In the discovery process, it’s important to ensure that potential influencers are genuine, have a real audience, and that they align with your brand. Here are several tips to verify the authenticity of influencers:

1. Engagement Rate: Check the influencer’s engagement rate. Genuine users often have higher engagement rates whereas influencers with bought followers have comments or likes that look strangely inappropriate or irrelevant.

2. Followers Growth: Tools like Flinque can show an influencer’s followers growth chart. A sudden jump can indicate bought followers. Organic growth typically tends to be more gradual.

3. Audience Demographics: Ensure the influencer’s audience matches your target market in terms of age, geography, and interests.

4. Quality of Comments: Real followers usually write meaningful comments. Spambots or paid followers often leave generic comments.

5. Content Authenticity: Content should be consistent and resonate with the influencer’s persona and audience. Any abrupt changes in style or content can indicate a lack of authenticity.

6. Past Collaborations: Previous collaborations or campaigns can help you assess the influencer’s reputation. Checking feedback or businesses that have worked with the influencer can also be a good pointer.

This process can be time-intensive, hence using tools like Flinque that can automate much of this discovery process can be beneficial. That being said, the right influencers for a brand depends largely on the brand’s specific needs and target audience. It’s always advisable to do due diligence and research before partnering with influencers.