Start with your buyer, not the creator
Write one sentence about who buys from you. “Futures traders who’ve failed an evaluation and want to try again” is useful. “Traders” isn’t. Then look for creators that person already watches.
Where to look
- YouTube. Reviews, tutorials and recaps. Search for your competitors’ names and see who keeps coming up.
- Live streams. Traders who stream the session. Viewers stay for hours, and a code said live gets used.
- X. Fast to scan. Check who traders reply to, not just who has the most followers.
- Discord and paid groups. Small, but often the most trusted voice in the room.
- Your own customers. Ask who they watch. It’s the cheapest research you’ll do.
How to check a creator
Before you reach out, spend twenty minutes on their content. You’re looking for four things:
- The comments. Real questions about trading mean real traders. Generic praise and emoji walls don’t.
- Past sponsors. Who they’ve promoted, how they disclosed it, and whether the posts are still up.
- Claims. Guaranteed returns, unverifiable P&L or lifestyle flexing are reasons to walk away.
- Consistency. A creator who posts every week keeps your code alive. One who disappears for a month doesn’t.
Then ask for their own analytics: audience country, age and watch time. A creator who won’t share them is telling you something.
Red flags
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Promises of funding, payouts or returns | Your brand carries that claim. The FTC says an endorsement can’t say what you couldn’t. |
| Followers that don’t match engagement | Often bought. Bought followers don’t buy evaluations. |
| No ad labels on past sponsored posts | You’d be asking them to change habits. Some won’t. |
| Promoting every firm at once | Viewers stop trusting the recommendation. |
Reaching out
Keep the first message short. Say who you are, why their audience fits, what you’re offering, and that disclosure is required. Don’t send a contract first. Ask if they’re open to a call. If they’d genuinely use your product, lead with that.
The first deal
Start with a trial period, a code and a clear commission, and give them access to use the product for real. Agree the brief and the disclosure in writing. After the trial, back the creators who sold and part ways politely with the ones who didn’t.
Questions people ask
How many followers should a trading influencer have?
There’s no right number. A small channel full of futures traders often sells more than a big one full of people who’ll never buy. Check the audience, not the count.
Should we pay creators a flat fee or commission?
Commission lines their pay up with your sales. Some bigger creators want a fee for a dedicated video. If you pay one, keep it small next to the commission.
Where do most trading creators post?
YouTube, live streams, X and Discord are the usual places. Ask your customers who they watch to find out what matters for your brand.
Can Scaleiko Partners do this for us?
Yes. It’s our creator recruitment service.
