How I Choose Influencers for Campaigns: A Guide for Philippine Brands

One of the realities I learned as an influencer relations manager is this: a million followers isn’t guaranteed virality, and virality doesn’t always mean people will care about your brand. What will mark your campaign and collaboration as a success is how you were able to match the right influential voice to the right message. And that’s where strategy comes in.

Hi, I’m Jel Alajar (R), and I’m an influencer relations manager! This blog piece is where I dive into how you, too, can choose the right influencers for your campaigns.

Every influencer partnership I recommend is the result of careful research, some instinct, and a deep understanding of what moves today’s Filipino audiences. In this post, I’ll walk you through how I approach influencer selection for different projects, and what brands should look out for when choosing who to trust with Connecting Their Story.

Step One: It Starts with the Brief

Every campaign begins with a story. The story brief tells me what kind of storyteller we need.

Before I even look at a single profile, I study the client’s brief thoroughly. I look for key details: the objectives, target audience, preferred platforms, and any non-negotiables from the client. Is this about awareness, engagement, conversion, or advocacy?

If it’s a recurring campaign — like an annual Christmas project or a long-term brand series — I also review previous executions. Who did we work with last time? What kind of results did we get? What tone or community did the influencers bring?

Understanding the full context helps me build a more intentional list. It ensures continuity for the brand while keeping the influencer pool fresh and relevant.

Step Two: Do the Groundwork

Once I have a clear direction, I start my organic research.

I look at who’s talking about similar topics, who’s engaging with the right audiences, and who’s been gaining traction for the right reasons. Each platform has its own ecosystem, so I tailor my scanning depending on the campaign.

Many assume influencer discovery is about scrolling endlessly — and yes, that happens sometimes — but it’s also about recognizing patterns: who’s driving organic attention, who’s diversifying their content, and who’s building genuine community.

Step Three: Know What to Look For

There’s a science to shortlisting the right people. My checklist is extensive, but here’s a preview of the things I look for:

1. Follower Count

Numbers still matter, but I also look at the way their community connects and interacts. Niche influencers often have stronger, more loyal communities, so that’s a factor, too. Quality over quantity, always.

2. Output Quality

I look at how they craft their content — not just visually, but narratively. Do they tell stories well? Is their audio crisp? Are they thoughtful with their captions? These small cues often reflect how they’ll handle brand materials.

3. Online Credibility

I make sure influencer values match that of the brand’s, as part of the selection process is them being a good, genuine fit and representation of any brand we recommend them for.

Step Four: Connecting Your Story

After gathering all these insights, I look at influencer combinations (where everyone brings something unique to the table), then I make sure each output and collaboration is thoughtfully executed. Beyond finding influencers who fit the aesthetic, I also make sure they genuinely reflect the message and values of the campaign through their output.

Your Influencer Campaigns Made Great

Influencer partnerships shouldn’t feel like a gamble. When done right, they become extensions of your brand’s voice — relatable, credible, and effective.

If you’re a brand exploring influencer marketing but unsure where to start, it helps to have someone who can read between the lines — someone who knows how to balance creativity with credibility. Most of all, it helps to work with an influencer relations manager who brings a personalized, purposeful, and uniquely human touch to your campaign, from campaign research, to influencer curation, and all the way to output execution.

That’s what I do.