How to Build Your Own Influencer Database (Template + Tips)

Spoiler alert: building an influencer database can be a time-intensive process.

This is true even if you're organizing your existing creator information from a previous campaign.

Assuming you're not using a dedicated influencer platform, putting your influencers’ info into a spreadsheet or CRM makes sense.

Because digging through endless emails and DMs is a no-go for tracking your creator campaigns.

We’ll bite: the process of creating a database is daunting if you’ve never done it before.  Having run campaigns with 400+ brands, we know all about what it takes to keep campaigns organized.

Below we share firsthand insights to help you build your own influencer database.

Oh, and we'll also share our influencer tracking template to track campaigns in progress!

Where to Start When Building Your Influencer Database

If you want to be as efficient as possible, you need to keep your creators' info in one place.

That’s because creating multiple influencer lists leads to duplication and outdated details. Bouncing between multiple platforms and spreadsheets is a huge time-waster, too. 

Streamline managing your influencer database by keeping everyone’s details in a single document. If you aren't using a CRM, spreadsheets are the-go alternative. Excel, Google Sheets and Numbers are all fair game.

Below is an example from our own campaign tracking spreadsheet. This doubles as an influencer database template you can copy and adapt for your own business:

Gather and Document Your Influencers’ Contact Information

After you pick your preferred database platform, it's time to start filling out details.

Let's assume you're already running influencer campaigns or researching creators. If so, you should pull the information you've collected into your database document. 

There is no “right” way to fill out a database. That said, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with details and data points when managing multiple creators.

Consider starting with the following information for each influencer:

• Names
• Email addresses
• Handles for each social media platform
• Follower count
• Content type(s) or industry
• Location
• Status with your brand (active or inactive)

Creating sections for the details above keeps your research and outreach processes organized. This will also cut down on errors like duplicate contacts.

Trust us: you don’t want to accidentally reach out to the same influencer twice or mix up your creators. Likewise, you need to keep contact information up-to-date. Doing so will prevent shipping slowdowns or sending products to the wrong influencers.

For example, our influencer database template already has these fields built-in by default.

Divide Your Database of Influencers Into Different Levels

Creating specific labels for each stage of your influencer relationships speeds up communication. This could be a separate column within a spreadsheet or a color-coded system to identify what stage each influencer falls into.

For outreach, these stages might include:

• Prospective (relevant influencers you haven't made contact with but intend to)
• Contacted (influencers you’ve already contacted)
• Interested (influencers who’ve responded to your pitches)
• Ghosted (influencers you’ve contacted who never responded or stopped responding)

For influencers you’ve worked with, you can categorize even them further:

• Active or Collab in Progress (influencers you currently work with)
• Inactive or Worked With in the Past (influencers you’ve worked with but aren’t part of an active campaign)
• Brand Ambassador (influencers you’ve worked with many times and have an ongoing relationship with)

Figuring out how to categorize influencers may take some trial and error.

Consider including a “last date contacted” column and checkboxes to monitor everyone’s status. Here’s an example from our influencer spreadsheet:

You may also want to divide content creators based on the platforms you’re running campaigns on. For example, you might maintain a dedicated Instagram and TikTok influencer database. This may not be necessary if you’re only working with a handful of contacts, though.

Note: If most of your contacts are ending up on the “Ghosted” list, you should reassess your pitching process. There are plenty of reasons why influencers don’t answer your emails. Need to level up your outreach? Check out our guide to pitching influencers that features templates and real examples.

Set Aside a Place to Document Influencer Outreach

Building an influencer database can be a smart way to organize your contacts on a small scale.

But don’t neglect the importance of consistently adding creators to your roster.

As you continue finding new influencers, make sure to include them as part of your database. Cycling in new talent alongside existing creators makes sense. This guarantees that your campaigns feel exciting as you tap into your new creators’ fresh ideas.

Brands today are seeing results by working with a high volume of influencers (think: hundreds, not a handful). That's because competition is fierce and the talent pool of influencers is deep. 

