Getting in touch with big TikTokers seems super tough, but it’s really not if you use the right moves. I’ve worked directly with a bunch of influencers to collab on some dope branded content for my clients’ businesses. Hitting up their DMs on TikTok itself can totally work if ya keep that first message short and sweet. Emailing works too once ya sniff out their contact info. Heck, even sliding into their Insta or YouTube DMs nicely can get their attention. The key things are showing them love on whatever channels they use, having a solid offer in mind to get them excited, and not being annoying if they don’t respond right away. Take it from me — play it cool and you can totally connect with those creators you love!
Contact Tiktok Influencers via Tiktok’s DM
When looking to collaborate with TikTok creators, a good first step is to directly message them through TikTok’s messaging feature. Many top influencers actively use and monitor their TikTok direct messages, making it a convenient way to initially reach out. You can just get into their profile, and there you will have a DM option. Tap on it, and then craft the catchy formal pitch, and send it. Remember, the DM has a limit of 6000 characters, so, you will need to write within the limit.
Some tips to increase your chances of getting a response are:
- Send your message at the right time when the influencer is most likely to be online and active on TikTok.
- Follow up with a reminder or a thank you message if you don’t hear back from the influencer within a few days.
- Don’t spam the influencer with multiple messages or requests.
Limitations of Using DM
Undoubtedly, it’s one of the simplest ways to contact a TikTok influencer. However, this method has some limitations, such as:
- You can only send DMs to influencers who follow you back or have their DMs open to everyone.
- You may not get a response from influencers who receive a lot of messages or are not interested in your offer.
- You may come across as unprofessional or spammy if you send a generic or poorly written message.
Examples of Effective and Ineffective Messages
Effective Message:
Hi @influencer, I’m a huge fan of your content and style. I work for @brand, a company that shares your values. We are looking for TikTok collaborators for a new campaign. Would you be interested? Please reply to this message or email me at brand@email.com. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Ineffective Message
Hey @influencer, I want to work with you. DM me back.
The ineffective message is overly casual and lacks key details about the potential collaboration. The effective message establishes common ground, speaks to shared values, and includes a clear call to action.
Outreach via Email
Email is still a solid way to contact TikTok influencers, even with social media being popular. Luckily, you can usually dig up an influencer’s email address in their profile bio.
However, in some cases, you won’t be able to find out the email address in their bio. In that case, you can check out their other internet hangouts like Twitter, YouTube, Insta, or their own awesome websites. Some email lookup sites can also help you sniff out their contact info based on their name and location.
While writing an email to pitch your targetted influencer, make sure you are writing the subject line and the body in a proper way. Here are examples of good and bad subjects of an email –
Good: Collaboration opportunity with @brand
Bad: Urgent!!! Read this now!!!
Benefits and Limitations of Using Email for Outreaching TikTok Influencers
Email has some advantages over DMs, such as:
- You can reach influencers who do not follow you back or have their DMs closed.
- You can attach files, such as your media kit, your campaign brief, or your contract.
- You can track the delivery, opening, and reply rates of your emails.
Though Email is a more professional way to contact an influencer, it has a few limitations –
- You may not have the correct or updated email address of the influencer.
- You may end up in the spam folder or get ignored by the influencer.
- You may have to compete with other brands or agencies who are also emailing the influencer.
Get in Touch via TikTok Creator Marketplace
TikTok offers a dedicated Creator Marketplace, providing a platform for brands to connect with influencers seamlessly. Through this marketplace, you can browse influencers, view their profiles, and send collaboration proposals directly. The platform streamlines the process, making it efficient for both influencers and brands to find suitable partnerships.
To contact a TikTok influencer, you will need to follow the steps below –
Step 1- Signing up for an account on TikTok’s Creator Marketplace (TCM) makes finding TikTok creators for your marketing campaigns easy.
Step 2- Once you’ve created your TCM account, you can start setting up a new influencer campaign. Click New Campaign and fill out the required details in the brief to specify what you’re looking for.
Step 3- Now filter your search using criteria like creator location, niche/topic, follower count, past video performance, target audience demographics, and more. Adjust these filters to find creators that closely match what you need.
Step 4- When you find promising candidates, get into their insights to learn about their audience and content trends. This helps determine if they’d be a good fit to represent your brand. Shortlist creators that seem to align well.
Step 5- Finally, send your campaign brief to the shortlisted creators. If interested, they can accept your proposal for a paid partnership. However, TCM doesn’t allow direct communication with creators.
Whenever they will accept your proposal, then you will be able to contact them.
Benefits and Drawbacks
TCM has some benefits over DMs and emails, such as:
- You can access a large and diverse pool of vetted and verified influencers who have experience working with brands.
- You can filter and search for influencers based on various criteria, such as region, niche, audience, and performance.
- You can view the influencer’s profile, portfolio, demographics, and engagement rate.
- You can invite the influencer to collaborate on your campaign via TCM’s tools and features.
However, TCM also has some drawbacks, such as:
- You need to have a Tiktok Ads Manager account or a TCM account to use the platform.
- You may have to pay a fee or a commission to use the platform or to work with certain influencers.
- You may have to follow Tiktok’s guidelines and policies for your campaign and content.
Tips to Send an Invitation to the Influencers
Some tips to create a successful campaign on TCM are:
- Set clear and realistic goals and metrics for your campaign, such as views, likes, comments, shares, conversions, etc.
- Provide the influencer with creative freedom and guidance on how to create engaging and authentic content for your campaign.
