Lifestyle influencers are some of the most versatile creators online when it comes to the types of companies that can partner with them successfully. And whether their lifestyle is relatable or aspirational, there are plenty of chances for brands to become a part of their daily routine.
A diverse skill set and audience make lifestyle creators key players on any influencer roster. But how can you pick the right one for your brand and leverage their content effectively? Let’s talk about it.
What is a lifestyle influencer?
A lifestyle influencer gives their online audience a behind-the-scenes look at their daily life. Almost anyone can be a lifestyle influencer, but the most successful posts tend to be relatable or aspirational content that others can implement into their own routine. This content can include vlogs, motivational posts, life hacks, vacation tips, or anything else related to their unique lifestyle.
How to pick the right lifestyle influencer for your brand
Set your goals.
The first step to partnering with any type of creator is ensuring you have a clear set of goals and objectives. This will help you determine what strengths to look for in a lifestyle influencer and how you will define success for your campaign.
Some of the most common goals include:
- Brand awareness
- Conversions
- Content production
- Increased web traffic
- Improved reputation
Some creators will be better at accomplishing these goals than others, so be sure you know exactly what you want to get out of the partnership before moving forward.
See Also: Influencer Marketing 101
Determine your ideal customer persona.
Who will benefit most from using your product? Answer this question in as much detail as possible. You might even consider printing off a photo of what this person might look like and giving them a backstory to help you remember the kind of person you’re speaking to in your marketing content.
Once you’ve nailed down your customer persona, you’ll also have your ideal lifestyle creator persona. By keeping your ideal customer and creator one and the same, you’ll always be sure to have the most relatable content for your target audience. Plus, you can’t have authentic product endorsements unless your creators love your products, too!
Start your search.
When you’re ready to begin your search, start by looking for lifestyle creators who are already using or at least interested in your products.
Here are a few ideas to help get you going:
- Use social listening – Check tagged content and branded hashtags to find creators already posting about your products.
- Browse existing followers – Chances are you already have some influential fans. Have a look at your followers and see if anyone fits the bill.
- Search location tags – Local creators are great for engagement. Search tags at some local hotspots and see if you can find any creators that vibe well with your brand.
- Discover lookalikes – If you find a creator you like, follow them on social and the platform will show you other suggested accounts you might like.
View Ebook: How to Find Content Creators
Audit for authenticity.
The best creators generate plenty of likes, comments, shares, and saves on their content. And while follower size matters to an extent, engagement rate is the primary metric you should use to evaluate your prospects.
Here’s how to calculate it:
Engagement Rate = Post Engagements / Number of Followers x 100
Shoot for nano and micro influencers with an engagement rate of at least 10%. Macro and celebrity influencers can have a lower engagement rate, but it shouldn’t fall below 2%. But be wary of creators with suspiciously high engagement rates, as that’s generally a red flag that a chunk of their followers might be fake.
Build a relationship.
Relationship building starts with initial outreach. When prospecting, be sure to point out a particular piece of the creator’s content you liked and explain why you think they’d be a good fit for a partnership.
Once they are on board, continue to treat them like a valued partner, not a transaction. Stay open to suggestions on improving your campaigns and give your creators the freedom they need to produce the type of content they know will resonate with their audience.
Lifestyle influencer content trends to look out for
Daily motivation
@notmattgraham Only YOU can move the needle 🔥📈 #mindset #motivation #selfimprovement #fyp #foryou #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Matt Graham
Lifestyle influencers didn’t nurture an engaged audience by accident. These creators are disciplined go-getters who know how to accomplish what they set out to do. If they aren’t already, consider encouraging your creators to share a little bit more about how they reach their goals.
Get ready with me
@emmamax_ #viral #fitcheck #getreadywithme #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound – soup🎧
Audiences love seeing their favorite creator’s morning routine before they set out to tackle their day. Everyone could use a little extra edge in the morning, so be sure to have your partners show how your products can help get things started on the right foot.
Day in the life
@jenniferaffleckk Day in the life w/ @Bloom Nutrition 💓 #bloomnu #momsoftiktok #youngmom #utahmom #utah #babiesoftiktok #babygirl #dayinthelife #productivity #parents ♬ Teenage Crime – Radio Edit – Adrian Lux
If your creator has already invited their audience to get ready with them, why not take it a step further and have them bring their fans along for the whole day? Plus, most popular day-in-the-life content is hyper-targeted to a particular profession, demographic, or location, making it the perfect way to capture viewers’ attention with relatable content.
Life hacks
@lindsayroggenbuck Life hacks Part 17 #lifehacks #hacks #learnontiktok #kitchenhack #todayyearsold #iwastodayyearsold #tiktokhack ♬ The Fresh Prince of Bel Air – wes
Have you ever heard a tip so genius yet so simple you can’t believe you didn’t think of it yourself? Creators have a knack for coming up with these types of life hacks that, when done right, can lead to tons of shares and audience engagement.
Top 15 lifestyle creators to partner with right now
Top lifestyle influencers on Instagram
Rashad Little
Rashad’s IG is a style encyclopedia for anyone needing some fashion inspiration. The LA-based creator provides his followers with tips for how they can always look their best and put together an outfit for any occasion.
You can also follow Rashad on YouTube and TikTok.
wendy.eats
Wendy is an NYC foodie giving her followers their fix of lesser-known Japanese food and beverages. If you’re ever in the city, let Wendy show you all the hidden gems.
Guillermo J. Guajardo
Guillermo is a digital specialist and certified drone pilot from San Antonio who documents his young family’s daily life and travels. If you’re looking for some cute baby pics and stunning aerial photos, there is no better follow.
You can find more of Guillermo’s content on Twitter and TikTok.
William Jardell
Will and his husband, James, are a traveling power couple and winners of The Amazing Race 32. His content always stays positive and fun and is sure to inspire your next big adventure.
