The Instagram research guide
How to find Instagram micro influencers in your niche.
Start with what your ideal creator talks about. Use a topic, hashtag, or known account to find candidates, then check their profiles and recent content before building your shortlist.
What do you already know?
Choose the clue closest to your product. A specific subject is often more useful than a broad category like beauty or fitness.
A topic
Everyday sunscreen
Look for creators who discuss the problem your product solves. Try “everyday sunscreen” or “sensitive skin routine” before a broad search for skincare.
A hashtag
#skincareroutine
Explore a relevant community or content theme. Read the posts behind the hashtag to see how each creator actually uses it.
A creator handle
Someone already on your radar
Look up an Instagram handle you know. Use the returned bio and posts to understand their work before expanding your search.
Use follower count to narrow the field.
Set a follower range that matches the scale of your campaign. A 10,000–50,000 range can give you a more focused list than 10,000–100,000. A smaller account is not automatically a better fit, so keep content relevance as a separate decision.
Ask your AI
“Find Instagram creators who post about everyday sunscreen and have 10,000–100,000 followers. Show me their profile details and available recent posts.”
What should you check before shortlisting?
Read the profile and content together. A relevant bio gives you a clue; repeated, relevant posts give you a better reason to keep someone on the list.
01
The profile
Check the bio, follower count, and available account details. Does the creator describe the same niche you are trying to reach?
02
The content
Look at recurring subjects, formats, and the way products appear. Distinguish an ongoing interest from one isolated post.
03
When the data was observed
Use the observation date to understand the snapshot. Available posts may not include the newest content, so revisit Instagram before reaching out.
Turn the candidates into a useful shortlist.
Ask your AI to explain each choice using the returned profiles and posts. Keep a reason to include someone and a question to resolve before contact. That makes the list useful when you return to it later.
“Compare these creators for an everyday sunscreen campaign. For each person, explain the relevant content, the strongest reason to include them, and what I should check before reaching out.”
MentionDock retrieves the creator data. Your own AI organizes and compares it, so you can follow up on the details that matter to your campaign.