YouTube has become one of the most powerful platforms for influencer marketing. Whether you’re launching a new product, looking to raise brand awareness, or seeking content collaboration, finding the right influencers can significantly impact your campaign’s success. This guide shares 20 genuine and effective ways to find YouTube influencers across different niches and audiences.
Over 70% of YouTube viewers say they are more likely to buy a product after seeing it recommended by their favourite YouTube influencers.
20 Ways to Find Youtube Influencers
1. Use YouTube Search with Keywords
Start by using relevant keywords related to your niche in YouTube’s search bar. For example, if you’re marketing a fitness product, try keywords like “home workout routine” or “best protein shakes.” Sort results by views, upload date, or relevance to identify top-performing influencers.
2. Use the YouTube Trending Page
Check the Trending section to spot emerging influencers. Although it’s generalised, you can filter by country or category to find viral influencers on YouTube within specific regions or topics.
3. Use YouTube’s “Related Channels” Feature
Visit a known influencer’s YouTube channel and explore the “Related Channels” section. YouTube’s algorithm suggests similar influencers, helping you discover more influencers in the same niche.
4. Use Influencer Marketing Platforms
Leverage tools like Influencerdiscoveries, Upfluence, Heepsy, Aspire, and CreatorIQ. These platforms allow you to search by audience size, engagement rate, demographics, and niche, making influencer discovery highly targeted.
5. Try Social Listening Tools
Tools like Brand24, Mention, or Awario can help monitor mentions of your brand or keywords across the web, including YouTube. This method uncovers influencers already talking about your niche organically.
6. Search on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is valuable for finding professional LinkedIn influencers and influencers, especially in B2B influencer marketing niches. Search for job titles like “YouTube influencer” or “video marketer.”
7. Check Instagram Bios
Many YouTubers cross-promote their content on Instagram. By browsing niche-related hashtags or accounts, you may find influencers with YouTube links in their bios.
8. Use Twitter Search and Hashtags
Search Twitter using niche-specific hashtags and keywords like “#YouTubeBeauty” or “#TechReview.” Many influencers share their videos here, providing another discovery channel.
9. Search Subreddits Related to Influencers
Subreddits like r/YouTubers or niche-specific forums often include self-promotion threads and recommendations. Engaging in these communities can lead to organic influencer discoveries.
10. Explore TikTok Influencers Who Cross-Promote on YouTube
Look for TikTok influencers who link to their YouTube channels. Many short-form content influencers expand their audience via long-form YouTube content.
11. Check YouTube Comments for Mentions
Viewers often reference or recommend other influencers in the comments. Browsing through comments can lead you to other influencers in the same space.
12. Use Google Search Operators
Advanced search operators like site:youtube.com "product review" or intitle:review + niche help uncover relevant videos and channels via Google.
13. Watch Niche Podcasts and Interviews
YouTubers often appear in podcasts or live streams. These appearances help you identify influencers who are active in your niche and open to collaborations.
14. Look at Influencer Collaboration Videos
Search for terms like “collab with” or “featuring” on YouTube to find videos where influencers team up. These videos often link to collaborators’ channels.
15. Use Influencer Marketplaces and Agencies
Join marketplaces like GRIN, Shoutcart, or Intellifluence that list available influencers by platform and industry. These platforms simplify outreach and negotiation.
16. Attend Virtual Events or Webinars
Many YouTube influencers speak at or attend industry events and webinars. These events often share influencer insights and provide networking opportunities.
17. Explore Facebook Groups or Discord Communities
Communities for influencers, marketers, and specific industries often share influencer recommendations. Join relevant groups to connect and discover influencers organically.
18. Use TubeBuddy or VidIQ
These browser extensions provide in-depth analytics on YouTube channels and videos. Discover trending tags, engagement metrics, and high-performing channels in your niche.
19. Monitor Brand Mentions or Reviews
Search YouTube for your brand or product mentions. Influencers on YouTube already reviewing or using your product are prime candidates for future partnerships.
20. Analyze Competitor Collaborations
Watch videos from your competitors and note which influencers they’ve collaborated with. You can target similar influencers for your campaigns.
Tools & Platforms to Discover YouTube Influencers
Relying only on manual searches can be time-consuming. Thankfully, there are dedicated platforms designed to simplify influencer discovery.
Top Tools in 2025:
- Influencer Discoveries – A growing hub for brands and agencies to explore curated lists of influencers across niches, including YouTube creators. The platform shares regularly updated rankings, influencer spotlights, and discovery guides, making it easy to shortlist creators without heavy research.
- ChannelCrawler – Search over 160M+ YouTube channels with filters like niche, location, subscribers, and engagement. Great for targeting micro-influencers.
- HypeAuditor – AI-driven discovery tool that checks influencer authenticity, audience demographics, and engagement quality—ideal for avoiding fake followers.
- Collabstr – A marketplace where brands can directly hire YouTube influencers, with profiles that show pricing, niche, and past collaborations.
- Afluencer – A freemium influencer marketplace with messaging tools and Shopify integration—best for e-commerce brands.
- IMAI (Influencer Marketing AI) – Uses predictive AI to estimate campaign performance before launch, helping brands make smarter investments.
How to Vet YouTube Influencers Before Partnering
Finding influencers is only step one. The real magic lies in vetting.
- Follower Tiers:
- Nano (1K–10K subs) → niche engagement, high trust
- Micro (10K–100K) → balance of reach + authenticity
- Macro (100K–1M) → larger reach, higher cost
- Mega (1M+) → celebrity-level influence
- Engagement Metrics to Check:
Look beyond subscribers—analyze average views, likes-to-views ratio, and comment quality. - Audience Demographics:
Ensure their audience matches your brand’s target age, location, and interests. - Authenticity Checks:
Watch out for sudden spikes in subs/views (may indicate bots). Tools like HypeAuditor help spot fraud. - Competitor Insights:
Study which influencers your competitors have partnered with—it can reveal both opportunities and gaps.
Emerging Trends in YouTube Influencer Discovery (2025)
- YouTube BrandConnect: YouTube’s in-house influencer marketplace is still a strong option for brands that want structured collaborations.
- Shorts & Livestream Creators: Many brands are shifting focus to creators who excel in YouTube Shorts and live shopping streams, which drive instant engagement.
- Awards & Recognition as Trust Signals: Look out for influencers recognized in awards like India’s National Creators Award (2024) or the Trendupp Awards (2025)—these highlight credibility.
Practical Tips for Brands & Marketers
- Match influencer tone & content style with your brand’s identity.
- Invest in long-term partnerships for deeper audience trust.
- Allocate budgets wisely—micro-influencers often deliver better ROI than mega-creators.
- Explore cross-platform synergies—influencers active on Instagram or TikTok can extend your campaign’s reach.
Conclusion:
Finding the right influencers on YouTube takes time, research, and the right tools. By combining manual discovery methods with data-driven platforms and social insights, you can build a powerful network of influencers to help amplify your brand. Start by exploring a few of the methods listed above and refine your outreach strategy as you go.