Check out Will and James on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook to find out where they’re headed next.
Siyanda Bani
Siyanda’s beauty, fashion, and travel content are never afraid to make a statement. Always dressed to the nines, her audience loves her for her fashion hacks, style tips, and outfit inspiration.
Follow Siyanda on Twitter for more from one of our favorite fashionistas.
Top lifestyle influencers on TikTok
Ally Yost
@ally_yost :/
♬ Originalton – Nesa
Ally Yost first made a name for herself on Vine before bursting to TikTok fame with more than 1.5 million followers. The makeup guru invites her audience to get ready with her, chat about relationships, and play with the latest products on the market.
See what else Ally is up to on YouTube and Instagram.
Joshua Solis
@joshsss_ Healthy morning habits you should try 🌤 part three #healthy #habit #habits #morning #routine #tips #lifestyle #aesthetic #motivation #foryoupage #foryou #fypage #fypシ #fyp ♬ original sound – Joshua S.
Josh is the perfect follow for all the fellas looking for some simple but essential life hacks. His “Bare Minimum Tips for Young Men” is a great resource for guys just starting out on their own, and he has a solid formula for brands who want to get their products in front of his engaged audience.
Lylli Stapper
@lyllistapper i’m going back to brown 🙁 #hair #color ♬ original sound – Immediato Interiors 🤎
Lylli gives her audience their daily dose of comedy alongside cooking videos, hair tutorials, and whatever else is on her mind. She grew her TikTok following of more than 1.8 million by being unapologetically herself, and she encourages all her fans to do the same.
Marcus Bornslater
@marcus.bornslater Confidence through the roof, it was times I thought this wouldnt be possible #fyp #vlog #dayinmylife #lifestyle #blackmen #dallas #journal #routine #sunday ♬ Calling On You (Album Version) – Jon B.
Marcus is a former D1 football player who has moved his grind over to TikTok. Head over to his page for style, daily motivation, and a look into his never-ending journey for personal growth.
You can also follow Marcus on Instagram.
Batsheva Haart
@batshevahaart Haha I hope not 🙄
♬ well this is gonna be my personality – Ted Nivison
Batsheva grabbed the spotlight after she appeared on the Netflix series My Unorthodox Life, which is centered around her mother and fashion designer Julia Haart. Batsheva continues to give her fans a peek behind the curtain on TikTok with day-in-the-life content, makeup hacks, and more.
You can get more from her “unorthodox life” on Instagram.
Top lifestyle influencers on YouTube
Jesse Enkamp
Jesse “The Karate Nerd” Enkamp grew up in his family’s martial arts school, where he developed a passion for learning, teaching, and practicing Karate. He is also a #1 Amazon best-selling author, National Team athlete, and founder of Seishin International.
See more of Jesse’s moves on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
The Fit Farmer
The Fit Farmer is a former professional bodybuilder turned full-time farmer. He and his family sold nearly all their possessions to start a family farm from scratch and pursue a more sustainable lifestyle at Big Pond Farm.
You can see more of what the Fit Farmer is up to on Instagram.
Erika Diane
Erika Daine is a teenage YouTuber putting out regular vlogs, challenges, and much more. Her channel is the perfect follow for any young person looking to be inspired, uplifted, and entertained.
Check out more of Erika’s content on Instagram.
Kelly Wakasa
Kelly got his start creating skateboarding videos with his buddies in 2014. He now has one of the fastest-growing vlogs on YouTube, where he documents all of his good-life adventures and wild antics.
Kelly has plenty more content on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
Travel Beans
Alex and Emma are a British couple constantly searching for new nature, wildlife, and food. Travel Beans was born after the couple bought a one-way ticket to Bangkok, determined to create a successful digital nomad lifestyle. Mission accomplished!
You can get more of the latest from Travel Beans on Instagram and Facebook.
Brands running high-performing campaigns with lifestyle influencers
Branch Basics
@julesacree Use ‘JULES’ for 15% off @Branch Basics starter kits #ad #cleaningtiktok #cleaninghacks #minimalist ♬ Autumn – Study Beats
Branch Basics is a DTC non-toxic cleaning product company that leverages lifestyle creators to showcase how their from-concentrate products make everyday life a little simpler.
Before proposing a collaboration, the brand always sends some free products to ensure the creators genuinely like the products and can learn how to use them, leading to authentic content that resonates with their audience.
Darn Good Yarn
@hannahdrapinski how i tie a wrap skirt 🦋🍄🌿🌞 skirt from @Darn Good Yarn ☮️ #hippie #hippietok #outfits ♬ so high – 💋!
Darn Good Yarn sells sustainably produced yarn handspun by women in India. It partners with lifestyle creators who share its love for sustainability and eco-friendly products and can help articulate that message to its target audience.
The brand built its creator roster from fans who already used and loved the products. These creators also happened to be producing visually stunning content that really showcased the colors and textures found in Darn Good Yarn products.
Allbirds
@pratitimehta There’s nothing better to dance in than some @Allbirds #weareallbirds #allbirdsaffiliate ♬ original sound – Pratiti Mehta
Allbirds partners with all types of lifestyle creators to demonstrate the versatility of their products. The brand also uses its creators to help educate its audience on how to maintain the footwear and build excitement for new product drops.
Key takeaway: No matter your niche, there is a lifestyle creator who can inject some ‘life’ into your content.
Regardless of what your brand or product is, there is a lifestyle creator somewhere online who can help you reach your goals. Start by figuring out exactly what those goals are. From there, you can find a team of versatile creators to bring you top-shelf content, provide honest product endorsements, and become the brand champions you need to take your influencer marketing campaigns to the next level.
Learn more about influencer marketing: Influencer Marketing 101
