Incorporating diversity and inclusion when selecting and partnering with niche influencers starts with a shift in mindset: we don't just look for reach—we look for representation that reflects real creative communities, especially within the world of professional photography. Our approach begins by identifying photographers who bring more than aesthetic value—they bring a unique voice, cultural perspective, and lived experience that speaks to underserved or overlooked audiences. We ask: Who are they creating for? Who do they represent in their storytelling? Are they using their lens to amplify voices beyond the mainstream? For us, diversity isn't about meeting a quota—it's about making sure the content we produce with photographers speaks to the full spectrum of creative professionals: across race, gender identity, age, geography, and style. Inclusion means giving those creators not only a platform, but also creative control, equal pay, and a seat at the strategy table. This approach has helped us build trust in the photography space—because when photographers see campaigns that reflect their world, the connection becomes authentic, not manufactured. And that kind of resonance can't be faked—it has to be built with intention.
I concentrate on intersectionality within influencer studies, seeking influencers who willingly reveal how their multiple identities (race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, religion) impact their content. I review their previous collaborations, word choice, and comments to determine whether they promote inclusivity and support underrepresented voices. A content audit reviews current content for respectful and genuine representation. I look at images for varied body types, skin tones, abilities, and cultural backgrounds, and for inclusive language in written content, without stereotypes or cultural appropriation. I also verify accessibility features such as alt text and video captions. Community vetting extends beyond the numbers. I study engagement among the influencer's audience for respect and inclusivity, noticing the manner in which they address different types of audiences and police derogatory comments. I also seek diversity among their following. In direct interaction, I state emphatically the commitment of our brand to inclusivity and diversity, inquiring into their experiences and efforts in that regard. I note the promptness and enthusiasm with which they respond and are open to co-creation of inclusive content. Contractual clarity entails clearly defining expectations of diversity and inclusion in partnership agreements, such as inclusive language clauses, respectful representation clauses, and anti-discrimination policies. To collaborate on content creation, I co-create with influencers, inviting them to share their own cultural perspectives and experiences to truly reflect diverse individuals and resonate with cultural subtleties. Performance metrics are more than reach and engagement to encompass audience demographics of reach and engagement to verify contact with diverse audiences. Sentiment is also tracked for feedback regarding inclusivity. I am a firm believer in ongoing learning and evolution, keeping abreast of best practices, being engaged with DEI thought leaders, and soliciting feedback from partners and communities to ensure our strategies become more relevant and effective in advancing diversity and inclusion.
When we look at niche influencers to work with, we don't treat diversity and inclusion as an afterthought. It's part of the early process, not something we check off later. First, we care about relevance does the person actually speak to audiences in tech or digital services? But right after that, we look at who they're really reaching. If their audience includes people from different backgrounds or if they bring new voices to the table, that gets our attention. We don't just rely on influencer databases or metrics. Someone on the team always takes time to read or watch their content. That helps us spot things that an algorithm won't—like whether they're authentic, or if they're just playing to the platform. One thing we do a little differently is include our People Ops team in the process. They help us catch patterns we might miss like repeating the same influencer profiles or leaning into familiar faces too often. That mix of marketing and people insight has worked well. Our campaigns end up with more natural engagement, and we often connect with people we wouldn't have reached otherwise. It's not about looking good. It's about sounding real and being fair about whose voice we choose to amplify.
At Legacy Online School, we serve students in over 30 countries, so when we look for influencers, we're not just chasing numbers — we're looking for voices that truly see the families we serve. That means partnering with creators from different backgrounds, languages, lifestyles — even different definitions of what 'education' means. We don't just ask, 'Do they have reach?' We ask, 'Do they bring a perspective we don't already have in the room?' And honestly — the best partnerships happen when the creator isn't trying to sell, but to share. We look for people who speak with their community, not at them. Diversity and inclusion should feel real, messy, and human. That's where the magic is.
