 per video. Like Upwork, there's a ton of freelancers, but the quality is uneven. There's talent to be found, but you might have to do some digging to find it.
• Beeroll.io (premium option): Beeroll is UGC SaaS—they handle the entire production process for you, from sourcing creators to creative direction and editing ad variants, everything. Beeroll is more selective about which freelancers they work with, which means the quality is higher than Billo. A la carte videos cost $149 each, or you can pay $99 per video with a bundle package.