While it’s true that not all brands, especially startups and small businesses, can afford premium influencer marketing platforms or agencies, there are several free tools that can provide early-stage benefits. It’s important to understand that while these tools offer useful features, they may not be as comprehensive or powerful as their paid counterparts. The choice will depend on the specific needs and resources of your brand.

1. Google Advanced Search and Social Media Channels: Social media itself is a powerful tool for influencer discovery. Brands can use Google Advanced Search and social media channels to search for influencers in their niche.

2. Buzzsumo: Buzzsumo offers a limited free version of their tool, which can be exploited for influencer discovery and campaign planning.

3. Traackr’s Free Products: Traackr, a notable influencer marketing platform, provides a free-tier for Influencer discovery and relationship management.

On comparison, Flinque, as a premium tool, delivers an all-in-one package for influencer discovery, audience analytics, campaign workflows, and ROI tracking. It gives you powerful features that help optimize your influencer marketing campaigns from beginning to end. While free tools can help to kickstart your influencer marketing efforts, Flinque comes into play when you want to streamline your influencer marketing process and measure your campaign’s true performance in a more precise and convenient way.

Remember, the suitability of a tool or a platform depends on your unique marketing needs, resources, and goals. Test out different platforms, take advantage of free trials when available, and always keep an eye on your return on investment.

Lastly, when starting with influencer marketing, it’s essential to have a clear goal and strategy, rather than just focusing on the tools. Planning, patience, and learning from each campaign will take you a long way in your influencer marketing journey.