As a supplement company, our approach to diversity and inclusion in influencer partnerships starts with recognizing that fitness, health, and performance goals are not one-size-fits-all. We actively seek out niche influencers from a wide range of backgrounds, including different ethnicities, genders, body types, fitness levels, and communities, because our customers are just as diverse. Instead of using a blanket strategy, we reverse the process: We look at the specific products in our lineup, whether it's a vegan pre-workout, hormone support for women, or a muscle-building stack designed for hardgainers, and ask, "Who genuinely connects with this product and its benefits?" Then we find influencers whose lived experiences, values, and audiences align. We don't just partner based on follower count or aesthetic. We prioritize authenticity and representation, and we ensure that our partners feel empowered to share our products in a way that resonates with their audience, not just our brand voice. Don't just check a diversity box. Understand your customers. Respect the nuance in their journeys. And work with influencers who help amplify those unique voices.
We are grounded in heritage and look outward with open eyes. Our influencer partnerships grow from shared ethics. We care about the environment, welcome all skin types and tones and support healthy skin from within. These values guide how we work with others. We do not chase trends or short-term attention. We focus on long-term relationships with creators who speak with honesty. They connect with their communities in real ways and help us share our beliefs. We look for people who reflect our clean and inclusive view of beauty. Their values must match ours. Together we aim to build trust, encourage self-care and offer something real in a loud and busy world.
Authenticity isn't just a buzzword in marketing today; it's a baseline expectation. Diversity in influencer partnerships is essential, but if it doesn't genuinely reflect your internal workforce or customer base, the message will fall flat or, worse, appear performative. At Bemana, we make sure our inclusive marketing efforts are backed by real practices in how we hire, how we source candidates, and how we support our team internally. That alignment makes our outward messaging feel natural and credible, not forced. Unfortunately, I see too many businesses pouring energy into diversifying their marketing visuals without doing the foundational work inside their organizations. The result is messaging that feels disconnected and insincere, and today's audiences can spot that a mile away. Before expanding your influencer roster in the name of diversity, pause and ask: Does this reflect who we are and how we operate? If the answer is no, start by building that internal alignment. True representation starts within.
When collaborating with niche influencers, we get past surface metrics and delve further into what they represent and the narrative they tell. At Cafely, we sell culturally embedded products. So, it's critical that the voices we partner with are diverse not only culturally, but also by gender identity, geography, and even values of the influencer and their audience. We actively search out creators who are, as much as possible, reaching groups that have historically been underrepresented in mainstream food and beverage advertising, because their voices tend to be more authentic and nuanced. We also do our best to respect their creative process. That involves leaving room for them to present our product in a manner that resonates with them and their audience, rather than imposing a uniform brand messaging. This is not just good work ethics: it also makes the campaign more effective because people can recognize when something is truly inclusive versus when someone is only passing a requirement.
I dwell on the way a person tends to talk to his or her society when no campaign takes place. This was comprised of a retired nurse in El Paso who had a small following of care givers in border cities. Instead of the normal post, we worked with her to have a Spanish voice over on a supply kit that initially came with an English set of instructions only. The news about her video went around the local communities of caregivers. In just six weeks the orders of that area increased by 28 percent. She did not have strength due to accessibility but because people trusted her. I am not working off of demographics or lists. I learn to observe how an individual presents a self when there is no sponsorship during a conversation. When they are able to describe a medical product effectively and their audience is active by asking real questions, then I get all the information I need. Most of the most successful partnerships we had were not creators we pitched to the agency but whose words resonated where it mattered.
I am focused on lived alignment vs. metrics on a surface. I consider how any niche influencer presents herself every day before approaching her. Are they addressing their audience in ways that show trust, consistency and experience of life or are they acting trends? Here at Santa Cruz Properties, our clients are usually first-time landowners and are usually of Hispanic or working-class origins. Therefore, it would never be logical to choose influencers only by the number of followers. We are more concerned about their real audience, how frequently they appear to them and how they can they produce contents that show a commonality of land ownership. Over-correcting on checkbox diversity is one of the errors that I avoid. Visually, when someone represents a demographic group, it does not mean that their messaging resonates. I never fail to wonder whether this collaboration brings truth, and not range. A good match is smooth. As an example, we collaborated with a micro-influencer that shares a story of building a home with her family in Spanish and English. She does not have polished posts but they are real. The way her followers did things demonstrated trustfulness, inquiring about payment schedules, making remarks about generational aspirations, and brought us a higher payoff than anything the mass-market could.
