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The Scrappy Analyst's Playbook for Vetting Authentic Influencers

Stop wasting your marketing budget on influencers with fake followers and mismatched audiences. Brands struggle to accurately vet micro-influencers, leading to poor campaign ROI, skewed performance data, and damage to brand credibility.

This playbook introduces 'The Scrappy Analyst Kit,' an ultra-low-cost system for meticulously vetting influencers without expensive software. We'll show you how to leverage Google Sheets as your central influencer database and analysis hub, use Buffer for essential social data, and automate key steps with a simple workflow. This is the definitive guide for solo consultants and lean marketing teams who prioritize hands-on expertise and fiscal prudence.

Expected Outcomes

  • Confidently identify and partner with influencers who have genuine engagement and an audience that matches your target customers.
  • Maximize your marketing ROI by eliminating spend on ineffective influencers with inflated metrics.
  • Build a robust, data-driven vetting process using affordable, ubiquitous tools.
  • Create a trusted, high-performing roster of micro-influencers for long-term partnerships.

Core Tools in This Stack

Google Workspace

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An integrated suite of secure, cloud-native collaboration and productivity apps powered by Google AI, including Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, and Drive.

Key Features
  • Custom and secure business email with Gmail
  • Real-time collaborative document editing in Docs, Sheets, and Slides
  • Secure cloud storage and file sharing with Google Drive
  • Video and voice conferencing with Google Meet
  • Shared calendars and team scheduling with Google Calendar
  • Centralized administration and security controls
  • Team messaging with Google Chat
Ideal For

Company Size: Micro, Small, Medium, Large

Industries: Technology & Software, Business & Professional Services, Retail & E-commerce, Creative & Media, Education & Non-Profit, Health & Wellness, Other

Pricing

Model: Subscription, Freemium

Tier: Low

Ease of Use

Easy

Buffer

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A social media toolkit for small businesses that helps users plan, schedule, and publish content, engage with their audience, and analyze performance across multiple platforms.

Key Features
  • Content Scheduling & Publishing
  • Social Media Analytics & Reporting
  • Audience Engagement Tools (Comments & DMs)
  • AI Content Assistant
  • Custom Landing Page Builder (Start Page)
  • Multi-Platform Integration (Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, etc.)
Ideal For

Company Size: Micro, Small

Industries: Creative & Media, Retail & E-commerce, Business & Professional Services, Education & Non-Profit

Pricing

Model: Freemium, Subscription

Tier: Small Business

Ease of Use

Very Easy

The Workflow

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Integration Logic

  • Vetter's Workflow by Zapier

    This integration automates a content approval process. It triggers when a row is updated in a designated Google Sheet. A Zapier filter checks a 'Status' column in that row. If the status is 'Approved', the Zap proceeds to take the content and an optional image URL from the sheet and creates a new post in your Buffer queue. If the status is anything else, the workflow stops, preventing unvetted content from being published. Data flows one-way from Google Sheets to Buffer, contingent on the approval status.

Get the Playbook for Authentic Influencers

Stop wasting budget on fake followers and learn to vet partners who deliver genuine campaign ROI.