Finding the right creators is the foundation of any successful influencer campaign. Later Influence makes it easy to search, filter, and evaluate millions of creators across Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, and more.

This guide explains how to use search, what filters are available, and best practices for sourcing creators who are the best fit for your campaign.

Accessing Influencer Search

1. From the left navigation menu, select Influencers.
2. By default, you’ll land on the Search tab, which contains:
   • Keyword search bar at the top.
   • Database and filter options in the left sidebar.

Database Options

There are two databases in the platform to search for creators: the Influencer Index and your unique My Members database.

• Influencer Index → Later Influence’s global database of creator profiles (available to all users). Use this to discover new creators.
• My Members → Your private database of creators who have opted in to collaborate with your program. Use this to manage and re-engage your own community.

You can switch between these databases from the left sidebar:

Keyword Search

Enter keywords in the search bar at the top of the page to search for creators by topics, hashtags, locations, and more:

Search results are based on creator profile details (e.g., Instagram bios and posts). Supported search fields:

• Name
• Social network handles
• Email address
• Hashtags
• Locations
• Keywords
• Emojis

Search Logic

Once you start typing, you’ll see search chips that let you control where your keyword(s) apply.

• Default logic: Multiple keywords use OR logic.
  • Example: fitness, wellness → returns creators who match either keyword.
• Modifiers available: Required terms, Excluded terms, Partial matches, Term significance.

For more details, see Keyword Search Options.

AI Search

Later Influence’s keyword search can optionally be enhanced with AI Search, powered by OpenAI, to surface broader or related results.

Toggle AI Search on/off via the wand icon next to the search bar.

Notes:

• Works only with single-term searches.
• For multi-word phrases, enclose them in double quotes (e.g., “certified nutritionist”).
• If multiple terms are entered, AI Search is disabled.

To learn more, see AI Search.

Similar Search

You can also use Later Influence search to find similar creators.

1. Enter similar: before an Instagram handle in the search bar.
2. Note: The starting creator must already exist in the Influencer Index.

Example queries:

• similar:@handle1
• similar:@handle1,@handle2
• similar:handle1
• similar:handle1,handle2

Formatting notes:

• No spaces in the query.
• Separate multiple handles with commas (no spaces).
• @ is optional—the search works with or without it.

Filters

For advanced targeting, open the View All Filters modal.

• Active filters display at the top of the modal.
• Enabled filter categories are highlighted in the sidebar.
• Use Clear Filters to reset.
• The count next to Find Influencers shows how many creators match your filters.

If results are too narrow, broaden your filter criteria.

Influencer Filters

* Multiple selections supported

Age, gender, and location may be programmatically assigned or self-reported. Content topics are programmatically assigned.

Social Platforms

For each platform, you can filter for creators who have that profile connected, then refine by follower/subscriber count (and where available, engagement).

Instagram Audience Filters

Audience data comes from:

• Instagram Audience Insights (authenticated business profiles)
• Third-party enrichment models (aggregated predictions)

* Multiple selections supported

TikTok Audience Filters

Audience data comes from:

• TikTok Audience Insights (TikTok Creator Marketplace authentication)
• Third-party enrichment models (aggregated predictions)

* Multiple selections supported

Key Notes

• Filters use “mostly logic” → a creator is included if the majority of their audience matches the filter.
• Audience data may be programmatically assigned or self-reported.
• Engagement rate formulas vary by platform (see notes in the Social Platforms table).
• Audience attributes like ethnicity are available only in My Members.

Best Practices for Better Results

• Use Similar Search to expand quickly. Find one “perfect fit” creator, then run similar:@handle to uncover close matches. Refine with audience filters to keep relevance high.
• Mix databases. Source net-new creators in the Influencer Index, then switch to My Members to re-engage proven partners or build look-alike lists from top performers.
• Validate audience quality. When available, enable Audience Authenticity flags and spot-check Insights before shortlisting.
• Favor signals over single stats. Combine engagement rate, post frequency, and audience alignment instead of relying on one metric alone.
• Save and re-use work. Save strong results into Lists (e.g., “Q4 Gifting – Beauty US”) so you can recall them for future briefs in seconds.
• Leverage AI Search (single term). Use the wand for exploratory queries (e.g., “triathlete”) to surface semantically related profiles—then switch to precise filters for the final pass.
• Check brand safety early. Run suitability checks (where available) on finalists before outreach to avoid late-stage surprises.
• Document your query logic. Keep a short note in your campaign (keywords + key filters) so your team can reproduce or iterate on the search later.