Diversity and inclusion are key parts of our approach when choosing niche influencers. We want to work with people who have different points of view and audiences. We don't only look at how many people follow us or how often they interact with us. We look at their following, how they interact with them, and whether the influencer speaks for communities that aren't often heard from in a real way, not just for show. We begin our process with research. We look for creators who come from a variety of backgrounds. This includes cultural, geographic, body type, language, and even lifestyle. We also look at who can speak directly to their audiences with authority. We check the work they've done before and the people they know to make sure their values match ours. Getting people from different backgrounds involved in the vetting process has made the largest difference. It helps us find fresh opportunities while catching biases. It's not enough to tick boxes for true inclusion; you have to make sure the message applies to real-life situations. That's how you make campaigns that stand for something real.
We would rather consider the composition of the audience rather than the number of followers. An influencer with 8,000 followers of which 60 percent are women of color in mid-career finance suggests that they must have a greater value to a niche product than an influencer with 80,000 followers and no demographics of the audience. We either want the anonymous results or we use external solutions in order to achieve that alignment. We also audit the content of the influencer as time goes. They are not only diverse in terms of what they are but also in terms of the way they interact. Do they not tokenize? Do they exist in voices? Do they respond positively to criticism? We fail when there are checks on a list of what they eat. We work with individuals who embody the idea of inclusion and are not fashionable. It keeps campaigns down to earth and does not create the superficial optics that come to haunt them later.
Our focus in working with influencers is finding people with authentic personal stories to share. As long as they check that box, we can be as diverse as we want in terms of representation. Everyone is a potential customer for us, since everyone potentially has family members who need long-term care.
We passed on a fintech influencer campaign that would have driven 30,000+ visits—because of the lack of representation and diversity of language by the creators—and we have never regretted it. At Pagoralia, inclusion is not a value, it is a competitive advantage. We purposely work with niche influencers with an audience that represents the underserved/overlooked communities: women-led startups, indigenous business owners, LGBTQIA+ fintech founders, bilingual creators that reflect the reality of business in Latin America. One of the richest case studies is when we activated Zapotec-speaking founders to promote digital payments in rural Oaxaca—were cross engagement 3x compared to a visual campaign we ran in only Spanish. That's when it clicked for us, inclusion leads to outcomes. That said, we start with thinking about who is not in the narrative, and making space for them. In thinking about influencer partnerships, we consider reach and resonance—do they represent real customers relying on fintech tools to make a living? That approach has led to Pagoralia's organic growth and to feel good about the communities we serve. Actual inclusion is about taking our time and asking different questions and focusing on being authentic over aesthetics. It is more difficult, but there is more of a long-term return on the time invested in trust, growth and relevance than a second wasted.
In terms of niche influencer selection and partnership, diversity and inclusion play a big role in making sure that the partnership accurately represents a wide and genuine selection of voices. The mindful approach we use is that at Helium SEO, we first locate influencers reflecting different backgrounds, cultures, gender and experiences, and thus we will reach out people of all types and kinds. This implies that they choose influencers who share their values with inclusivity and are not ashamed to interact with diverse groups, either in their content or in terms of personal advocacy. We do not work in a way to simply tick demographic boxes. We also evaluate how relevant content and message of an influencer is to the wider diversity of the audience in the sense that the influence is authentic and influential. We also search for those who can build authentic and meaningful relationships with their followers and not necessarily the ones with the most followers. Our mission is to form such partnerships that are not merely effective in achieving target audiences but also demonstrate our focus on diversity and inclusion in all respects of such partnership.