We got burned twice last year working with LATAM creators who looked good on paper but completely underdelivered in reality. So now I’m paranoid about vetting, but I don’t want to waste months researching before we launch.
First creator: 250k followers on TikTok, 3.5% engagement rate. Numbers looked solid. We signed a $15k campaign. Turns out 80% of the comments were bot engagement. Real engagement rate was 0.8%. Campaign tanked.
Second creator: Great portfolio, amazing case studies, seemed like a perfect fit. Two weeks into the campaign, they ghosted us. Turns out they were managing clients through a VC-backed platform that went under.
Now I’m doing more due diligence, but I’m not sure I’m looking at the right things. Here’s what I’m checking:
- Engagement rate (but now I’m paranoid it’s inflated)
- Audience quality (trying to spot bots and bought followers)
- Previous brand partnerships (contacting references)
- Communication responsiveness
- Local market reputation
But I feel like I’m missing something. How do you actually know if a creator is who they say they are? How deep do you go before you commit budget?
Also—do you trust portfolio case studies? Or do you require a small test campaign first? What’s the minimum you need to feel confident?
How are you vetting LATAM creators without turning it into a 3-month process?
Okay, vetting is non-negotiable, and I’ve learned this the hard way. Here’s my system:
Phase 1 (30 minutes): Basic verification
- Pull their Instagram/TikTok/YouTube in Datalytics or similar tool. Check follower growth pattern (steady = good, spikes = bought followers). Engagement rate should be 2-6% for most niches. If it’s 0.5% or 10%+, dig deeper.
- Check if audience is real with a quick visual scan: read comments, see if they’re coherent or gibberish. Bots leave generic praise, real followers ask questions or leave contextual comments.
- Check posting frequency and consistency. Erratic posting = red flag.
Phase 2 (1 hour): Deep dive
- Request last 3 months of analytics (Instagram Insights, YouTube Analytics—whatever platforms they use).
- Ask for 3 brand references. Actually call them.
- Check their TikTok/Instagram for signs of ghosting. Look at comments response time, when they last posted, engagement timing.
- Look at 5 most recent brand partnership posts. See if engagement dropped after the collab (sign they lost interest or audience trust the content).
Phase 3 (Ongoing): Relationship signals
- Test their communication speed. Send them a detailed brief, give them 24 hours to respond with clarifying questions. Slow responders stay slow.
- Do a small test campaign first—$1,000-3,000 range. Monitor daily. See if they hit deadlines, ask for feedback, iterate.
- Only after a successful test do we commit to bigger budgets.
Don’t skip the test campaign. It’s cheap insurance and tells you everything about whether you can actually work together.
For LATAM specifically: also check if they’re working with an agency or freelance. Freelancers sometimes disappear when a bigger opportunity comes up. Agency-backed creators have some accountability structure.
One more thing: be very explicit about expectations before you sign. Deliverables, posting schedule, revision policy, payment terms. LATAM creators often work differently than US creators—sometimes they expect more creative freedom, sometimes they need clearer direction. Get aligned on that early, not three weeks in.
I love Alex’s system, and I’d add one thing: ask other people in the community. LATAM creator marketplace is tight-knit. Talk to brands that have worked with them. Talk to other creators who know them. Reputation travels fast.
I’ve referred creators to brands for years, and the weird thing about LATAM is that reputation is HUGE. If a creator ghosted someone once, everybody knows. If someone’s a professional and easy to work with, people talk about that too.
Sometimes I can tell you more about a creator’s reliability from conversations than from their numbers. Not saying ignore the analytics—definitely don’t—but the relationship side matters more in LATAM markets than it might in US.
Also, if you’re working with a creator for the first time, consider using an intermediary platform (like a management agency or platform) that handles payments and contracts. Takes a 15-20% cut but protects you legally if things go wrong. Might be worth it for first campaigns.