Of course, maintaining an influencer database is a long-term balancing act that can get pretty overwhelming. Be careful not to get so hung up on adding new talent that you neglect your existing brand ambassadors. Maintaining ongoing, professional relationships with influencers is crucial. 

That’s because long-term influencers are invaluable to brands. The longer a creator works with you, the better they can represent your company and convey your value proposition. 

Also, consider how new and existing influencers with small audiences now could see a surge of followers in the near future. An influencer tracking spreadsheet can record these details.

Does Your Company Really Need an Influencer Database?

Chances are you have a lot on your plate already. We get it.

And so you’re probably wondering if all of this is really worth the effort.

Consider the upsides of having an organized influencer marketing database:

• Save time by eliminating needless questions and emails to influencers
• Reduce shipping errors like sending products to the wrong influencers or addresses
• Speed up your influencer outreach by having everyone’s information in one place

Again, the alternative to consolidating your creators’ information is constantly scrambling for it. If nothing else, a database cuts down on the day-to-day stress of managing campaigns.

The caveat here is that this only rings true if you're partnering with creators on a small scale. For brands partnering with hundreds of influencers, a simple spreadsheet isn't a realistic way to do it.

Building Your Own Influencer Database vs. Paying for Database Software

Let’s say you’re not sure if you want to take a DIY approach to your database.

Purchasing a database has its pros and cons. That said, here are some considerations:

• Building your own database is free (well, sort of). Although there’s no denying the time investment involved, creating a DIY database is clearly more cost-effective than buying one. Consider that some influencer database software costs $2,000+ per month. 
  
  
• Many paid database platforms are super bloated. Some actually advertise millions of influencers as part of their network. Others pull data points that might be irrelevant to your business. Building a database yourself means that you can customize your data to fit your needs.
  
  
• You actually own your influencer data. This is the big one. As soon as you stop paying for access to a database or influencer CRM, you lose your contact info. You’re also at the mercy of a third party to keep their numbers accurate and up-to-date. 

The Challenges of Managing an Influencer Database Yourself

Of course, creating a database isn’t as simple as filling out a spreadsheet. To wrap things up, here are some of the challenges of managing an influencer database on your own:

• Your database must be kept up to date to be worthwhile. Like it or not, this is non-negotiable. As soon as you start slacking on upkeep, your database loses its utility. Failing to update follower counts, address changes or contract statuses is a recipe for mix-ups and mistakes.
  
  
• Maintaining a database can be time-consuming. Once your database reaches a certain size, managing it all is going to eat up a decent chunk of your schedule. Heck, it might even feel like a full-time job. DIY databases are ideal for teams with a small roster of influencers versus hundreds.
  
  
• Manual data entry is tedious. Let’s be real: nobody likes doing data entry. If you feel like you’re spending half your day plugging away at a spreadsheet, you’re probably on the path to burnout. Consider how valuable your time and schedule are. Your energy is 100% best spent elsewhere.

How to Scale Your Campaigns Without Building an Influencer Database

Databases can be organizational game-changers if you're managing a handful of influencers.

But don't underestimate how much work goes into building your own influencer database.

Copying and pasting contact info. Documenting shipping updates. Tracking performance.

Influence marketing should be about earning awesome content, not the tedious tasks above. 

If you want to eliminate 98% of the workload involved in running influencer campaigns, Statusphere's software can help. Our software was built to streamline everything from matchmaking and fulfillment to content rights management and influencer reporting.

Our platform consolidates all of your creators' content and performance metrics in one place. We also handle all communication with our community to ensure timely deliveries and authentic content.

Unlike other influencer platforms, Statusphere is designed to specifically help brands earn hundreds of authentic posts. No heavy lifting on your part and definitely no spreadsheets!

Want to learn how our solution works? Get in touch with one of our experts to see how our platform can save your team serious time while earning guaranteed influencer content at scale.

This article was first published in November 2019. It was last updated June 11, 2023.