Stop hiring influencers by follower count.
Use this checklist instead.

Most branded content campaigns fail before the first brief is written — because brands pick creators using the wrong metric: follower count.

This interactive checklist walks you through the exact vetting process we use at GP5 to decide who deserves to carry your brand story.

Built from the same framework that landed deals with Warner Brothers, Ford & Adobe.

If this sounds familiar, your vetting process is broken:

• ❌ 2M followers but the wrong audience
• ❌ Zero real engagement, just emojis and bots
• ❌ Content format that doesn’t match your product
• ❌ One-off sponsored post that quietly dies in the feed

The problem isn’t influencers. The problem is how brands choose them.

It sounds obvious — yet most campaigns ignore this. They chase reach, not relevance.

From now on, your golden rule is simple:

Content fit > Follower count. Every. Single. Time.

Before you even look at follower count, ask:

• Does this creator already make content about my product category?
• Do they naturally talk about topics related to my brand?
• Would my product feel native inside their content?

If you answer NO to any of these → move on to the next creator.

Now look at who actually follows them:

• Do demographics match your ideal customer?
• Is the audience active & engaged (not bought followers)?
• Do comments look like real fans, not bots?
• Is their main geography aligned with your target markets?

1,000 right followers > 100K wrong ones.

Calculate true engagement, not vanity metrics:

• Engagement rate > 3% (likes + comments ÷ followers)
• Comments are thoughtful, not just emojis
• Creator replies to their audience (two-way, not broadcast)
• Strong shares / saves for high-intent content

Engagement rate > reach. Always.

Respect what already works for the creator:

• Their content format is proven & consistent
• Your brand can fit without changing their format
• They keep creative freedom to integrate naturally
• You’re not asking them to “act like a commercial”

Never ask creators to change the format that built their audience.

Think beyond a single “sponsored post”:

• Could this become a series, not just one video?
• Are they professional & reliable (references, track record)?
• Do their values align with your brand values?
• Are they open to collaboration, not just a quick paycheck?

9 videos > 1 video. Long-term partnerships build real equity.

For your first campaign with any creator, use this formula:

• 1️⃣ One PROVEN format
  → Safe bet, tested with their audience, predictable performance.
• ➕
• 1️⃣ One EXPERIMENTAL format
  → Innovation bet that might hit bigger than expected.

Together, you get a balanced campaign that protects your downside while unlocking upside.

This 1+1 strategy helped land the Warner Brothers “Project X” campaign.

This framework turned:

• • 1 taco truck → 7 trucks
• • 9 videos → 1B+ views
• • 0 deals → Ford, Adobe, Kia, Warner Brothers

The secret? Stop chasing follower counts. Start vetting for content fit, audience alignment, engagement quality, format compatibility and partnership potential.

Or save this infographic as your internal Creator Vetting Checklist for the next briefing.