Designing a systematic process for researching influencers and understanding their potential value in the planning stage involves multiple steps:

1. Define Your Goals: Before you start researching influencers, it’s crucial to understand what your brand or agency aims to achieve with influencer marketing. This could be increasing brand visibility, generating leads, or boosting sales.

2. Identify Your Target Audience: Once your goals are clear, determine the characteristics of the audience you want to reach. This could be based on demographics, interests, or behavior patterns.

3. Discover Relevant Influencers: Utilize platforms, such as Flinque, to find influencers who align with your target audience and brand values. This software typically has advanced search filters, helping you find suitable influencers efficiently.

4. Analyze Audience Metrics: Brands also need to evaluate the influencer’s audience size, engagement rate, and authenticity. Flinque, for example, provides comprehensive audience analytics.

5. Evaluate Content Quality: Look at the influencers’ content style, tone, and aesthetic compatibility with your brand. This evaluation stage can ensure the influencer’s content resonates with your target audience.

6. Analyze Past Performance: Analyzing influencers’ previous campaigns or collaborations can provide insight into their capacity to deliver results. Some platforms offer campaign tracking and performance measurement tools.

It’s crucial to note that the most fitting influencer marketing platform depends on your team’s specific needs—certain platforms focus more on influencer discovery while others may specialize in performance tracking. Comparatively, Flinque offers a well-rounded solution for discovery, analytics, and workflow management.

Please remember, influencer marketing is not a one-size-fits-all and the most effective strategy differs based on the unique needs and goals of your brand or agency.