Target undiscovered creators before they professionalize and raise rates
Micro-influencers who create content 'for fun' rather than as a professional business often deliver dramatically better ROI than established creators. These young or early-stage creators (typically 18-19 years old with 50K-200K followers) charge $50-100 per promotion instead of thousands, yet can generate millions of views because they're creating authentic content their audience loves. The key is finding them before they realize their commercial value and professionalize.
When to use
When building consumer apps that need viral distribution on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts. Invest time in finding creators who are harder to contact (Discord servers, unconventional outreach) but haven't yet monetized their influence.
Don't do this
Only contacting established influencers with professional rates and managers. Giving up after standard DM outreach fails instead of finding creative contact methods (Discord, messaging family members, persistent follow-ups).
3 Founders Who Did This
Found 'diamond in the rough' creators at cheap rates instead of expensive established influencers
Found underground TikTok creators (18-19 year olds) making content for fun, accessed them through hidden Discord servers and direct messaging their family members
Partnered with micro-influencers like MengMengCareer rather than large expensive influencers. These young creators charged affordable rates and were contracted on monthly retainers to post for the company account.