- Communicate regularly with the influencer and provide feedback and support throughout the campaign.
Remember sending an invitation in a proper way will help you to pave the communication way smoothly and easily. For your betterment, here I have provided examples of good and bad invitations –
Good: Hi @influencer, we are @brand, a leading beauty brand that offers natural and cruelty-free products. We are launching a new line of skincare products and we would love to have you as one of our ambassadors. We think you are a perfect fit for our brand and our target audience. We are offering you a fixed fee of $5000 and a 10% commission on every sale you generate through your unique link. You will also receive free samples of our products and a discount code for your followers. If you are interested, please accept this invitation and we will send you more details about the campaign.
Bad: Hi @influencer, we want you to promote our products. Accept this invitation and we will pay you.
Use Other Social Media Platforms
Expand your outreach efforts by utilizing other social media platforms to contact TikTok influencers. Many influencers are active on multiple platforms, such as Instagram or Twitter. Many of the influencers linked their other social accounts in their bio. Some provide a link where you will have the links to their other social media handles.
Engage with their content, follow them, and send direct messages or mentions expressing your interest in collaboration. This approach allows you to connect with influencers where they may be more responsive or active.
Advantages and Drawbacks
Advantages of using other social handles as a bridge –
- You can reach influencers who have a larger or more engaged audience on other platforms than on TikTok.
- You can leverage the influencer’s cross-platform presence and influence to boost your campaign’s reach and impact.
- You can communicate with the influencer using the platform’s features, such as comments, stories, or live streams.
Cons of using other social handles as a connection medium,
- You may not find the influencer’s contact information or links to their other platforms on their Tiktok bio.
- You may have to switch between different platforms and apps to contact and manage the influencer.
- You may have to adapt your campaign and content to fit the different platforms and audiences.
Best Practices for Outeaching TikTok Influencers
Reaching out to influencers is no easy feat, but using some best practices around relationship-building and messaging can increase your chances of getting a response.
Do Your Research
Take time browsing through the influencer’s TikTok profile and content before reaching out:
- Watch multiple videos to understand their brand
- Make sure your goals align with their niche/expertise areas
- Take notes on video themes/topics to reference
Research will allow you to craft more personalized, relevant messages.
Be Clear on Your Ask
Whether you want to invite them to collaborate on a TikTok campaign, be interviewed for a podcast, or just build a networking connection, be upfront about the specific ask in your initial message.
Don’t make them guess why you are reaching out. Clear communication prevents confusion and moves the conversation forward.
Offer Value
Influencers receive tons of messages daily. To stand out, demonstrate the unique value you bring rather than only stating what you want from them.
Maybe you have access to trending products they could feature. Perhaps you write for a publication that could interview them. Identify what is in it for them.
Follow a Template
Using a message template ensures you hit all the key points—who you are, your goal, your ask, and what’s in it for them—while still personalizing details for each influencer.
See the next section for sample DMs and email templates.
Persist (Respectfully)
Don’t be afraid to follow up if an influencer doesn’t respond to your initial message. However, make sure follow-ups offer new value rather than repeating the same ask.
For example, send them recent data related to their niche after your first message. Demonstrate you are paying attention to them specifically versus blasting generic messages.
Message Templates for Reaching a TikTok Influencer
Here are a few sample messaging templates for contacting TikTok influencers via Direct Message or email.
TikTok DM Template
Hi [Influencer Name]! My name is [Your Name] and I run a small boutique called [Boutique Name]. I came across your TikTok profile and absolutely love your style and aesthetics.
We have several on-trend items I think would be a great fit for one of your haul/unboxing videos. I would love to gift you a few pieces with no strings attached. If interested, please DM me or shoot me an email at [Your Email]!
Thanks so much and hope to chat soon!
Instagram DM Template
Good morning [Influencer Name]! I’m [Your Name], founder of the [Your Brand] TikTok account. We are in the process of organizing a TikTok campaign centered around [Campaign Niche] and would love to have you on board!
I’ve admired your ability to create fun, engaging content around [Influencer’s Niche]. We think your expertise would lend itself beautifully to our campaign goal of [Campaign Goal].
Would you have 20 minutes to jump on a call this week to discuss further? Please let me know what dates/times work or if you have any questions!
Looking forward to potentially working together!
Email Template
Subject Line: Collaboration Opportunity for [Influencer Name]
Dear [Influencer Name],
My name is [Your Name] and I run [Your Brand], a [brand description] that has seen great success with over [X followers] on TikTok.
I have followed you on TikTok for some time and am consistently impressed by your ability to [praise a specific skill]. In viewing your latest [genre] videos, I think your unique style would align beautifully with [specific campaign name/goal]
The [campaign name] launch includes: [overview of campaign and components where influencer would be featured]
We have a budget to fairly compensate you for your work of [budget range]. If interested and available, I would love to schedule a quick call to discuss further details and answer any questions you may have.
Please let me know if this is something you would be interested in collaborating on. You can reach me directly at [your phone number] or reply to this email.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Best,
[Your Name]
Conclusion
Well, there ya have it — inside tips from my own experience on how to get responses from big influencers on TikTok and beyond. I hope breaking it down makes it feel more possible for your brand to work with creators too! But hey, if taking the DIY route still seems like too much hassle, there are definitely influencer marketing agencies you can hire to handle the back-and-forth of influencer outreach for you. No shame in that game! Just focus your energy on all the other dope creative marketing stuff for your biz. Either way, best of luck! Holler below if ya have any other questions.
